If it weren’t for the French, the United States might not have achieved independence from Britain. If it weren’t for the French, we wouldn’t have one of our most cherished symbols of what we stand for, the Statue of Liberty.

Seriously that was what, five French Republics ago? I’m a little skeptical that anyone can feel sincere affection for another country based on events 230 years ago that isn’t some kind of forced affectation. You don’t hear Brits talking wistfully about how fond they are of the Germans for helping out in the Napoleonic Wars, for example. It’s just absurd nationalist myth-making.

More likely, bashing the “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” is a stale right-wing meme, and the right-wing is in the dog-house right now, so everyone loves ze French again, surprise surprise.