Wallonia must be part of FRANCE

Fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:07 GMT
I'm 22.

Well, it just surprised me that a Fleming would have a French name, when you have managed to say so much bad about each other. Obviously the conflict in Belgium is not a battle of races or even ethnicities, as Jean pointed out, but a language conflict. Especially then, it was surprising to see that somebody would give their son a first name, one of the most personal things we have, that all the world would look on as distinctly French (even though it is an old Flemish way of writing Jan).

That both Jean, John and Ian are derived from Jan is more unlikely, in my eyes. I think we could say they are all derived from Greek Ioannis (from the Bible) and then this name has gotten several versions in all the European languages: Jan (most common male first name in Norway, I think), Jean, Johan(n), Johannes, John, Jon, Jo, Hans, Ion, Ian, Giovanni, Gianni, Juan, Joao etc. etc.

Tiffany:
I suppose your parents were Americans and did not live in a country divided by a quite hostile language conflict, one of the languages being the origin of your name = they didn't have any problems with French-speaking people, I suppose?
Pierre Caroit   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:08 GMT
Hehe Yes France doesn't want us...

Charles De Gaulle the greatest flemish in the history:

Interview between General de Gaulle and Alain Peyrefitte, 10 November 1965,

"A number of Walloons had already asked me to annex the region at the end of the war. I did not wish to pursue their approach further. In 1945, it was important to respect the frontiers bequeathed to us by history, except for the frontiers of the defeated nations. This is what was done. Belgium must not be touched. But we see no reason why the Walloons should not organise to defend their language and their culture, to prevent the Flemish from trampling over them. Or else the Flemish would have to make life impossible for the Walloons, and the Walloons would then have to throw themselves into our arms. Above all, we must not make a move. It would be far too easy to accuse us of wishing to round out our borders at the expense of Belgium."

Interview between General de Gaulle and Alain Peyrefitte, 29 July 1967

"I know very well that after the Liberation I had only to snap my fingers for Wallonia to demand its attachment to France. It was my belief, however, that it was not for me to snap my fingers. The Walloons or their legitimate representatives would have needed to take the initiative. France did not have a debt to pay as it did to Canada. At one point, I had thought of making a trip that would have started in Ghent, stopping off at Dinant where I was wounded in 1914, then on to Namur, capital of Wallonia, after which I would have travelled down the Meuse to Liège, said by Michelet to be more French than France itself. It would have been like the Chemin du Roy in Canada. But I resisted the temptation.
Take note that as soon as I returned to office one of my first initiatives was to invite the King and Queen of Belgium. The invitation was never returned. No doubt the fears of popular disturbances in Wallonia were too great."
After a brief pause, he continued : "I had received a delegation from the Walloons, determined to prepare for attachment to France. The delegation explained that the Flemish were becoming increasingly arrogant and would probably end by themselves seceding. That may be how it will all end.
Wallonia exists, but there is no Walloon nation, the Walloons have never sought to become a state. Their request is to be included in the French Republic, to which they already once belonged. It is quite different from seeking emancipation, as do the people of Quebec, from Anglo-Saxon domination.
Many Walloons believe they would receive better treatment from France than from Flanders. That is probably the case. As part of France, they would rediscover the pride of belonging to a great nation, pride in their language and culture, a taste for taking part in the great affairs of the world and for fighting in the name of the great human causes.
All these things they have lost through their unnatural association, imposed by the English, with the Flemish who dislike them and whom they dislike. In the interests of the unity of Belgium, the differences between them have been smoothed over. They are frustrated by this."
Pierre Caroit   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:11 GMT
I think It's clear...isn't it???
Tiste   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:12 GMT
Yeah sure, keep on copying things you find online ...
Fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:15 GMT
Quoting de Gaulle:
"a taste for taking part in the great affairs of the world and for fighting in the name of the great human causes."

Yeah, like nuking small Pacific islands just to pretend that you are a super-power :-))
Tiffany   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:16 GMT
When you start basing your prejudices on names, something has gotten out of hand. This is 'you' in general, I am not specifically talking to you, Fredrik.
Fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:18 GMT
But it is very interesting that the Belgian royal couple didn't return the invitation. Was that poor Leopold III? Maybe he was very afraid of provoking people, after all he was quite unpopular, although I can't rememeber in which camp, the Flemish or the Walloon?
Tiste   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:18 GMT
The word of ONE man isn't enough to convince me !
-If my father would tell me : Son, France is going to be ours !
Will it happen because of him alone ? Not bloody likely !

And why did France always had more intrest in Flanders than Wallonia ?
Another question unanswered ...
Face it , they don't like you as much as you think they do .They even make horrible jokes about you !
Tiste   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:20 GMT
Leopold III wasn't loved in whole of Belgium ! Flemish and Walloons disliked him. He had abandoned his country when the war got out of hand , nobody heard of him ever since ...
Jean   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:26 GMT
Ze willen ons zwartmaken, als ze over ons praten...
Wij hebben niets gedaan en alsnog willen ze ons haten ...
Fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:28 GMT
Tiffany:
Of course, you can't judge just because of one name. But name trends reflect people's ideas. There are reasons why you don't call your children Adolf!
Fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:29 GMT
Tiste:
But there was a referendum, wasn't there, where he got a majority in one part of the country? And in order to not divide the country he had to go?
Pierre Caroit   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:32 GMT
Yes Tiste ONE man... but what a man!!!
You seem to lack respect for history...
Pierre Caroit   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:35 GMT
Tiste

Where do you read that France has always had more interests for flanders than for Wallonia? Read what De Gaulle said...
fredrik from Norway   Thursday, January 20, 2005, 19:40 GMT
Quoting de Gaulle, about his planned trip:
"It would have been like the Chemin du Roy in Canada"

Jolly, old man! Why not just say Joyeaux Entrees and pretend to be a new Duke of Burgundy...