2007/04/11 New York
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Fourth place

Manu militari

The presidential election in France is getting more and more clownish.
Elaine Sciolino writes today in the Times: ‘By contrast, Mr. Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front who is running in fourth place in the polls, still seems to revel in making headline-grabbing statements.
At the Elle forum, he defended his opposition to providing free condoms to high school students. “For those who are fixated on it, I recommend ‘manu militari,’ ” a tongue-in-cheek reference to masturbation. “This is the simplest method.”’

Abstention versus manu militari, that’s the difference between some American and some French.


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It is a good article. The French are very Europeanesk, that's what the US likes. I saw a documentary with the Dutch journalist Joris Luyendijk. It showed something what everyone should know. The power of media, and the obligation to go with the flow (it isn't a matter of wanting to bring new differently).
It's a nice picture.
said Dens Powells 11/04/2007 22:37 • x
Isn't it the difference between the American government and someone who is NOT in the French government? And isn't THAT the difference between the USA and France/Europe?
said Ron Lander 12/04/2007 12:51 • x
Mr. Lander
On the first half of your comment: you are right. I corrected my blog.
On the second half: Mr. Pen has racist tendencies. Mr. Bush despite many obvious shortcomings has not. (If he has these tendencies he is secretive about it.)
said Arnon Grunberg 12/04/2007 15:58 • x
Mr Grunberg, I had not intention of accusing Mr Bush of racist tendencies. The difference I had in mind was that the French are in favour of free distribution of condoms in schools, a position that seems unthinkable for the American administration. (I may not be a fan of Mr Bush, but I hold him in much higher esteem than I do Mr Le Pen.)
said Ron Lander 12/04/2007 17:33 • x
I belief this is just another excuse to dress up like a woman again ;-)
Nice legs...
said andrea jansen 12/04/2007 17:40 • x
Mr. Lander
The official position of the US government is that abstention is by far the best method to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STD's.
I don't know the French position on this. By the way male circumcision might prevent HIV. At least that's what The New York Times reported last December. I don't know the official position of the US government on male circumcision.
said Arnon Grunberg 12/04/2007 20:17 • x
Ron Lander
Tess, maybe Ron Lander really is a politician (like you suggested last week).

said Johannes van der Sluis 12/04/2007 20:37 • x
Haha Johannes! There are enough bad politicians already (and a few very good ones, like female auhtors. And male ones indeed, Tess.) No need for me to join their ranks. Btw: Would being a politician necessarily be a bad thing?
said Ron Lander 13/04/2007 09:12 • x
Profession
Ron, could you inform us about your real profession then?

said Johannes van der Sluis 14/04/2007 01:26 • x
Picture
Next to a picture like that, all words are futile, especially a NO from Bush.
said Jan Thys 14/04/2007 18:33 • x
Johannes, I don't see the relevance (maybe you could explain?), but I don't want to seem secretive: I 'm head of an agency that manages subsidies for economic development in the three northern provinces of the Netherlands. And you?
said Ron Lander 16/04/2007 15:46 • x
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