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From: rbowman <bowman@montana.com>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Re: The joy of Democracy
Date: 22 Oct 2024 05:58:27 GMT
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On Tue, 22 Oct 2024 01:16:01 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

> On 22 Oct 2024 00:44:34 GMT, rbowman wrote:
> 
>> On Mon, 21 Oct 2024 23:14:14 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:
>> 
>>> The French invented the system.
>> 
>> Yeah, at the same time they were chopping heads off and trying to
>> create a brand new culture. How did that work out for them?
> 
> It worked well enough that they were friends of yours, supporting your
> revolution, too.

First off, what is called the American Revolution was hardly a revolution. 
Rather it was a secession from Britain with quite a bit more drama than 
when Britain lost the rest of its colonies. 

The major organizer was the Marquis de Lafayette, a dues paying member of 
the ancien régime. In truth he was a 19 year old glory seeker. He also was 
miffed that the Brits had killed his father during the Seven Years War. 

He was briefly arrested when he returned to France although Louis XVI 
warmed to the cause, wanting payback from the Seven Years War and 
Rochambeau was sent to America. Ot should also be noted France sat on the 
fence until the rebels victory at Saratoga. 

Aside: A hothead, Benedict Arnold, defied his general who preferred 
lounging around in his tent well out of the path of danger, and attacked, 
carrying the day. He was wounded in the leg leading to an interesting 
monument.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument

Back to Lafayette. He returned to France and resumed his aristocratic 
life. Still a bit of a radical he worked with Jefferson to draft the 
Declaration of the Rights of Man, another rose-colored bit of idealism. 

Lafayette walked a tightrope since he was nobility and friendly with 
Louis. His popularity waxed and waned with Robespierre and Danton 
considering him a traitor. When Louis was locked up and Danton put out a 
warrant for Lafayette he tried a runner to the US but the Austrians 
arrested him. Washington and others in the US sent aid but it was 
delicate, the US being in the Quasi War with the First Republic by then. 
Part of that little undeclared war was due to the US weaseling out of 
repaying French loans, By then all was forgiven and the US was in bed with 
Britain again.

Lafayette finally made it back to France when Napoleon took over. 

 
> Have you forgotten where that big statue in New York City came from?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty

And have you forgotten the motivations behind that somewhat reluctant 
crowd-funded project? It's a wonder it wasn't stuck in a warehouse in 
Hunt's Point, forlorn and forgotten. It was sort of a white elephant; 
we'll give you the statue but you've got to build the pedestal. 

We can build better statues out of spare parts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Rockies