Skipping a few days and entries to be back in Paris.

Le 25 avril 2005, lundi: 15:13, Parc G. Brossens, Paris.

Speaking on the topic of Europe today. …but as I was walking to the park, I went past a lot of propaganda for and against the European Constitution- which France is voting on soon. One poster stated, “J’aime l’Europe, je vote non.” Another stated, “Europe = Chomâge; Pauvreté; Inflation; Delocalisations; Croissance Zero.” And it got me thinking about the beginning of the United States after the Revolutionary War, both right after, with the Articles, which failed, and twenty years later when the Constitution finally worked out. I mean, everyone knows, regardless of how much it is currently denied, that Europe is working towards becoming a nation like the US is, made up of many parts. They’ve already bypassed money, as one of the US’s early stumbling blocks, with the Euro as the common currency, and working on common laws so as to lead to common court system, etc. I understand the resistance to it, even I think I’d want to resist it if it were my future, - loss of true national identity, loss of diversity in various ways, but I also understand the need for what the subcontinent is trying to accomplish so they can continue to flourish in the future. But now on to the old guy on the train, as I’ve been promising for a while now. Let’s call him Monsieur Manette for lack of a name, and I’m tired of calling him the old French guy on the train from Metz. So M. Manette and I were chatting away for a good portion of our trip (in French of course). And for me, the most important subject we broke upon was that of the upcoming referendum vote within France on the European Constitution. To understand, let’s go over the basics: Chirac is for the Constitution, he could have just made the decision for France and already voted yes, but instead he decided that this is so important for France, the people and that nation, that he’s giving the populace the opportunity to make the decisions for themselves and tell him how they want him to vote. Unfortunately, at the moment, most of the population does not like him due to several of his recent political decisions concerning the country; results of which being less employment, inflation, the usual things we hate politicians for and happily blame them. The short of it being that Chirac will probably be voted out next election (2007), unless things radically change. And because he’s so pro-Europe, many people are determined to vote against the constitution simply because they do not like him. However, remember I’m not a poly-sci, non history major and these details are from one old M. Manette, and just as many people have just as many different reasons to vote for or against the Constitution. But at the end of our discussion I asked M. Manette if he thought France would vote for or against the Constitution, and he seemed to think that it might be close, but that the Constitution would pass. It would be odd if it didn’t, in my opinion, as Robert Schumann was French and because France is such an important nation within the various European communities.
So now you know some of what I know about the subject and you’ve finally heard the story of the old French man on the train from Metz.