[May 1, 2021] Many of my military friends make fun of the French peoples and their military. An old joke asks, “What color is the French national flag? Answer, White for surrender.” But the French have stepped up and they might just be providing the leadership that will save the West from ideological ruin.
Earlier this week, 20 retired military generals, 80 active officers, and 1,000 other soldiers signed an open letter expressing concern over “mortal dangers” they say face the French Republic. The letter bears close attention. It is a cautionary tale for what could happen in America if our own ruling class continues to attack and betray our own historical foundations.
The letter was written by Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac, a retired Gendarmerie general. The lead signatory was Christian Piquemal, previously commander of the French Foreign Legion.
Here’s the whole statement in its entirety, translated:
Mister President,
Members of the Cabinet,
Members of Parliament,The hour is late, France is in peril, threatened by several mortal dangers. Though retired, we remain soldiers of France, and cannot, under the present circumstances, remain indifferent to the fate of our beautiful country.
Our tricolor flags are not simply a piece of fabric; they are a symbol of tradition—the tradition of those who, throughout the ages, whatever the color of their skin or their religion, served France and gave their lives for her. On these flags, in golden letters, is inscribed the motto, “Honor and Fatherland.” Today, our honor rests on denouncing the crumbling-apart of our fatherland.
Crumbling-apart through a certain kind of anti-racism, which has an explicit goal: to sow malaise on our soil, up to and including hate between communities. Today, some speak of racialism, of indigenism, and of anti-colonial theories, but with these words, those hateful and fanatical partisans seek to foment a racial war. They despise our country, her traditions, her culture, and want to watch her dissolve by tearing her away from her past and her history. Thus, by attacking statues and analyzing words from several centuries ago, their true goal is to undermine our ancient civil and military glories.
Crumbling-apart through Islamism and the hordes from the Banlieues. Several patches of our nation have been detached and turned into territories put under submission to dogmas contrary to our Constitution. Every Frenchman, regardless of belief or non-belief, must be everywhere at home in France; there cannot and must not exist any city, any neighborhood, where the laws of the Republic do not have writ.
Crumbling-apart, when hate replaces fraternity during protests, when the regime uses police as jackboots and scapegoats, against yellow-vest-wearing compatriots who seek only to express their hopelessness. This even though ski-mask-wearing individuals infiltrate those protests, destroy businesses, and threaten the police. And yet, the police only follow the sometimes-contradictory policies set out by you, holders of political office.
The peril rises, violence increases every day. Who could have predicted, ten years ago, that a teacher could one day have his head cut off as he left his middle school? As servants of the Nation, who have always been ready to pay the ultimate price for our service, we cannot remain passive spectators of such actions.
Therefore, the leaders of our country must absolutely find the courage required to eradicate those dangers. To do so, it is often necessary only to apply existing laws without weakness. Do not forget that, like us, a great majority of our fellow citizens is incensed by your cowardice and your guilty silences.
As Cardinal Mercier, Primate of Belgium, once said: “When prudence is everywhere, courage is nowhere.” Ladies and Gentlemen, stop equivocating—the hour is late, the work ahead is immense. Do not lose time, and know that we are ready to support political leaders who would undertake the rescue of the Nation.
However, if nothing is done, heedlessness will continue to spread its poison throughout society, inexorably. In the end, there will be an explosion, and our comrades in active military service will be forced to step in and undertake the perilous mission of protecting our civilizational values and the lives of our fellow citizens.
It is easy to see that the time for hesitation is over. Otherwise, tomorrow, civil war will put an end to this growing chaos, and there will be thousands of deaths, of which you will bear responsibility.
Once again, strange to believe that the French military, or at least a substantial majority of its leadership, is more cleared-eyed about things than our increasingly woke military.
It doesn’t take much for a small group of strong leaders (who have repeatedly proven themselves in the public eye) to start a movement when that movement is intrinsically approved of by the majority of peoples. In this case, I’m not so sure the French people are vested enough in a change of direction they are going. Like the USA which is going the same direction and are further down the pike, can we recover too? I think this French movement will continue but will NOT save the West. Wishful thinking perhaps.
The French military and police leadership will be attacked repeatedly. They will be demonized. And that will happen by the very senior leaders in politics they need to convince to stop allowing a two-tiered justice system to continue.
Cool !!!! Their letter is great.
👍👍👍👍
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
An now the French political class will be resurrecting the guillotine for those who dared write such a letter.
Ha, good one Steve. I know you are kidding about the guillotine but not about their politicians going after those who would dare contradict the ruling class of morons (my words). 👍 We need some of our military to step up and do the same but alas they are just too woke.
Right, a few more guns wouldn’t hurt. Right Guns are Us?
The FRENCH? No way. They wan to save their own culture (which they are proud of, for some reason). I think their military leaders are more concerned about keeping old traditions, regardless of value than anything else. Keep their pensions, etc. But there might just be a core of them that truly care.
Right, how else can we explain it. The French military and police leadership is concerned and rightly so. They see their political elite, like our current president and VP (who are clueless), as ineffective and postering to keep away from the bad boys who will ‘cancel’ them.
Yes, there are some similarities. Our politicians pander to certain minority groups as well. In France, this caused lots of rapes, murders (mostly with knives and trucks), and violence in the streets. Sounds a lot like American except they usually don’t use knives since those things are so messy. Murder is murder.
Great comments comparing the US to France. However, we have a stronger tradition of law and order.
Randy, I’m not so sure we do. Lately, VP Harris has bailed criminals out of jail because she likes their cause. In other words, just pick and chose the laws you want to obey and disobey.
I agree with you Eric that the French military leaders want to save themselves and are not interested in the “West” as it stands today. Like they have been historically, they don’t care about those outside of FRance.
Great letter, amazing feat if the French can pull it off.
I liked the letter. Hard hitting and to the point. A bit of translation issues however. See the original French language version.