Frog Blog

From Under the Napkin

by Wrinkled Weasel

Over the sea, in the land we take the piss out of but secretly love, France, I mean, there is the sort of trouble that we should know about. First, a lesson in Karma, for what goes around comes around. Erstwhile President, Jacques Chirac is finally going to court on corruption charges after years of claiming Presidential immunity and fielding legal spoilers of the kind that would inspire our Silvio Berlusconi. Chirac is charged with siphoning off public money to fund political party activities.

One French President, Mitterand, had a last meal of Ortolans. Ortolans are tiny endangered birds that are drowned in Armagnac, cooked and eaten whole, or perhaps, sans tête. This is highly illegal. The eater usually consumes these little birds from under a napkin, not because it is against the law to eat them, but to preserve the aromas and stop God seeing them do the deed.

I mention the Ortolans because the idea of a Frenchman hiding from God under a napkin rather appeals to my sense of humour. Somehow, it gives one an insight into the ontological proclivities of the average gourmand. However, reality intervenes at times and Monsewer Chirac is to be held to account.

There has been a distinct shift to the right, and I am not talking about trousers. Little M Sarkozy, dispite, or perhaps because of his habit of insisting on being surrounded by dwarves for all public appearences, is now less popular than his National Front opponent. This may have someting to do with the fact that the leader of the NF in France is no longer a fat old slobbering anti-semite and anti everything that is not a French fat slobberer, but his good-looking daughter, Marine Le Pen, who has so far managed not to be too vocal about immigrants, but vocal enough to gain favour with the sans-culottes.

It is a fact that people in Europe are fed up of having the issue of immigration swept under the carpet. The far right have wised up to the tricks of the trade. Get yourself a chick and not a fat slobberer. Make the face of hyper nationalism look attractive. It appears to have worked.

I think people are right to discuss immigration even if the political parties of the centre don't want to know. All I suggest is that we peek under the napkin once in a while and check out what they don't want us (or God) to see.