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Probably a misunderstanding. French press criticize the President 24/7. You can't insult the president or any other official in public, or any other French citi

• mpclark 13y ago
  That makes sense, and I'll be the first to admit my understanding of French law was not as clear as it should have been, but the line between "criticise" and "insult" is very fine. For instance, my understanding is that, in France, one should think twice before using the words "Mugabe" and "despot" in the same sentence. This is not a problem in the UK or the US at all. But maybe this is also part of what made France such a very civilised, cultured and enjoyable place to live.
  • jlgreco 13y ago
    The line between criticize and insult is so fine, I can scarcely see it. It's like the line between the ocean and the beach. Can a French person say "The president is illiterate.", as Americans have often said about their president? Could they say "The idiotic president keeps on making up words."? Harsh criticism is naturally insulting.
  • fharper1961 13y ago
    One of the main French newspapers recently wrote that Mugabe a despot. http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2013/07/31/au-zimbabwe-le-dernier-pari-de-mugabe_922028 http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2013/07/31/au-zimbabwe-le-der...
• Dylan16807 13y ago
  Insults are not (usually) hatred. It's closer to a rule against being rude, which doesn't seem to me like something that should be enforced by the police.