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Story: French cry havoc over Google's library plans

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It's unfortunate but true: the French in their ever present resentment of American (English speaking) cultural dominance present themselves as desperate and foolish. Of course the world benefits from multiculturalism, but the French fail to understand that Americans and most other English speakers aren't on a crusade to oppress other cultural experiences, nor do they put their language and culture up on a pedestal. To us English speakers, our language, our culture simply is. To use a silly metaphor from the Television series "Star Trek the Next Generation", we are the Borg. What we see in other cultures and languages we assimilate into our own. This must seem crass to the French purists, and probably the Queen's English purists as well. As for their desire to protect their cultural heritage (and perspective), good for us all. While on our day to day pursuit of knowledge, or entertainment, or experience we give little thought to some of the less practical concerns of language and culture that Mr. Jean-Noel Jeanneney is fretting about, so it is good that he and others like him take steps to preserve their cultural heritage. Unfortunately for him, he still looks desperate and a little foolish.

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