French Canaries Are Dropping

From Their Perches In The Coal Mine

A French comic is a candidate for President. His funniest joke:

He announced that he will be running on an anti-neocon ticket during a presentation which was laden with references to Jewish control of French media and politics.
. . . . .
He defended recent remarks made by the Iranian President which were "extremely hostile towards the State of Israel and its racist, colonialist policies". He went on to say that recent remarks made by the Iranian President "were in no way antiSemitic".

See No Pasaran! for the link. If you doubt that a comedian could be a serious Presidential candidate in France, consider the popularity of Jerry Lewis and this:

Stating that "homosexual behaviour endangers the survival of humanity" and that "heterosexuality is morally superior to homosexuality" can cost you dearly in France. Exactly these opinions, expressed by the French politician Christian Vanneste last year, led to him being sentenced on Tuesday to payment of a heavy fine.

Is freedom of speech not part of "Liberté, égalité, fraternité"?

Perhaps we could pose that question to Al Franken, another comedian with political aspirations. Mr. Franken should pay attention to political developments in France as he will need a new outlet for those aforementioned political aspirations following his future failed Senatorial candidacy in Minnesota. This would not be an inconceivable career path for Mr. Franken as he is very "French" in his political philosophy. On the other hand, he is not as funny as Jerry Lewis.