. . . when people start asking for their gifts back, because you no longer deserve them. And when that gift is . . . well . . . this:

. . . then you begin to realize that you are indeed in deep:

At a rally on Sunday, French member of the European Parliament Raphael Glucksmann — representing a left-wing party known as Place Publique — said that some Americans “have chosen to switch to the side of the tyrants.” [Jack Guy, CNN, March 18, 2025.] He then suggested:

“Give us back the Statue of Liberty. It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her.” [Id.]

Oh, dear!

“Lady Liberty,” as she is often called, is one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. She was a gift of friendship from France to America in 1886, and represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. For nearly a century and a half, she has welcomed refugees and emigres from around the world fleeing oppression and seeking a better life — including my grandparents.

As every school child of my generation learned, there is a bronze plaque mounted inside the statue’s pedestal containing an engraving of Emma Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus,” which reads in part:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

For five generations, those words have inspired millions to believe in America as the land of opportunity. And indeed, that is the America in which I grew up.

But the world today is watching Donald Trump, in a xenophobic frenzy that defies comprehension, destroy all that is best in this country — not merely closing the doors to new arrivals, but unilaterally revoking the status of thousands who are already here legally. And in that sense, I couldn’t blame the French government if it were to decide to listen to M. Glucksmann and attempt to bring Lady Liberty back to France.

Still, we cannot let that happen. To do so would be to admit that Donald Trump’s madness is representative of the entire nation, when we know that is not true.

Obviously, the White House had to respond to the hand-slap from M. Glucksmann. But . . . in a statement issued on Monday by the 27-year-old so-called White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt . . . it was done in a manner that served only to reinforce France’s opinion of us:

“My advice to that unnamed low-level French politician would be to remind them that it’s only because of the United States of America that the French are not speaking German right now, so they should be very grateful to our great country,” she said. [Id.]

Well, I have a few words of advice for Ms. Leavitt: First, apologize for the “unnamed low-level French politician” insult; you sound too much like your boss, which is about as low-level as you can get. Second, get your facts straight — the politician wasn’t unnamed; his name is Raphael Glucksmann.

Third, be careful. Your references to M. Glucksmann as “them” and “they” sound disturbingly like pronouns approved by proponents of DEI. A lot of people have recently lost their jobs over less.

And last, but definitely not least, it wasn’t the United States alone that was responsible for defeating the Nazis in World War II. If you’ve read your history, you might recall that we had a bit of help from our allies, who had already fought for two long years before we even joined the battle. And may I remind you of the contributions and sacrifices of the French Resistance . . . ?

Naturally, M. Glucksmann could not let Ms. Leavitt’s unforgivably rude comment pass unanswered. He came back with a statement of continuing gratitude to those U.S. forces who fought in the war, but then contrasted those actions with Trump’s recent treatment of Ukraine and his friendship with Vladimir Putin:

“The America of these heroes fought against tyrants, it did not flatter them. It was the enemy of fascism, not the friend of Putin. It helped the resistance and didn’t attack Zelensky.

“It is precisely because I am petrified by Trumps [sic] betrayal that I said yesterday in a rally that we could symbolically take back the Statue of Liberty if your government despised everything it symbolizes in your eyes, ours, and those of the world.

“No one, of course, will come and steal the Statue of Liberty. The statue is yours. But what it embodies belongs to everyone.

“And if the free world no longer interests your government, then we will take up the torch, here in Europe.” [Id.]

Well said, M. Glucksmann. Well said indeed.

*. *. *

If I am beginning to sound like someone who doesn’t love my country, that is most assuredly not the case. I am, and always have been, proud and glad to be an American . . . but a citizen of the real America, and not the bastardized version of it being created by Donald Trump, by the South African immigrant Elon Musk, and by all of their mindless sycophants.

No one — least of all, yours truly — knows what the next few years will bring. But on behalf of my fellow Americans — those of us who truly love our country as it has always been — I beseech the world to stick with us and help us to stay the course. It’s only for another three years and ten months.

But who’s counting?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/20/25