(Posted by Frenchie)
First of all, thank you very much to all the nice people who wished me a happy "Bastille day" this past weekend. The intention is what really counts.
While I am very happy to celebrate the National Day of my country of origin, just ten days after celebrating my country of adoption National Day, it is always for me a sweet and sour experience.
I shall try to explain you why.
On July 14th 1789, in Paris, and while the country was experiencing its first National Assembly, in decades (called and wished for by King Louis XVI) a crowd mostly composed of some of the worst criminal elements of the city, heavily inebriated and agitated by some of the best rabble rousers from the Masonic Lodges of Paris, decided to attack the old fortress of la Bastille, located in the eastern part of the city, right in the middle of the bustling trading area. The place was lightly defended and surrendered quickly. (to avoid a greater bloodshed) The crowd liberated the seven prisoners of the place (4 forgers, 1 deviant "the infamous Marquis de Sade", and 2 lunatics.)
The blood thirsty crowd subsequently massacred the governor of the place and several other individuals.
