The phrase '"Lafayette, we are here," first invoked during World War I, but sometimes recalled on D-Day, too, has a deeply resonant meaning for the U.S. and its first ally, France.
France literally bankrupted itself to provide to the U.S. the critical military support it needed to win its War of Independence against the British, with the Marquis de Lafayette, a young French nobleman who was serious about liberty, leading the effort, bringing in French military heavyweight marshal, the Comte de Rochambeau.
By 1917, the U.S. was returning the favor, rescuing France from the grip of Germany, including at the June 6, 1918 battle of Belleau Wood, where more Americans were killed than on D-Day in 1944. But there are times when this phrase has been noted on D-Day, which was just beautifully commemorated by the French for its allies on that fateful date in Normandy.
According to Encyclopedia.com:
These words were spoken during World War I at the tomb of the Marquis de Lafayette during a speech honoring his heroic service in the cause of the American Revolution. On 4 July 1917 Paris celebrated American Independence Day. A U.S. battalion marched to the Picpus Cemetery, where several speeches were made at Lafayette's tomb. The historic words uttered on that occasion, "Lafayette, nous voilà" (Lafayette, we are here), have been popularly, but erroneously, attributed to General John J. Pershing. He stated that they were spoken by Colonel Charles E. Stanton, and "to him must go the credit for coining so happy and felicitous a phrase."
France helped us at a critical time. We helped them twice at critical times for them. It's mutual.
'Lafayette, we are here.'
But as the French showed President Biden every courtesy and put on a polished, professional, and beautiful commemoration, its president expressing gratitude to our country, in Washington, D.C., there was another kind of 'Lafayette, we are here,' going on, at Lafayette Park in front of the White House, and it was ugly.
Pro-Hamas protestors, none of whom got arrested, despite clearly breaking the law, defiled statues in the park honoring our French allies, one of which appears to be the Lafayette statue:
They abused the park police:
They spewed terrorist threats with a mask of a bloodied severed head:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yeah, when you wear a Hamas headband and hold up a mask depicting the severed head of the U.S. President, it’s no longer a peace rally. <br><br>This guy should be deported <a href="https://t.co/o072WpTShl">pic.twitter.com/o072WpTShl</a></p>— Drew Pavlou ???????????????????????? (@DrewPavlou) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewPavlou/status/1799749012020756521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They vandalized the Rochambeau statue:
Today's the anniversary of the day Lafayette swore allegiance to the United States in 1778:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OTD</a> Sworn before <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GeorgeWashington?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GeorgeWashington</a> on June 9, 1778, this oath of allegiance was taken by the Marquis De La Fayette, Major General in the Continental Army. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lafayette2024?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lafayette2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lafayette2025?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lafayette2025</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marquisdelafayette?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#marquisdelafayette</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/generallafayette?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#generallafayette</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ushistory?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ushistory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lafayette?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lafayette</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amrev?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#amrev</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/howrevolutionary?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#howrevolutionary</a> <a href="https://t.co/LSYZwVdkEL">pic.twitter.com/LSYZwVdkEL</a></p>— The Lafayette Trail (@LafayetteTrail) <a href="https://twitter.com/LafayetteTrail/status/1402663578180763654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Reportedly, nothing was done and the cops just let this ugly specter happen:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I used to work across the street from Lafayette Park when W was president and have seen many protests in front of the White House.<br><br>I have also seen them clear the park with an aggressiveness that leaves no room for negotiation.<br><br>The city is allowing this to happen. Maybe helping</p>— vinnie payne (@vinnie_payne) <a href="https://twitter.com/vinnie_payne/status/1799802465313063397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Which tells us a lot about Joe Biden and the kind of government he represents and values. That abortion and Jan. 6 protestors can be sent to prison for years and years, while this garbage symbolically directed at our valuable ally goes on with impunity says mountains about what the Biden administration is about. And after the French treated him so well in France.
What an ingrate.