Talk:Médard des Groseilliers

Untitled
This article describes the subject as having defected to the English which, as it stands, provides a derogatory view of this person as a "defector." The article omits essential facts and historical background: 1) There was no War to defect from – and French law at the time did not forbid a French person from doing business with the English, Spanish, etc. And, this was a time in history when the Ancien Regime controlled everything for their own financial gain. Radisson went to the "English" because of the greed and ineptitude of the French Aristocracy . To see a proper presentation of ALL the facts, please see the website article written by a qualified Professor of History that includes the passage:
 * Radisson tells of the hard usage he and his brother-in-law (Médard des Groseilliers) suffered when greedy officials confiscated a large part of the furs, threw the older man into jail, and fined both men – presumably for having gone to the west without the governor’s permission.

http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=34253&query=CHOUART%20AND%20DES%20AND%20GROSEILLIERS

JillandJack 19:52, 8 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Defect:

1. To disown allegiance to one's country and take up residence in another: a Soviet citizen who defected to Israel. 2. To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group: defected from the party over the issue of free trade. ✏ Oven Fresh ☺  20:05, 8 Feb 2005 (UTC)

As I said on the Radisson page, first of all, it's nice that you have finally decided to discuss this with the rest of us, and secondly, I don't mean "defected" in a derogatory way. It just means, they were French, and they collaborated with the English against French interests. I suppose you will object to "collaborated" as well. I guess I am more used to a more neutral definition of "defecting" than the general public understands. Adam Bishop 20:12, 8 Feb 2005 (UTC)