An Example of French Identity in Las Vegas

A French Identity in Las Vegas

The American press, having duly informed its readers on the French identity debate, is not, in this case, making an inappropriate contribution. Not to be clichéd, but according to foreign views, the French are divided into two categories: the unadventurous type, generally represented with the baguette-beret combination, and the weirdos, globetrotters and adventurers who cross the Pacific by paddle or walk on a string in between two skyscrapers. Evidently, the reality is more nuanced. There are French people who do not fit into any category, thus making a third category. For example, Hervé Mazzocco tried to quantify river erosion on Mars, and he played rugby for the Blackjacks in Las Vegas.

At 32, Hervé Mazzocco found himself in a place last week where one would never find a French person: Henderson High School in Nevada. This old modest suburb of Las Vegas has been residential since the city dormitories were relegated even farther into the desert. In the gymnasium, 1,800 people came to hear Barack Obama: high school students, teachers, elected officials, associations and militant democrats. The president rolled up his sleeves when he finished his introductory speech and readied himself to respond to questions from the audience. This amused the crowd, which whistled encouragingly at Obama.

Barack Obama was in a good mood: “Just last night I drew a flush on the river and cut the budget deficit in half.” But times are hard in Las Vegas, a city disastrously struck by the collapse in tourism. Peggy, employed by U.S. Airways, was partially unemployed for seventeen months, and 500 of her colleagues were subjected to the same situation. One member of the audience felt ground up by the machine: a work accident, disability pension, more health insurance, eviction from his house… When the time came for the audience to ask questions (Obama liked to alternate his selections, “girl-boy, boy-girl”), the president gave the microphone to a six-year-old dressed in Cubs colors (a baseball team in Chicago), even though he is a fan of the White Sox (“to show that I am not biased”). Then, he gave it to a strong man in a black vest and black polo. “That’s a big guy, I better call on him,” he joked. “You’re big too.” [Editor’s Note: President Obama said this, joking, in response to an audience member who said that he was big so President Obama should call on him as well.]

Hervé Mazzocco acquired his ticket in a draw. The second stroke of luck was when the American president called on him. Instead of talking about Blackjacks, the rugby player asked Barack Obama about the government’s essential role in new energy development (for four years, Hervé dropped Mars and his main research for solar energy business in Las Vegas). “I come from France — actually Africa,” he said. “In Europe, where carbon is regulated… I see first hand that regulation works… My company has been growing by 30 percent every year in France for the last two years.”

In fact, the “Frenchie” explained to the president of the United States that if they do not rush to the current window of opportunity, his fellow citizens will be distanced in three years. Barack Obama was not offended. He responded by emphasizing the difficulties he faces on the political scene. “When the conservatives… say how terrible I am, along with health care, this is the other thing that they usually point out… [For them, cap and trade], it’s one more step toward the government takeover of the economy.” He did not stop emphasizing the tardiness of the United States. “We are the only ones who kind of missed the boat. So, we’re still using 20th century technologies and everyone else is producing 21st century technologies.”

After Barack Obama left, Hervé Mazzocco responded to questions in the Las Vegas Review Journal and talked about his life (The Las Vegas Sun already put his picture under the title: “He’s seen the world and Mars too”). Born in Abidjan, Hervé grew up in Ivory Coast in a French-Italian family that had a wood exporting business. He started playing rugby when he was six years old and years later he became the captain of the country’s national team. The sport gave him a way to pay for his studies. He was third division at the A.S. Montferrand (this did not stop him from receiving a Master’s Degree in fundamental physics at the Blaise-Pascal University and a Master’s in atmospheric climate/physics). He also played in Gloucester (England) and in Padua (Italy), where he received his Ph.D. in hydrology and environmental patterns under the direction of Professor Rinaldo. He was a researcher at CNRS and a scientist for NASA in Houston (he works on the hydrologic cartography of Mars).

The young French-Ivoirian-Italian-American apparently does not have identity problems. For him, the issue is poorly described and the words are poorly chosen. “French Identity” is an expression like “global warming”: a false reality. “I am personally very proud to be French,” he said. “And I don’t miss a chance to praise my country everywhere I go,”* including to Barack Obama.

*Editor’s Note: This quote could not be verified