France Removes Baltimore From Their "Unsafe To Visit" List

ABC - There was a time, not long ago, when French people were advised not to go to Baltimore or Cleveland Heights, Ohio. That time has come to an end. On its website, the French Foreign Ministry warns tourists to avoid certain parts of America. Harlem and the Bronx, for instance, are deemed unsafe at night. Even as recently as last week, that list also included Cleveland Heights, to be avoided (along with Cleveland-area counties Lakewood and Euclid) at both day and night. Baltimore, the French Ministry wrote, was “considered a dangerous city except downtown,” according to a translation from Google Translate. But after Cleveland Heights’ mayor took offense, the French have backed off their implicit claim that his hometown, along with Baltimore, is a distasteful slum. Et voila! The French can now enjoy Charm City worry free. They just shouldn’t visit north Philadelphia, Northeast or Southeast D.C., North St. Louis around the airport, Detroit after dark, or the Southside of Chicago, according to the French Foreign Ministry. Nor should they leave belongings in their cars in Houston. Or stop for anyone trying to flag them down on a dark road in Florida. The Foreign Ministry still advises against all of those things.

How very France of them to crack to the pressure of an American telling them what to do. But what an idiot that guy is. Seriously, fuck that guy and fuck France, we were trying to clean up Baltimore, not make it worse. Realistically, being on France’s “do not visit” list was one of the best things Baltimore had going for it. How can Baltimore even attract tourists now? Being the city from the Wire overrun with stupid hat wearing Euros is not what’s best for business.