French journalist taking closer look at several issues in U.S.

Explorer les enjeux en Amérique.

For Theophile Simon, that’s exactly what he is doing: Exploring the issues in America.

As part of his journey, Simon was in Mariposa County last week working on issues related to Yosemite National Park.

The journalist is doing a series of stories for Le Parisien, or The Parisian Newspaper, about several issues.

Besides Yosemite, he’s traveling to Ohio to do a story about controversial data centers and he’s also working on a story about “the downfall of tradwives,” where he will be interviewing people in St. Louis and Denver.

He flew into Los Angeles last week and then spent a few days in Mariposa County. On his first full day, he climbed Half Dome in Yosemite.

“It was very hard. Much harder than I anticipated,” he said, noting the lengthy walk to get there and then “the last part,” meaning the cables which have to be climbed to get to the top of the iconic monolith.

Though he lives in the Alps area of France, he called this region “spectacular. It is not like the landscapes we have in Europe.”

One issue he was focusing on is the current state of affairs in Yosemite.

“I got different views on this,” he said.

Some people said the park is overcrowded and is running smoothly. He said those people said there was “nothing to see here.”

On the other hand, he talked to people who said the park is a total mess, too many workers have lost their jobs and the overcrowding this year was a burden.

He talked with former Superintendent Don Neubacher, who told him “a very different story.”

Neubacher has been outspoken about the park, saying the leadership that took over following the election of President Trump has done nothing but harm to Yosemite and all national parks.

He also planned to visit with local business owners to get their take on the current situation in Yosemite.

The Trump factor

Simon said many people in Europe are not traveling to the U.S. now, saying Trump is the reason why.

In fact, he said it dates back to Trump’s first time in office.

“Trump has tainted this for a few years,” he said.

But before Trump, he said the war in Iraq also tainted the view of Europeans. That changed, he said, “as soon as Obama came along. The French fell in love with America again.”

That, he said, is why “it will come back.”

The reason, he said, is the “French people still love America. They know what they owe to America.”

But now, he said, there is an unwillingness to travel to America because of the political situation.

Back in France, Simon said the current protests by students against the government may not be as bad as it seems.

“This is where social media plays a big role,” he said. “I have seen it circulating on social media. It is not as big a social media makes it seem.”

That would also be true of many issues in America and around the world, he said.

Another major factor facing France right now is the movement of the far-right, but Simon said it might not be as big as it seems.

He pointed out that Marie Le Pen, the darling of the far-right movement, has been trying to ascend to the presidency for years but has yet to make it to that point.

Simon said “Le Pen might lose again in 2027. They keep showing they are not ready for it.”

But, he said, the rightward tilt across Europe “is very deep,” much of it related to immigration and cost of living issues.

However, he said, some of the results in other places might slow down the movement.

“It will make people think twice before putting extremists in power,” said Simon.

He did say France is heading for a financial disaster and that could have major impacts.

“France is about to enter a major debt crisis,” he said “We have been kicking the fiscal can down the road forever.”

The state of journalism

Simon said the state of print journalism in Europe is along the same lines as in America.

In France, he said print journalism continues to decline, saying there are only two major nationwide newspapers left that “are actually profiting and growing.”

One is Le Monde, the largest in the country and “equivalent to The New York Times,” he said.

“They haven’t had to gut as much as others,” said Simon. “They are still a quality newspaper.”

Another publication focuses on investigative reporting and “keeps exposing politicians. This has huge value to the political debate in France.”

Simon said that like in America, many publications have stopped covering what is important.

“You have to cover your local community in a deep way,” he said. “Or at the national level, bring something nobody else will.”

For journalists, it’s a tough road.

Simon is not sure how long he will remain in the profession.

“Being a journalist is a tough spot,” he said. “You are always on the brink of layoff. Structurally, the industry is not doing well.”

Simon said his stories are expected to be published at the end of October.