Paradox?

Today (my 32nd birthday, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's 33rd) France, for some reason, celebrates the beginning of its evil Revolution, which swept away centuries of tradition & heritage, destroyed a great civilization, and led to a vicious bloodbath, in the long term paving the way for the horrors of 20th century totalitarianism according to which unlimited atrocities are justified in the name of creating a New Order. (More from RadicalRoyalist here; from MadforMonaco here; from this blog in 2008 here and here; from TeaAtTrianon here; from Confessions of a Ci-Devant here.)

This year's festivities in Paris were apparently marred by criticism over the presence of various African leaders of former French colonies whose human rights records are less than stellar. Monarchists can be grimly amused by the complaint that "[i]t would be no small paradox that during a celebration of the values of the Republic, these values should be flouted by the presence of torturers, dictators and other predators of human rights, and that instead of pursuing them, France honours them." Paradox? No, actually, I think it makes perfect sense. The Republic was born in blood and terror; surely the presence of "torturers" and "dictators" affirms, not flouts, its real "values."