Some French businesses feel sting of prejudice. (On the Homefront--Impact of War).

Bertrand Hug wants everyone to know he's an American citizen.

Hug, the high-profile San Diego restaurateur who was born and raised in France, gave up his French citizenship to become an American in 1977. And he has never applied for dual citizenship.

He voted for President Bush. Pictures of both Bush presidents, who have dined at his table, hang in his Rancho Santa Fe restaurant, Mile Fleurs.

Former President Bush even called Hug earlier this month to schedule a private lunch at Hug's San Diego restaurant, Bertrand's at Mr. A's, but the Secret Service canceled the event because of security concerns.

Though Hug wears his patriotism on his sleeve and the Bush family patronizes his restaurants, Hug has received at least seven hate calls. The callers lashed out at him because France opposes the U.S. war against Iraq.

Some callers told him to go back to France. Others cursed him. And sales at Mule Fleurs--Hug's upscale bistro that caters to a more international crowd--have suffered because of the political storm between Hug's homeland and the country he now calls home.

"I'm an ardent Republican!" said the 55-year-old restaurateur.

Hug has fallen victim to a new national pastime--French-bashing. Late-night talk show hosts delight in taking verbal potshots at France. A Cubbie's restaurant in Beaufort, N.C., gained instant fame by replacing french fries with "freedom fries."

In Rancho Santa Fe, a recent Wines of France event at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club drew so little interest the country club made a switch. The dining experience will feature California wines instead.

After the change to state vintners, the event sold out within four days. Emile Misiraca, founding president of the French-American Chamber of Commerce in San Diego, knows of several local boycotts.

Misiraca declined to disclose names, but noted that a good friend is a native of France who owns an East County travel agency specializing in French wine-tasting tours. "His business is absolutely dead," Misiraca said.

Jean-Luc Sibiude, the consul general of France in Los Angeles, expects French natives in the food industry to be hurt especially. "It's unfortunate for our compatriots who are living here," he said. "It's a little bit sad to confuse political issues with the rest of life."

Amid the political storm, many Americans have shown support for the French Consulate in Los Angeles, Sibiude said. He also noted that French soldiers stand alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and that the two nations rely on each other for international trade. French corporations employ at least 400,000 U.S. workers here.

Mikhail Alexseev, an assistant professor of political science at San Diego State University, said the nation has been "primed for illogical acts' such as boycotts of French wine and taking French away from fries, toast, ice cream, kisses and cuffs.

"I'd rather focus on U.S. forces using French Mirage aircraft in the Gulf,"

Alexseev said. "Let us not forget that countless American lives will be preserved during this impending war because of French technology or components our military uses or because of technological and industrial cooperation."

Though France opposes the war with Iraq, it still shares the U.S. goal of disarming that country and ousting the one-party tyranny in Iraq, Alexseev said.

Misiraca and others hope the anti-France craze is temporary. In the meantime, it's unpleasant for many business owners.

"We're astounded by how quickly people's attention can change," he said. "We just hope 200 years of friendship doesn't go down the tubes for no good reason."