I've been spending too much time on the net today & asked why Americans seemed not to care if the world hated them (was curious following the general response to 'America, do you know the world hates you' by another YA poster). It struck me that the answers to my (fairly contrived) question suggested that being 'patriotic' is something different for people in the US vs Europe. There was so MUCH anger that anyone would suggest anything negative about the US (e.g. stop taking our aid, we are the best!, you are a ****! etc) AND assuming that if I criticise the US, I hate it and wish it ill. The usual WW2 arguments came out, how the US is bigger and better etc. Why? I find this crazy. I feel equal pride and equal disgust at things *politicians* do in the country I live in and the country I was born in. I think criticism of politics & politicians is healthy and a mark of democracy! What's patriotism got to do it? Do you take comments about your country's politics personally? If so, why?Bluemoon, that was my point! If you criticise something about POLITICS, I feel people should respond with an answer abt POLITICS! If people want to criticise a political point, it would make sense to point out why I was wrong with reference to their opinion on the it, rather than assume I hate Americans. I don't think it is prejudicial to have a point of view about another country when the world we live in is so interlinked. To take an example, I think government waiting list targets are ruining the NHS. If I say that, does that mean a) I hate the NHS; b) I hate the UK or c) I hate government waiting list targets? Patriotism confuses the issue making debate and learning frm others' perspectives difficult. I want to know why people can't talk about POLITICS in a way that is not personal? You can criticize Labour and the Tories here all you want and people don't assume you're 'anti-British'. Is that different for people in the US, and if so, why?