[dd74]

Aurel: if your question is directed to me, the answer is yes.

Because in the long run, there are few issues one can hold up to the U.S. in a negative way. Yeah, so there is Vietnam and Watergate. Now there is Iraq. But that's not an American problem. That is a special interest problem. Neither go hand in hand.

Non-Americans throughout the world love Americans. They want our Levis, our Apple Computers and our Hummers. They want our junkfood and our lovely American women. They also want John Wayne, or want to be John Wayne. Oh sure, on the sidewalk cafe, John Wayne is disdained. But in private, the world loves the guy. He and Clint Eastwood.

We have what the world wants, and those who hate us are in such an overall small minority, that it seems ridiculous to even give them air time. But we do. We have a legitimate edge of paranoia, particularly after 9/11.

As for myself, I know this country and feel comfortable here. There's much more freedom here too, though the prism of "freedom" has to be twisted about to see exactly how much more there is on this soil than elsewhere.

My question to you is aren't you proud of yourself that you have made it here and are now living in America? You should be. People have died for you to sit where you are and respond to this thread...