Reply #23: I bet..

[whathehell]

We're a favorite punching bag over there, and although I agree with a number of their criticisms, the fact is, most have NEVER been here (more Americans visit Europe than the other way around, despite the snark about our being the "land of no passports")...

They don't need passports anymore to visit countries in Western Europe and they are, after all, a hell of a lot closer to those other "diverse cultures" than we are so it's much cheaper and less time consuming for them to visit.

And Americans, I think, suffer in more ways than one on hearing very little about Europe from the M$M.

Many Americans are unaware, not only of their (generally)more citizen-friendly "systems"...They are also unaware of their "problems"....Europe has it's share of "xenophobia" and bigotry...Witness Sarkozy throwing out the Gypsies....

I'm not sure about the rest of Europe, but the U.K also has it's share of right wing loonies, believe it or not, as witnessed by the recent near-arrival of Televangelist Bennie Hinn. He had LOTS of "appearances" scheduled, when the govt, for whatever reason, refused him entry.

In terms of the UK, again...Do you imagine them "correct" in their condescension toward our "culture" via our TV programs for instance...Go over to Amazon.U.K.com and see how MANY of our television series they watch and then buy...I think you'll be surprised.