You have raised several good points about Americans. No, sadly we do lack a sense of humor about our country, and you are quite right, about many things we show a very two sided face about. But, that's the wonder of America in a good way.
Not so long ago the Dutch printed cartoons that showed Mohamad. The Islamic world went nutz, rioted, and threatened death to all. Let us use that as a scale of intolerance. If that death to all rates a ten, then the Evangelicals in America hardly rate a three.
No, they do not like gays, abortion, non-"christians" (note the word christian in quotes) and I suspect even themselves too much. They take "Holyer than thow" to all new extreams. They thump the bible, slam the bible, thrust it in your face, and havn't figured out yet that the bible they are thumping, slaming, and thrusting was written by an English King named James. How an English King became the final authority on God is not a question any of them seem able to answere.
But, so what? So they offend anyone who asks a question, or has a mind. So what? I can only be offended by stupidity if I allow it. The best way to deal with their behavior is with a sad shake of the head. Now if they start blowing up colleges, or quickie marts, then perhaps action should be taken. Until then, lets allow freedom of speach keep it place in America.
Given the choice to silence stupidity and give up freedom of speach, or let the idiots rave like lunitics howling at the moon, I'll let the idiots howl.
No, America is not loved, nor is it likely to be no matter who is elected. We are far to brash and loud. We have incredible power. We are free. Ok, so the rest of the world hates us. I don't live in terror because of it, I just wish at least one of our politicans would get us the hell out of the UN. Is America likely to change? I suspect the rest of the world hopes it does not. For all of our faults, and we have many, America remains the last best hope for more than half the worlds people. They do everything they can to come here, to live here, to enjoy the freedoms that we do have.
So, yes, all that you said is so right. All the points you made so good. I mean that. But when the final tally is made, freedoms that we still have somehow outweigh the bad. The strident voices of evangelicals are overcome by the reason of free minds in a free society. We are not Voltares best of all worlds. But compaired to the rest of the world, we are better than most. We are not the shining light on the mountain top, at best we are a campfire on a hill. But still, that faint light in a world so darkened by intolerance is a light of hope.
So, lets let the evangelicals screach. Let us try to rise above the level of offence taken. And above all, let us both, your country and mine, keep freedom of speach more sacred to us, than a bible written by an English King is sacred to them.
Hunter.