Well, before I thought you were confused. Now I just think you’re woefully ignorant of American culture and history.
hibernicus,
I think I understand where you’re coming from in anxiety about raw patriotism. Someone – and I think it was either Russell Baker or Andy Rooney – commented that patriotism was not necessarily bad, but that we should remember that Nazi party officials and their eager followers were intensely patriotic, too.
There is the kind of patriotism (getting back to the OP) that says, “Hey, I like this place! I’d work real hard and fight if necessary to let it go on the way it is,” and the kind that says “Our country is so dam good that we are going to add your country to it, or else!”
Similarly (and please pardon if this is a bit of a hijack) I have no problem with a person who feels that his religion gives him inspiration and courage to do the right thing and comfort when times are bad. I do have a big problem with people who feel that their religion is so good and wonderful that if I don’t believe in it too I am an evil person who must be shunned, reviled or killed. The unfortunate thing is that the good in patriotism, like the potential goodness in most religions I know of, too often turns from the first kind to the second kind, as you know all too well in your homeland, just to name one of several possible examples. (Although I know that more than religion has been a source of troubles.) The Spanish Inquisition comes to mind as well. But I digress. Sorry.
Looking back on my last post, I realize that was fairly obnoxious. I apologize for my tone.
I get annoyed when people associate the least bit of flag-waving or love for one’s country as blind nationalism. I am sensitive to the fact that in much of the world (especially Europe, which has gone through many a fascist and communist dictator in the last century) is more cautious about such displays.
Still, I think it’s important for people to understand the difference. And it’s important to be able to tell the difference.
Thank you for the apology. I was not really offended - I could stand to know more about American culture and history of course.
However, stripping my earlier point of its cynical aspect, my honest understanding is that specialised meanings of the words “patriotism” and “nationalism” are taught to US schoolchildren, emphasising the difference between two concepts which in fact differ mainly in degree.
In the same way, you are taught specialised meanings for words like “republic” and “democracy”, but a non-American who uses these terms in their more universal meanings is not necessarily ignorant.
But this is all a distraction. I do not think that loving your country or flying your flag is the same as what you call blind nationalism, so we are in agreement on this point.
By the way, European wariness of displays of patriotism has less to do with totalitarian systems of government than with our history of inter-communal and international violence.
Thanks for the insight in your last paragraph, Hibernicus. I would not have thought of that.
Hibernicus, you rock.
yojimbo, 
– You know damn well that I was thinking of Live Aid, which was (as you said) based in the UK. You further know that Geldoff has lived in the UK for many years. You further further know that I was making a point about non-US citizens being more-than-peers to US citizens when it comes to charity. But anyway you can have him back - he never did anything worth mentioning musically after (Tell me why) I don’t like Mondays anyway. 
MLS, my point was not to find something in the UK that was the exact equivalent of something in the US. We don’t really specialise in the kind of beaches that you sit back on and enjoy the sun. But, you know, I can fly to any number of places in Europe that offer that probably quicker than you could fly to Haiti anyway. Hell, I can probably fly to the Maldives quicker than you can fly to Haiti. Hey, maybe that’s another great thing about my country. I can fly to lots of other places and enjoy their features so easily.
No, my point was simply that for every item you can put on a list that is great about your country, I can put one on a list that is great about my country too. (With, I might add, the added bonus that all my items are reachable within a couple of hours!) You have your beaches, we have our history (for example). There’s simply no point in creating such a list - it proves nothing and just sounds jingoistic, like noone else has anything worthwhile in their country either. What’s more I could create you an equivalent list for France, Ireland or any other country that I know anything about too - there’s nothing special about the UK in that regard.
Friedo, I think you miss my point about the passports. If 90% of your countrymen have never even been out of the country, I don’t think they’ve got much business loudly proclaiming their country to be the best of all possible countries. It smacks rather too much of blind faith. “I’ve never been anywhere else, but somehow I know this is best!” Heterogeneity of experience within the US is nothing to do with that.
pan
Can I point out to both of you that it’s ‘Geldof’ - only one F (he uses the other one to swear with).
New Zealand adding in here. We have a population of (just) 4 million. Take a look at our most recent census http://www.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/pasfull/pasfull.nsf/7cf46ae26dcb6800cc256a62000a2248/4c2567ef00247c6acc256bf9000ef41b?OpenDocument (sorry I can’t do that fancy linking thing). I don’t hate the U.S, I don’t dislike the U.S. I just want the U.S (govt!!) to acknowledge that while they (he?) think they are the home of the ‘est’, there are may other countries who have their own ‘est’s’.
Yes we know the USA is a good place to be, a powerful place, a place that the world centres much of its thought on, a place we wouldn’t hate to be.
But we also know that where we are from is damn fine too.
As to the travelling overseas bit…I think Aussies and Kiwis have that licked…seems to be something about being sooooooooooo far away makes us want to explore.
We nearly always come home though
kabbes
As to the thread I too really like the US. The time I spent there was fantastic and the Americans I worked and played with were very good people.
Just send me the f-in’ letter! There are people suffering from letter-deprevation now. Give me your f-in’ letter!
OK, here you go:
F
Now F off and do some more charity work (just please don’t make any more records).
kabbes,
You are quite correct. There is no point in trying to “one-up” each other. That wasn’t my intent, and I’m guessing that wasn’t yours, either. Sorry if I came across that way.
It’s a little bit like trying to list all the reasons you like, say, classical opera, and having somebody else point out that there are not enough saxophones. Alaska and Canada don’t have very many good beaches, either, but they have much better views of the aurora borealis than Tahiti does.
I guess I’m kind of sappy, but I enjoy thinking about things I like and being reminded of other pleasant things by other people. This thread piqued my interest because it was starting down the line about good things about America without necessarily saying anything negative about anyplace else. The fact that I actually like both grits and Maine lobster (although not together) says nothing about how cream scones and tea are a marvelous treat.
What I like about America is the millions of immigrants. When you allow anyone who was merely born on your soil to be a citizen, the population gets pretty interesting. Especially when women hop on planes and fly to the US for just that reason…
P.J. O’Rourke said it best. I can’t remember the quote exactly, but the gist of it is: The U.S. is like a beautiful 21-year old girl and the rest of the world is like a love-struck 14 year-old boy. They think of us all the time and we take no notice of them at all.