The English/British seem always to view the Americans as being weird, loud-mouthed and devoid of taste, sensitivity and sensibility. The English, of course, perceive of themselves as having founded America, and consequently may from time to time look on the Americans almost as the recalcitrant and prodigal son.

Europeans state that the Americans had to "borrow" culture from all over the world, as though this were some sort of a Bad Thing. Oh no - hang on, people emigrated there, didn't they? Because they were poor or persecuted for their political or religious beliefs in Europe, wasn't it? And they made their homes there, didn't they? Built a country from scratch in a couple of generations, didn't they? And the reason America is the way that it is is that it had to be thus to survive!

They may have invented the airplane and mass production, but we invented the television, tarmac roads, the railway (railroad) - all that stuff, so we're inventive too, see? (Oh, hang on - that was the Scots.) Let's face it, we are an insular bunch sometimes...

Americans are Americans, perhaps different, because of their widely varied cultural backgrounds, but what the heck - Vive la difference! Now I'll get me coat. For me, this argument is clearly over.

An English apologist

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