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anothermom - I don’t view a belief in the greatness of one’s country as arrogance at all. In fact it is one of the things I love and admire about America and Americans. I love that I go to sports events and people sing the national anthem with a tear in their eye and salute the flag and mean it. I love that people are proud of their country. But there is a vast difference between thinking your country is great and saying that every other country is inferior. *That *is arrogance. You saying America is wonderful does not offend me at all. I admire that. I think America is wonderful too. You saying America is better than Britain offends me. You saying America is superior to France or Germany or Italy or Sweden or Australia offends the people of those countries - and saying that America is “viewed as the land of opportunity for those of all countries” implies that everywhere in the world is inferior - that is arrogant and is also incorrect. Yes there are people in those countries that would love to come and live in America. But the vast majority of them love their own countries and have no desire to come to live in America just as the vast majority of Americans have no desire to leave America. (though are many Americans who live in those countries and love them.). </p>
<p>You love America. That is great. I love America too. As someone who loves their own country would *you *not be offended if other people run your country down or say their country is vastly superior to yours? Would you not regard them as arrogant? So put yourself in that persons shoes - they feel the same when you say or imply that America is superior or that they are inferior. No one has a problem with you loving your country. They do have a problem when you are detrimental about their country.</p>