I'm sorry, Hamilton, but you totally miss the point. Your picking on pretty specific examples, and that doesn't prove any point being made about over half a billion people. Alabama isn't the most friendly of places, but I'm not going to criticise America because of it.

Most americans agree that the US is the best place to live (of course), but which is the best state to raise a family (the bulk time period of life)?

Harlem is actually pretty diverse and gentrified now, the US has made incredible racial progress in the last 40 years, while Europe has slid backwards.

From what you've been saying Hamilton I doubt you know very much about Europe at all, or the people who live there. I don't know where you're pulling 'has slid backwards' from.

The United States of America is the greatest country on Earth. I pray (without hope, however) that Obama keeps it that way.

Europe has had a massive influx of people from former colonies after WWII. More recently Western Europe has seen the same from Eastern Europe. Everybody needs to adapt and sometimes the results are negative but I would hardly call this sliding backwards. What would it be called if they had closed their borders to all these people? Europe has been very generous in accepting immigrants. Not everybody likes it and not every immigrant is likable but I'm sure the majority from both sides would rather have what we have today than the alternative.

Psh, both Europe and America are more racist than Canada. =P

Our urban centres have around half immigrant population, and despite that ethnicities maintain unique images and communities there's very little ethnic or racial conflict. I've lived in the most white washed areas of Canada as an asian and experienced very little discrimination. From my travelling, I would probably be most comfortable with my race living in Canada, Australia, or coastal USA. More so than China and the UK.

I don't think Europe is really more racist than America... they both have their more racist regions. I do know that Hamilton has a pet theory concerning the value of cultural homogeneity, and I think that's the basis of his argument. I personally prefer the mosaic to the melting pot, but then again, I'm far more culturally related to North Americans than to Asians.

this is true, its easier for America, a culture based on pluralism and diversity, than Europe, where nations are based on similarity in religion and language.

Racism is being decreased and decreased with every generation following the civil rights movement. I don't see Europe or Canada making progress.

Go America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Very subjective question - where is the best place to live. I personally feel America is the best, but I've not actually lived outside of it for any length of time. What makes it great? I cannot put my finger on it; perhaps it allows for each individual to demonstrate the best of humanity, but sometimes unfortunately, also the worst. Maybe it's that choice to make of your life what you will, regardless of background.
Sometimes we are a country of apparant contradictions. Although we are the most generous country, witness the level of corporate greed. Although we are decried for interfering over the globe, who is the first country typically looked to for support/protection.

ive heard that denmarck is the best. im not danish but polls say that danes are the happiest people in the welt..or however you say world in danish

so

well in general america has the most oppurtunities and the least political coruption of any country and i agree on that but from my experiance Europeans generally have a better sense of the real world i must say america is he best to live in but being from europe i gained a lot of knowledge of the real world this is probably due to rhe fact that most countries are so close together and cultural mingling is extensive. But in the end it would be best to be an american with enuogh money to travel. Go America Go California Go OC

Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in this history of mankind.

Mankind -- that word should have new meaning for all of us today.

We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore.

We will be united in our common interests.

Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution -- but from annihilation.

We're fighting for our right to live, to exist.

And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice:

"We will not go quietly into the night!

We will not vanish without a fight!

We're going to live on!

We're going to survive!"

Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!

Happy belated 4th of July Americans.

Being Australian, I've been intrigued for some time by the cultural differences between our people, specifically in this case American's patriotism versus that of us Australians.

I'm not sure if there are any studies or theories about why this might be, but I'd love to hear different opinions from different walks of life and nationalities.

Why are Americans as patriotic as they are?

(That is definitely not meant as an insult, just an observation.)

The aliens are coming! Great reference Invictus. I would have claimed victory for a longer Canada Day thread, but you stole it with that.

"I don't see Europe or Canada making progress."

Clearly you're not looking hard enough. Just off the top of my head, from the late 1800's to like the 20's there was a steep head tax on Chinese immigrants, and after that and until 1943, Chinese immigrants were simply not allowed. Now, as a Chinese-Canadian, I can say that I feel that I am not subject to very much discrimination, let alone legislated discrimination.

"America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between."
Oscar Wilde

Is it churlish to say that you can't be that patriotic if you can't spell 'independence' properly?

@texasdeluxe.

Why is US patriotism different to that you see elsewhere?

I think it is because the overriding theme of American culture is homogeneity. Everyone HAS to be the same. This is probably borne out of the way that thy handled mass immigration and invented a national identity.

This sense that you HAVE to be the same is probably why they are less liberal than Europe and Australasia on matters of personal liberty such race and sexuality. Anything that clearly has you standing out as different must be bad.

@Submariner.

Well I'm more comparing U.S. patriotism to that of Australian patriotism, in that by comparison I think Australians lack that type of flag waving pride that our American cousins embrace openly. I guess it is a huge cultural difference, but I just have never fully understood why that might be so and what factors would bring these differences into play. Us both being young countries of similar origin.