Mick. . . first off, I do not happen to be a European; I am an American national who has been living in France for nearly fourteen years and I am as thin-skinned as they come. I have this stupid tendency to tremble with rage every time I hear some pratt (same as "asshole", or do I have to specify?) laugh at my accent, call me a Yank, or worse, as I said earlier, colonial or talk about how Americans are nothing but overgrown children, etc., etc. I do not make the messes, as you say, over here in so-called "Europe" and can do little about them as I do not have the right to vote--having had sufficient sentimentality to cling to my American citizenship all these years. Just a few thoughts!

best, Auxiris