I'm sure all the Brits who read Tucker and fadac's post are REAL comfortable with the assertions that "we saved their butts in two wars" and the implication that they are genetically inferior. I guess the genetic thing was humor.England lost a generation of young men in World War 1, as did France,Germany and others. It was a vicious stalemate that the entry of the US did little to change. And if it hadn't been for the balls of the RAF in the skies over Britain, in addition to the bravery and determination of the Russian people, the US would have been a lonely island in a sea of fascism in World War 2.Nevermind that England continues to be our staunchest ally, no matter how nasty a situation we get ourselves into.

One thing they don't understand is the American distrust of government. This trait is deep in our character, and part of what distinguishes Americans as individualist achievers. The outer edge of this is what drives the militia groups and various far-right fringe groups. It's also what makes Americans latch on tightly to the second amendment, "the right of the citizenry to keep and bear arms." We don't have the long history of England, with a tradition of cycles of good and bad governments, and the sense that the country will outlive all of these cycles. To a great extent, America is an AGREEMENT between it's citizens known as the Constitution. That is why we take this issue so seriously.

LEJ