DougR- You are indeed talking semantics. But semantically speaking, most of what you've written in this thread implies,(to me at least), that the only world opinion that really matters is that of the United States. This is a naivety shared by most Americans, myself included prior to September 11. I thinks we'd better learn to expand our thinking.

I think you are backpedalling by insisting on a "World Identification Card" to prove you are a citizen of "the world". That's absurd. Everyone knows there is no such thing. I think that statement is just a distraction from the type of thinking is responsible for the intense nationalism that pervades the world today, and is in some respects, the root cause of terrorism.

I am an American who is just as patriotic to my country as you or anyone else. But I am also learning that I am a member of the world community, and I'm beginning to realize that the two "citizenships" are neither contradictory nor incompatible.

Also, I am not an advocate for some sort of "One World Government". But I believe that until our leaders in Washington, (and the other national capitals as well), start "thinking outside the box", no solution is possible. Much of the world is living in conditions unchanged since Biblical times, threshing grain by hand, no electricity etc. You surely know this. Except now they have AK-47's. And box cutters.

Blind nationalism in support of our addiction to Ford Explorers will only perpetuate this mess. I am indeed a citizen of Colorado, The United States, and The World. To deny the World part is irresponsible, IMO.

Thanks, and go and get a good steak dinner while you can. BlueJay