To Shambles -- I believe it's all too common to mistake a result for a cause, as I believe Joan has done. I don't think Americans or anyone else have an inherent psychological "need" to find someone to hate. I do think that those who rule any institution find it very helpful, in manipulating the ruled, to provide us with conveniently distracting apparent "enemies." To the extent we fall for that sort of thing, we weaken our ability to resist the designs of the actual rulers. And especially with the near-monopoly of media over here, believe me, the rich and powerful in America are very very adept at this game. But I bet you a dollar (a pound?) those in the UK and the rest of Euope are no slouches either.

Point of view from Detroit. -- Larry C.