First, gnu, I don't think crow fly south. Maybe Canadian ones do, but I've got four seasons of crows.
Second, the Patriots screwed the pooch. You have to draw the "nice" line somewhere.

People on military installations are somewhat more cohesive than those in other communities. Often, strangers greet each other when they pass on a sidewalk. Enlisted people salute officers who salute back, they say "Hi", they nod at each other, they smile. I was once stationed at an Air Force base where the common greeting seemed to be "How are you?" and people looked you in the eye when they asked. I thought it was odd; it was an awful lot to say when you just meant "Hi". I later found out there had been an unusual number of suicides. I think the greeting was a way of connecting so people far away from home didn't feel so alone.

There was a feeling, right after 9/11, of people wanting to help each other out. Drivers were more polite, and let people into traffic ahead of them. They tailgated less, and some waved for no particular reason at all. Telemarketers took the first "no" for an answer. People seemed nicer everywhere. It lasted right up until our President started focusing people's minds on war, and then starting one. Yes, that WAS politics, and it took all of that feeling of neighbors helping neighbors and divided everyone again. Those of us who let the politics drive us apart again were less for it, and those who are maintaining that separateness are continuing the work of the ones who started it. I'm not as mad at the politicians as I am about what they did, and what they've managed to get some of us to continue.

There are people here who care deeply about the direction of their country. Unfortunately, they don't seem to care very much about people. Not the ones right in front of them.