For what it is worth, here is my take on it.
First, I am a conservative moderate. I do not necessarily believe that Europe owes me anything, despite the fact that World War II, which started (officially anyway) in Europe, despite the fact it cost my father his brother. I willingly acknowledge and appreciate that the British, the Russians, some of the French, and many other nations did do a great deal of the fighting and dying.
However, I do not appreciate the fact that a great many Europeans feel it is their place to tell me I should not own firearms, I know nothing of how to fight terrorism, my country should surrender at least a good portion of its sovereignty to the corrupt and shreckless United Nations, that my country is imperialist, that their foreign policy is dramatically superior to ours, and that we have no right to protect our security and national interests.
The U.S.A. has only been around just over 200 years. In that time, the U.S.A. has not once set out to conquer and territorialize/colonize any nation or region. The U.S.A. has not declared war on another nation without first being attacked or at least provoked, with the possible exception of the Spanish American War. Countries in Europe have declared war on the United States at least three or four times.
In any one century, the current one excluded since it is all of 4.5 years old, the major powers of Europe have declared war on each other or any one of a number of nations more than the U.S.A. has been at war in its entire history. There are few continents that at least one or more of the major powers of Europe have not at least tried to conquer and colonialize. Only in the last 50 years of the previous century has the biggest part of Europe been able to maintain anything that remotely resembles peace. The rest of any number of centuries you care to look at they stayed in a constant state of war and just generally attempted to screw the world up to the best of their ability.
And yet, despite all of that, the segment of the population I refer to as yerapeons (pronounced you're a peon) feels it is their duty and obligation to castigate the U.S.A. and criticize it at every turn and every available opportunity.
Basically, I'm sick of it. I've had all of that two faced holier than thou Bravo Sierra I want to hear for the rest of my life. I see no need for me to subject myself or my country to the crap they seem to like. I do not believe in it, I do not like it, and I do not want it. I have no desire to tell every European person I meet in person or on the Internet how they should live their life or run their country. I have no desire to force my opinions or wishes on them. I just want them to shut up and leave me alone and I'll return the favor. And I'd appreciate it if they would come pack up that corrupt garbage scow they call the United Nations and take it to some place like Brussels and start footing the entire bill for it.
I have no problem at all having a polite and friendly discussion with anyone. So long as they don't tell me how to live my life and that sort of thing. My collection of firearms and my right to carry them is none of their business. Nor is my choice of vehicle. it really is that simple. I do not like their political system (I don't really like ours either these days) I do not like their beloved socialist system, and I do not agree with their ideology. They like the way they do things where they live, and I like it here. That's why I live here. And I don't live there. I do plan to visit again. And when I'm there, I won't tell them they should do things my way, I'll just keep my mouth shut about such things and enjoy what I came for.
