we have national anthems and pledges recited in schools in India too everyday.. But that's about it!!

In Holland it is also considered strange behaviour to randomly put up the national flag, except for certain national holidays (like Queensday now Kingsday but that still sounds weird) or a special occasion like getting your highschool diploma. For that occasion you can put up the flag and hang your school backpack on it too. Or for serious matters, half mast to honour the war dead on May 4.

I never understood patriotism. A country is such an abstract entity. I can be proud of myself, my family, my friends, my culture... but why should I be proud of a country?

Flags are EVERYWHERE here in the US. And you can go almost anywhere in the US and start a "USA, USA" chant

I am american and I agree. It's sick

Forced and misguided patroitism.

we recited the pledge in grade school. That's about it for me

Oh I totally agree with you.

The Nazis literally copied that idea of blind patriotism from the US, as they saw how it could unite people and allow them to be controlled without question. US college football inspired their political rallies and matches, which is where they got the seig heil salute and fondness for matching songs. They also copied the racial laws that the US had and used then add the basis for segregation back in Germany.

in Canada i sing the anthem everyday.

I´m Belgian and I don´t even remember our full anthem. I learned it over 25 years ago in primary school and that´s about it.

I showed up at a rockhound group for adults few years ago in Washington state. They started the meeting with the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE! Grownups. I was seriously creeped out and never returned.

I'm a citizen of the U.S., and I hate it! It's forced on students, and we get the anthem & flags shoved in our faces literally EVERYWHERE - sporting events, schools, even at auto dealerships - I've seen as many as two dozen flags flying at ONE car lot! A lot of it dates back to the Joe McCarthy era, when he led the rampage against anything that appeared to be related to Communism. This rabid 'patriotism' was created to turn all citizens into sheeple blindly following the edicts of the politicians. Sadly, it worked on too many of us.

In Norway we sing it once every year - on the 17th of may. I've lived in Denmark for more than 10 years now - and I don't think I've ever heard anyone sing the anthem (I don't watch sports). I know the first verse of the American one though - it's inescapable.

I totally agree with You on this!

In Canada we sang the anthem a lot (like every assembly) but that was about it.

It stems from insecurity. Germany is a lot older than the U.S.

People have certain traditions and you mocking their traditions does not make you superior in any way. If they have a particular love for their country and want to express that love in song, why would that bother any thinking person? Many of those countries in Europe would have ceased to exist if it were not for the US protecting them from the Nazis and from The Soviets.

We've that that when I was a child, during the communism, in my country. This is crazy.

Oh, yes....it`s really, really scary.... Whatever happened to appropriate, profound impartial Education, per se? What is the point of it if we can only justify the carrying and on and on of it as ignorant non-thinking humans? Should be ashamed of yourselves.

There is a marked difference between being proud of one's country ala the 1980 Olympic hockey team--and I AM proud of my country, warts and all--and saddling up the ole Panzer and smashing across your innocent neighbors' borders while chanting "Ein Volk! Ein Reich! Ein Fuehrer!". Don't confuse our country, our history, our culture, our national pride with your nation's history. And remember, it is easy to be pacifistic when another country (ours) keeps you safe from your ancient enemy to the East with our tax-payer funded F-22s and Army divisions. Keep it in perspective.

Not patriotism to me. No one race of people is more important than another. I fear for our wonderful immigrants that helped build this nation in to what it is. My one desire would be to make every American man or woman, over age of 18, take a Comprehensive DNA test, and see just what ethnicities form their make up! Asian Americans helped build the infrastructure of the railroads, and brought such wonderful diversity to our country, I couldn’t imagine life without AAPI ! I lived in Hawaii for three and 1/2 years. They were living their lives well, and when they were visited by ships, they welcomed them! Visitors! Well , these men were not nice. They brought disease,greed,depravity. Then they brought missionaries. Who so radically changed these wonderful Pacific Islanders, all they held dear, was nearly decimated, along with their population. Small Pox, syphilis. They had no immunity to any of it. So, I say, that fanatic patriotism, scares me, too. It’s not for country, but for evi

Hey, I’m American and the flag waving and anthem singing appalls me.

It has become that way lately. Not just pride in the country and its democracy, but kind of a sick, almost xenophobic attitude has infiltrated many Americans. It's too bad, because it is scary when you think back to some of the fascist stuff a few decades ago.

Every school day (until college) the anthem was sung and very few Americans know the song was a 200-year-old English drinking song. When we spent a lot of time in Canada, I knew the Canadian national anthem and the names of all the provinces...which shocks the s*** out of most Canadians. Believe me, that some so-called Americans are VERY scary to those of us who have ancestors from the 1600s who first made the big trip to the wild Americas.

In the Netherlands, we don't sing anything in the morning, nor recite anything.

use Word for windows with the English codecs & spell checkers to catch your spelling errors... or install Grammarly free download for your writing software... they support the German language also...

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The last time you were all over that National Anthem thing, it didn't turn out too well for you.

I was once in California for New Year's eve and had found a driver's license on the ground, so I approached nearby police officers to give it to them so they can get in touch with its owner. They were completely cordial and friendly, so I guess the whole thing is up to everyone's experience...

WTF, there is already s**t loads of sugar in coke. I don't think that is a normal US thing, probably just some idiotic parent trying to give their kids diabetes. But correct me if I'm wrong though.

American kids have always been taught to worship the flag and the anthem. If only they had been taught to respect democracy and justice instead of superficial symbols.

My husband was morbidly obese when we went to Blizzcon in 2010 (a convention for gamers). We saw people who needed TWO chairs to sit down. My husband looked tiny compared to a lot of people there. We went to Walmart (cheap store that sells everything) and they sold XL shirts that were bigger than our 5XL for the same price as M/L clothes here. Same with pants. He got multiple new outfits for normal prices that would've cost a fortune here, simply because 'XL' is quite normal in the US.

They adore capitalism though. Sure we have no decent education or healthcare, no food or clothes, but as long as the corporations are making bank we are good.

Blows most people's minds in almost every western country.

yeah, healthy food is usually more expensive in almost any industrial country. but the price gaps are alot biggere in the us. it makes people with low income buy unhealthy food - exactly what the food industry wants us to do :(... that‘s a problem everywhere though

My friend from Finland moved to the States and tried to keep up the habit of walking everywhere. She was regularly stopped by the police, or even worse, very dodgy men would stop their car and offer her a ride. Also some nice people stopped as they thought she needed help! I walk 10km per day, I could not imagine being tied to a car...

I read an article sometime back that the Irish supreme court ruled that subway bread is too sweet to be classified as bread.

Even worse, (mentally) ill homeless people. The lack of universal healthcare and homelessness seem to be closely connected.

Very obligatory, when I lived there an English friend of ours didn't tip well enough and the waiter followed him out into the street and asked if his service was poor. Can't imagine that happening in England. Friends would carry a tip calculator which would show exactly how much to leave.

So many people have poorly paying jobs, or they are unemployed, or they live on government assistance (which is not enough to live on). Also, this is usually rental housing owned by slumlords who don't keep the property up. I've lived in some awful places, but I'm at a nice place now.

Ew.

My jaw dropped when I first found out you have to pay for an ambulance in the US. Living in the UK we take it for granted that any medical care is free (well we do pay in taxes but way less than the US pay for one procedure)

I live in the States, and I am shocked and outraged by all the littering. Why, just why? The waste of water is awful. Huge lawns that need to be watered every day. I've seen sprinklers watering sidewalks, and being run even when it is raining.

As a Soldier, it always made me feel uncomfortable, when people said things like that, or looked at you like you were a hero. It was my profession, and one that I chose, so to be treated like a rock star made me feel very weird and conspicuous. I sometimes felt like it was over compensation for how Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home.

And the ads for medication. So weird! Ask your doctor about this medicine! Uhm, no? My doc tells me what I need, not the other way around...

I grew up in the US and can confirm that this is incredibly awkward. You never get used to it.

Just wait a generation or so. Church membership is dwindling at a pretty good pace, so the old Holy Rollers will go the way of the dinosaurs soon enough.

Yep. Welcome to America. (no offense)

I gain 25lbs! Everytime I go I prepare for weight gain. Resturant portions can be shared between 2 people per plate! But oh so delicious!

This is sooo annoying! And if you are in a restaurant is plus tax plus tip! Ugh!

Emmental is an area in Switzerland and the cheese they make there is called „Emmentaler“ (single L). It’s a trademark and a quality feature. Only the Origin Emmentaler is allowed to be named so. But obviously that’s only in Europe like that. US-Chesse has as much in common with Emmentaler as Trump with a Trumpet. Both can be made out of milk (Emmentaler MUST be made out of Milk) - both makes noises. that’s it.