[I take no credit for the creation of this extremely well written piece, I found it in a newsgroup, and unfortunately, I lost the name of the author.]

     You really need to read up on our history. You obviously haven't a clue to who we are. This nation was forged  in the fires of the struggle for freedom. We shed American blood throwing off the tyrannical shackles of the Brittons.

     Internally, we shed American blood throwing off the shackles of slavery. In the end we helped rebuild the south.

     We shed American blood throwing off Hitler's tyranny over Europe, something we didn't even want to get involved with. Without our help, all of Europe would be either a Nazi state or forever embroiled in
 strife right now. Like it or not, that is a fact. Swallow hard on your pride and accept it.

 Not only did we offer massive help toward the victory in Europe, we were at the same time fighting another war with Japan. We helped all of  Europe pull itself out of the coals even while fighting Japanese
 aggression. And when that aggression was squelched, we also helped Japan to rebuild. What other nation in history can claim the same such victories, or such humanity to it's vanquished?

 Do you even have the slightest idea what resolve that takes? Do you  honestly believe that kind of resolve doesn't still exist? Do you really  think we have no right to hold our heads high for not only defeating
 formidable enemies, but for also having helped them recover in the aftermath?

 For this we deserve nothing but derision and ridicule?

 We EARNED our right to hold our head high and to stand proud and confident with our blood. That you see it as a cocky, bullying, "cowboy" attitude illuminates your own insecurities and ignorance. You cannot, in
 your wildest dreams, stand as tall as we. None-the-less, we have always held out a hand to those countries that chose to pull themselves out of the quagmire of primordial ooze and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us
 in civility.

 No nation is without mistakes, but we, The United States of America, have accomplished more in 225 years toward the freedom of the individual than any nation in the entire history of human kind. Do you really
 expect us to hang our head in shame over some primitive cultures' jealousy?

 Man, are you barking up the wrong tree. It is not even within our collective psyche to grasp the idea that basic human rights are not fundamental to all. How can any civilized nation *not* cling to the idea
 of fundamental freedoms? We are incapable of understanding anyone who thinks otherwise, especially those who have no respect for life at all. It is this principle of freedom on which this nation was founded - it is
 inscribed on our bones - it is who we are.

 We fought long, bloodily and hard, both within our borders and without, to become a better people. And we continue to do so.

 Get a very tight grip on those thoughts because to understand us you  must understand them. You can talk, and bomb us, all you want, but the only view we will ever understand is "freedom for all." No amount of
 yapping by primitive cultures will ever make us see otherwise.

 Again I iterate, we are not perfect in our goals - not even in our own internal struggles - but we have come farther than any nation in the  history of humanity to achieving them.

 After all that we fought for - to have our own soil desecrated by soulless, cowardly hostiles is an unimaginable affront to all we stand for. If you have not been paying attention so far, you do not understand
 how serious an affront this is. God have mercy on those who do not believe, who will soon believe, and on us for having been forced into making you believe.

 If you think this means our only answer is to bomb stone age countries into the stone age, you have, at your own peril, underestimated the American resolve. We, the American People, have always risen to every
 challenge placed in front of us - this will be no different.

 The very fact that you can sit behind your keyboard and decry the U.S. is a freedom that was fought for with American blood. Think long and hard on how much you value that freedom. Multiply that feeling a
 hundredfold. That is how much we value it. Multiply it a thousand fold.  That is how hard we will fight to keep it.

 In the end you will still have the freedom, bought with American blood, to sit there and berate us.

 We will continue to hold our heads high and stand proud.