rant number 10000

I'll start by saying this: you don't choose where you were born.

So what is the point in saying the country you were squeezed out into is better than any other country that someone else got ejected out into? Nearly everyone has some sort of reverence to the place they grew up. That's where their memories, families, friends, and/or education were. Every country is screwed up. Everyone gets sick of their hometown. Everyone gets annoyed when the political party they oppose is in power.
It's one thing to be angry about a governmental policy. It's perfectly understandable to disagree with the people who are in control. It's great if you want to go out and struggle for change and make a positive difference in the world. 

But it's stupid to say "I'm the best!" because you were born in a country where things are going right at the moment (I say this because, chances are it won't always be that way). And it's even worse to say you hate a whole other culture because the leaders of that place are doing things you don't agree with. It's an easy way out and I'm sick of it.
Being someone who has been travelling a decent amount in the last few years, I encounter this frequently. I guess being American I should expect this, but I try not to, because I like to think the best of people. But it's true, Americans travelling do not get treated very well in a lot of places by a lot of people.  And it's aggravating. I have had people tell me to my face that they hate all Americans (knowing I was one), before they even ask me how I feel about certain topics or policies that my country has put into place (most of which before I was even old enough to vote!). Because all Americans are the same, right? And all blondes are stupid and all Asian people are Chinese?

Are you really that ignorant? Can you really write off an entire group of people because you can't stand that their country isn't as "perfect" as yours? 

I'm an American, and maybe some of these people have encountered (or seen on TV) a lot of stereotypical obese gun-wielding redneck Americans who don't know how to spell potato but are willing to say women can't have abortions and global warming is a lie, but god-damn are you really going to judge a whole country of  300,000,000+ on that?  I don't go around saying that all Muslims are evil because of 9/11. I don't hate Germans because of WWII 70 years ago. I just don't get it. I don't get when people who come from liberal democracies can go around saying they are better than me (even though yeah, I'm jealous of your health-care and gay marriage), because of the place they were born.
I didn't get to choose, and neither did you!

Now come up with a good argument about why you dislike American governmental policies and choices, and I'll listen to you. But do not start a conversation about how the country you come from is so much better than the country I come from, and in fact, you can't stand anyone from my country at all....

You might get slapped in the face.