Compare and contrast. First up, found via Kathy Shaidle, Ghost of a Flea notes, "A fifteen year old British boy faces prosecution for calling Scientology a cult."

Meanwhile, Steven Pollard of England's Spectator writes:

I make a point, as my friends will attest, of wearing a pair of stars and srtripes cufflinks. It might be slightly pathetic, but I want to demonstrate my solidarity with the nation leading the fight against barbarism.

Understandably, when strangers see but don't hear me, some jump to the conclusion that I am American. And it's instructive to see how some people behave when they see the cuffs.

On countless occasions I have been sneered at, sworn at and, twice, spat at. I would say - my memory is impressionistic on this - that by far the most common insult is a muttered "F*c*ing American". And I cannot recall such behaviour from anyone who looked older than 40ish.

Not being American, for me this is simply useful in seeing how common such prejudice is. Of course, just because it is only the under 40s who are vocal, it does not follow that others do not share their views.

It's not that usual to hear people give voice to their anti-semitic or anti-black bigotry. But in my experience, there is one prejudice which is now entirely acceptable: anti-Americanism.

Update: Oh to be in Massachusetts:

Hummer Village of Norwood is where you go if you want to buy a Hummer in Massachusetts. We sent Mike Underwood there for a story on gas prices and people who don’t give a damn. They offered him a Hummer for a day. No “hummer” jokes please. I already made them all, until Underwood begged me to stop.

Underwood is a Brit. Not the soccer hooligan variety. A very civil, thoughtful, well-meaning chap. I told him this would be an important part of his American experience, where he could learn what it was like to be an American. Big, gas-guzzling, obnoxious, all over the road, disliked … and loving it. I told him to surrender himself to the Hummer, open himself to his inner Hummer.