I've seen some the FReepers you speak of, and I am astounded by their attitude, Irish Freepers and British FReepers are the best of FRiends on this site, and therefore can't understand why some American FReepers behave so bad to their British FRiends.
I think they are, roughly speaking, the same group of people that your good Friend, Happygal, refers to 'plastic Paddies' - who show complete ignorance about Sinn Fein/IRA, and what they stand for.
Britain is a great country, which has more than amply atoned for it's past mistakes, a country that extended the hand of friendship to my own, so much so that only a few 'Hiberno-fascists' still wallow in self pity and irrational hatred for your (still) great nation, while the rest of us don't give a flying damn, we get along, and we get along with our lives - because we realize we have a lot in common!
Ivan, please reconsider,
FRegards,
IT
Because some American FReepers are morons.
I'm NOT excusing the bashing, unless it attacks individuals or governments that deserve it. IE - Michael Moore, George Galloway, Ken Livingstone, Mary Robinson, and John Kerry.
I think there's three schools of thought.
1. Backlash from the papers and TV. People got fed up with the America bashing and take it out on everyone outside the US.
2. (some) Gun Activists. I can't tell you how many times anti-gun activists from other countries go out of their way to bash our gun laws, particularly with a smug attitude. Oftentimes this ties in with the first part with the backlash in the papers.
3. Ethnic history. Particularly true with Irish. This isn't as common in the past here as it was years ago, but still is a factor with some, largely with the Celtic Tiger taking hold in Ireland improving the economy there, reducing immigration from there to the US. Most of the Sinn Fein sentiment here are among the Boston Irish(Boston Brahmins of English blood and Boston Irish fought for years as well) or 2nd/3rd Generation Americans of Irish blood. Their dad and grandfather tells stories they were told from the island, as well as "No Irish or Dogs need apply" from their American history, and it gets passed down through the family. Their view of the English is more from that history, instead of Winston Churchill and Maggie Thatcher.