Consider where the foreign press gets their information. They hang out with liberals (over there they are called socialists), and they read the New York Times.
Europeans are also very quick to pick on matters of style, and they love making fun of each other. They also like making fun of us. We Americans are actually much more tolerant! Yes, I really think that in day-to-day contact, we are used to living and working with a variety of people. Whenever I travel to Europe I am rather surprised at how xenophobic they are to each other. So when they dump on us, it's partly because it is their nature.
They believe what they read, and they nourish stereotypes of us.
If you wish to meet friendly Europeans, go to Poland, parts of Italy, and Greece; also some of the other eastern European countries.
New Europe, as opposed to...old europe.