"Only in America" got I hate that saying.

[Swede]

When a passer by saves someone from a fire, when a fireman rushes into the burning building and the reporter says "only in America". I guess Poles and Danes stamd around and watch.

[Cirque du So-What]

1. This film clip is the final nail in the coffin for that phrase

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/packageart/bush/bush_tsg.mov

[ms liberty]

2. The French drink wine while standing and watching...

and the English run away...RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!

[crappyjazz]

3. In Canada we'd warm hour hands

and roast marshmellows

'cuz you know, we're cold, AND funny

[Solly Mack]

4. During a really bad flood here in Germany one year

the government used boats to take people to and from work...to do their grocery shopping
fire departments and rescue personnel worked long hours making sure people were OK, had food -and if they needed medical care, put them in the boats and off to the hospitals

walkways were built over the waters, attaching apartment to apartment, and extended balconies were attached that surrounded the buildings...

it took a long time for the water to go down

this was years ago, before I came to live here

but to hear people talk of that time....amazing what was done to help the people.

[AX10]

5. It's ignorant and jingoistic.

[Toucano]

6. The "American Dream" is also obnoxious.

As if the concept of self-determination and success is unique to the United States.

[uppityperson]

7. I have 1 for you, how about...

Only in America do a country's citizens call themselves by an entire continent that has other countries in it?

[TahitiNut]

8. Is there another Western Hemisphere nation that includes 'America' in it's name???

I suppose we could all refer to ourselves according to our state of residency, e.g. Michigander or Californian.

:eyes:

This canard about there being some kind of baseless hubris in using 'American' as a national self-reference is nonsense, imho.

[uppityperson]

10. United Statesian? USAnian?

United States of America=USAnian, not the total "America". Nonsense to you is ok, but annoying to me.

[rockymountaindem]

11. United Statsian, firstly, sounds rediculous and

might cause confusion with those other United Staes, the United States of Mexico. USAnian has got to be the craziest thing I've ever heard.

[uppityperson]

12. I agree. I use USAnian partially because it sounds ridiculous.

Making fun of it all, myself included.

[Orsino]

9. There's a time and a place for that phrase...

...and it ain't in reaction to simple human decency and professionalism.

Now, make the firefighter an impostor with his own Punk'd-style TV show...now we're talking.