I agree with the philosophy that a citizen's patriotic duty is to criticize what he believes, in his own best judgment, are the shortcomings of the country. It's self-criticism, because the critics are members of society too, even those you amusingly call the "elite" as if you confuse the word with "alien". Honest self-examination is the only path to self-improvement, for nations as well as people.

Where would America be if Americans never criticized their country? It's wholly irrational to believe that America is perfect. Have you ever met a perfect person? Why believe in perfect nation of imperfect people? Would slavery have ended if nobody criticized it? Segregation a century later? Tammany Hall machine-style politics would be with us still if nobody'd spoken out. We'd still have children toiling twelve hours a day in sweatshops, polluted air and water, tainted meat...if you stop and think about it, a very large part of the improvement in America has been the direct result of criticism of America.

So I hope you can see why I have far more respect for people who criticize America than I do for those who bury their heads in the sand and believe that the only good movie is a movie that prortrays the fantasy of a perfect America. It's a good thing we have that "elite" minding the store for the rest of us couch potatoes.

Thank God for Michael Moore, and God Bless America!