"But I've come to believe conservatives are right. They do love America more. Sure, we liberals claim that our love is deeper because we seek to improve the United States by pointing out its flaws. But calling your wife fat isn't love. True love is the blind belief that your child is the smartest, cutest, most charming person in the world, one you would gladly die for. I'm more in "like" with my country.
...
This doesn't mean I'm not fascinated by American history, impressed by our Constitution or don't appreciate our optimism and entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, I love everything Hannity listed on his TV special other than Madonna. But there are plenty of things I don't like about America: our foreign policy, our religious fundamentalism, our provincialism, our intellectual laziness, our acceptance of sweat suits in public."
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-stein26-2008dec26,0,5178459.column

We shouldn't accept sweat suits in public? What about blue jeans?
Is this also something we shouldn't accept.
I think this East vs West thing. It's not often non conservative are objecting to the Hollywood [Californian "dress codes"] that have invaded the country.
And if we had dress codes not accepting sweat suits, why would thobes be considered any more acceptable?

As for intellectual laziness. I think America has a tendency to attract intellectuals and it's got a fair share of it's homegrown versions.
Now, if your idea of a intellectual is a John Kerry or Al Gore, [or a Jerry Lewis] we seem to export those kinds. It is our openness which attract some intellectuals and same openness seems to drive others types away.

There seems to be a lack intellectual rigor anywhere in this world, and one could say that England and France may hold their own considering their lower populations, but there isn't some stark contrast that this author appears to be laboring under- and points to a common lack awareness or an intellectual laziness.

"I asked Beck why Democrats rarely share his overwhelming sense of American exceptionalism and Francophobia. "I think it's because in the late 1800s up until the 1930s, the progressive movement started to think the European ideals are pretty good, that it's one big world," he said. "Well, it's not. If you look at all the countries like people, there are differences between people. And I happen to like this person the best." When I look at the countries like people, I love Sweden the best."

Yeah, also, they were big fans of the fascists. And before that big fans of The Terror- the birth of the modern Left.
That he loves Sweden- "a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy" is not too surprising
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Sweden