patriotism in the US

It's all true. Many Americans are terribly patriotic. They cover their houses, graves, cars, monuments, garages, etc., etc., with flags; and even Michael Moore, who is highly critical of many American policies, has to wave the flag from time to time simply to be taken seriously. To be called unpatriotic is the killer insult; it deprives the victim of credibility. Recently a Republican justified the illegal war against Iraq on the grounds that it benefited American sovereignty. Terrific. I'm sure the parents of the 46,000 children who've so far died as a result of the invasion would be pleased to know that America has benefited in some way. The truth is, most Europeans are profoundly alarmed by all this patriotism. We know where it leads. Why can't even a few Americans ask a few searching questions about all the flags they fly? Is it not clear that the Christian values so many Americans are supposed to espouse are founded on humility, not the implicit arrogance of all this flag waving and self-serving pursuit of national interests. Love your country by all means -- I do -- but don't lose sight of the bigger picture. Patriotism isn't necessarily a good thing.