Why do Citizens of the United States consider themselves the only real "Americans"?
458467
People identify themselves with their proper country name, not their continent's name. For example, British, German, French, not European (though this term is gaining broader use with the implementation of the EU). Or Japanese, Chinese, Korean, not Asian (Country origin compared with general ethnicity).\n\nSince the United States is the only country in either North or South America with the term "America" in it's proper country name, that term has been used as short hand to refer to anyone who is a citizen of the United States of America. This may change, however, as the world switches from individual country economics & politics to continental economics & politics.
122068
I believe most Americans can not see past their own noses.\nWe seem to be under a silvered bell jar inward looking only and not able to see past into the rest of the world.\nMost Americans only speak one language and have a world view presented to them by corporate controlled media.  We are kind of like the people in Plato's Cave.
543471
I am an American citizen but I was not born here.  Americans are people, just like people from Palestine, from France, from China, from Africa, and from other places all over the world.  Some are good, some are bad.  Some I love, some I hate.  It doesn't matter where somebody is from, but what's in their heart.  About the government, yes it is a bad government.  But nobody has a right to judge Americans because of the government.  The same goes for people of other parts of the world.
289140
I'm a citizen of the US.  When I go overseas (mainly to Europe), I always say I am from the "States."  However, Europeans overwhelmingly refer to US citizens as "Americans" or the country of the US as "America."\n\nIt's isn't US citizens calling their country "America."  It's Europeans, from what I've seen!
76611
Because Americans are so patriotic about their country, flag, and beliefs. Disclaimer: I think that's a good thing too.
318765
They arent recognized by the US Government, but they are as real a Soverign Nation as it gets.  Just like the rest.  Just 'cause the US Government says it's so does not make it correct!
856823
i'm an american, but i think i can answer that: arrogance. americans treat everyone as foreigners, even when visiting a foreign country. i was in europe three years in the air force, and i was ashamed at the way most gi's behaved over there.
585727
Yes, I totally agree!\n\nI'm not trying to sound ignorant here, but the average American is rather close-minded to the rest of the world. They need to get their heads out of their butts, and learn that others really do exist out there. \n\nI think that's part of the overall reason why other nations feel resentment towards them.
1127086
I think us Americans are described as "ugly Americans" because many (but not all) of us assume that our nation is superior to all others and that our culture should be imposed on others' wherever we go.  This is just stupid.  To my knowledge, there is no other nation that is so self-righteous.  President Bush has no right to turn Iraq into a democracy.  Only the Iraqi people have the right to decide this.  So many people say they are "proud to be an American", but I don't believe it is a thing deserving of pride anymore.  Yes, we have many freedoms that so many other countries don't have, but does that include the right to dictate policies to other nations?
675966
an American is a U.S. citizen regardless of heritage
549341
I know what you mean.  When you say you're American, other people jump in and say, but so are Mexicans and Hondurans and Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, etc. because they are all on the continent of North America.  They don't get it, I know, and they probably never will.  Yes, citizens of the USA are Americans.  Mexicans are Mexicans and Hondurans are Hondurans.  Only USA citizens are Americans.
765390
everyone wants to be american...dont they?
1038750
Americans are a mixture of most of the people of the world. We don't think of ourselves as a member of a small group, In Iraq the people don't think of themselves as simply Iraqis. They're all members of a tribe. The tribe comes first. Then they're divided by religion.\n    There in America some people are friends for years without knowing or careing which church the other goes to. In Iraq everyone knows who the Sunnis are, and everyone knows who the Shiites are.\n    Imagine what it was like in early America before the Europeans came. There were over three hundred different Indian tribes. Hatred and wars went on between tribes for lifetimes. If the natives of America were one tribe, all working and fighting as a unit, they would have been so powerful that all of Europe together couldn't have conquered them.\n   Unity means strength. Division means weakness.
613808
As in all things, we Americans are self-conceited jerks.  If it doesn't happen within our shores, we seem to think it doesn't really matter.
393140
nothing is wrong with Americans....there is something wrong with individuals...no mater what their nationality is.  I am sure where ever you live there are crazy people.  It is just the way the world works.
563604
From my experience of the treatment of the Mexican-American community in the US, even those who have been living there since California, Arizona or New Mexico were admitted into the Union, are treated like second or third class citizens. I doubt that they have been complaining enough. I remember 30 years ago, when living in these US States, that few 'Anglos' treated them as if they were even human beings.  These were not naturalized citizens, but people who's families had been in the US of A for even longer than their 'Anglo' neighbors. Is there any wonder that they are dissatisfied with their treatment?\n\nWhen Americans start treating other Americans like Americans, I'm sure they will start treating the US flag with respect.\n\nI saw many descendants of immigrants in the US, who are considered as being Americans, yet who keep flying the flag of their ancestors.  Poles, the Irish, Scots, Ukrainians.. No one complains about them disrespecting the US Flag, for flying the flag of their ancestors, yet the Mexican-Americans are tarred with this brush.  \n\nI guess someday, Americans will grow up and treat all Americans born in America, the same.  Probably not anytime soon though.
630202
Hypocrisy.  Americans conveniently forget that unless they're Native Americans, they're *all* immigrants.  \n\nInstead of "I got mine, you get yours", we believe in "I got mine, so screw you."\n\nNo wonder the world hates us.