[Waldo]

Are you kidding me with this?

Yeah, it might be dismissive of other countries of the Americas. Classist? I think that's a stretch. Privileged? um. er... to whom? What on earth makes you think that anyone from Cananda, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina or any other country in the Americas would WANT to be included in the term "American" these days?

But um, among my circle of friends, associates, colleagues and whatnot? I don't know but a handful of people who would call themselves "American". You know the few I do hear it from? Folks in border states. Folks of a Republican bent. The very young and oh who else? Newly naturalized citizens oh so very proud to "be an American!" by gum.

And when I travel abroad, which I do fairly often these days, I hear folks use "American" in a very dismissive way in reference to folks from "The States". "Oh, she's an American." And lest you think I'm okay with that crap? I correct them every time. "No, I'm from the States" or in the Bush years I was known for being snide and saying "Well from the US, but I voted for Gore" or something similar.

And finally??? My god, what else can we turn into a class issue on this site?