A Fascinating Anti-Americanism in London

European media has bred a trendy anti-Americanism among all classes on the old side of the Atlantic. The curious thing about this fashion is that the practitioners appear to believe that it is a cost-free habit. As if reviling the only force on the planet capable of saving them from their own suicidal tendencies has any kind of future. Fascinating.

I make a point, as my friends will attest, of wearing a pair of stars and srtripes cufflinks. It might be slightly pathetic, but I want to demonstrate my solidarity with the nation leading the fight against barbarism.

Understandably, when strangers see but don't hear me, some jump to the conclusion that I am American. And it's instructive to see how some people behave when they see the cuffs.

On countless occasions I have been sneered at, sworn at and, twice, spat at. I would say - my memory is impressionistic on this - that by far the most common insult is a muttered "F*c*ing American". And I cannot recall such behaviour from anyone who looked older than 40ish.

Not being American, for me this is simply useful in seeing how common such prejudice is. Of course, just because it is only the under 40s who are vocal, it does not follow that others do not share their views.

It's not that usual to hear people give voice to their anti-semitic or anti-black bigotry. But in my experience, there is one prejudice which is now entirely acceptable: anti-Americanism. __SpectatorUK

Of course every place--even the most politically correct place--has to have its lawful prejudices and bigotries. In North America, it is the straight white male who is lawfully discriminated against. In Europe, it is the American.

Americans have always felt that Europe--at least England--was a friendly zone. Given the close alliances with England in WWI, WWII, and the cold war, Americans naturally assumed that merry olde Englynde would always be merry toward them. That is why Americans have always assumed maintaining a defensive perimeter around England and Europe was just part of the price of having allies. As Americans watched Europeans abandon any pretense of defending themselves, diverting those monies to social welfare programs etc., they just assumed that Europeans would feel the binding ties of history and the shared shedding of blood--and the promise of similar future sacrifice if necessary.

Instead, what Americans receive is a monolithic blame for all that is perceived as wrong with the world. Demonisation, accusation, scapegoating, along with a minimisation of any worthwhile contribution to the world, past or present. Americans had been largely oblivious to this bloated, self-satisfied trans-Atlantic phenomenon. No longer.

Europe is being infiltrated by something far more vile than anything that can be laid at the doorstep of the hated Americans. This vile thing has promised to subjugate Europe under the desert sandals of a new Caliphate. It is a vile and growing thing that Europe refuses to see, and in order not to see the vile thing, Europe expends all its excess energy in hating the thing that is peripheral to Europe's problems at most.

It is an inexplicable societal imbecility which can only be explained by a total lack of insight on the part of Europe's leadership, media, and academe. Of course, North America suffers from a similar imbecility, although much less advanced, and far less suicidal.

The ball is in Europe's court. Too much more of this cross-Atlantic bile, and Europe will find itself in an unmarked wasteland of rapidly diminishing options. Most Europeans that I know will not like that.