Every country has made countless mistakes throughout its history. Would you rip on a guy proud to be from Germany even though they were responsible for one of the largest genocides in human history? No. Would you rip on someone from an African nation that senselessly slaughtered their own people or sold them into slavery? No. America's bad reputation is because we have quite a few people here that are stupid and overweight (which I am neither). I have traveled all over the world, having visited every continent minus Antarctica and there is honestly nowhere I would rather live. I grew up 3 miles outside New York City. I watched those towers fall with my own eyes (I was in 8th grade at the time). Sorry if my sense of patriotism is a little stronger than your average American.