A couple of notes about USA

1) I never realized that they have even WORSE national self confidence than we Finns do. That's the biggest reason behind the tiresome self-boosting going on all the time. They don't really believe USA is that great, so they have to scream as high as they can that it is, and get aggressively defensive, if anyone criticises USA, whether the criticism is warranted or not. It's a golden statue on mud feet.

2) "I love rooms decorated with touches of Americana, or just her colors. It reminds us that, in the words of John Philip Sousa, "The red and white and starry blue is freedom's shield and hope."

Er... it should remind you of that "the red, white and starry blue SHOULD BE freedom's shield and hope". It's not something that follow automatically. Just because you are used to associate USA with things like "freedom" and "leader of the free world", doesn't make you so. You have to EARN it. You have WORK for it, you have to FIGHT for it, you have to RESPECT, HONOR AND PROTECT it. It isn't just words.

"Oh, yes, we think exactly like the Nazis in Germany in the 30's but we are not Nazis, because we are USonian."
"Oh, yes, we desire the same level of religious freedom as they have in Iran, but it wouldn't be in any way oppressive, because we are USA, so if we have it, it's freedom."
"Oh, yes, if THEY did it to US, it would be torture, but we are USA, we don't torture anyone, per definition."
I can't stop thinking "I don't think the word means what you think it means". 

At the moment, and for a very long time back in history, more than 100 years, USA has not been "freedom's shield and hope". You have been using your economical and military power to enslave other people of the world, invade land, force others to do as you tell them to, and it has somehow stuck... You are too big and too rich and too strong to need to consider other people, to respect other people, to learn to use such civilized methods of co-existance like diplomacy and peaceful negotiations. And it shows. You have become the heir of the Roman Empire, imperialistic, chauvinistic, supremacist bullies. 
Nobody likes bullies. Nobody likes people who look down on everyone else. We are supposed to be your friends and allies, not your servants, slaves, obedient minions, your entourage and fans. Learn to treat us as friends, and you will see that is what we are. Because, even though you don't believe us, because we are not doing what you tell us to do, and kissing the ground in front of you, we like you. You are our little brother. You have plenty of good qualities - and economical and military power are not part of the list - and we would like to be your friend, but it's damn hard when you are walking around with your nose in the air pretending to be better than anyone else.