I've lived overseas (England, the Continent, Asia). It's a valuable and tricky experience being an expatriate. You see your country from an entirely different perspective, and if you're an American with any degree of sensitivity you're like to find yourself constantly apologizing for its behavior, and distancing yourself from the power elites and the swarming masses in equal measure. You feel the burden of being a sterling representative of your homeland.
Right up until the point when you get really, really annoyed with all the inappropriately self-righteous fingerpointing being done by the insular myopic Europeans (or whomever) you encounter. Right up until you realize that you love your country despite its flaws and arrogance and ignorance.
Power has consequences. Noblesse oblige. No doubt there's so much we can do better, especially right now.
But when I read Russell Beattie's patriotic screed I wanted to stand up and salute, sing the notoriously unsingable national anthem, and in general wave the flag.
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