Steve Coronella on why American patriotism is different

As US Independence Day approaches on July 4, Steve Coronella an American writer living in Dublin asks "why doesn't Europe get patriotism? ... America's Independence Day celebrations are indeed different. They lack the sense of insularity and exclusion that tinges similar festivities in Europe. ... For this fundamental reason, Europeans just don't get US-style patriotism, which is based on an extraordinary set of foundation documents as well as a genuine national identity shared by all citizens, no matter where else they might call home. Despite the European Union's clumsy efforts at producing its own defining raison d'être through a ponderous constitution and unwieldy institutions, Europe will never realise a similar ambition. Europeans will always consider themselves Italian, French, or indeed Irish, first and foremost."

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