This is kind of funny, but also interesting, based on several scenarios in the trip.
A) When we planned the trip, we wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty, but it is no longer open for the public. You need to register for a pass to go to the island. Luckily I went up to the crown of the statue about 10 years ago.
B) In the customs building at the US border, we were stopped and told to "check in". The room were filled with people from around the world, except for people with white skin.
C) The Manhattan boat trip on Saturday. The tour guide told us about Ellis Island, where immigrants on boats used to enter and automatically became an American "back then" (that was the word she used). As she proudly told us about the Statue of Liberty, she kept using past-tense, saying things like "France presented the statue as a gift because that America was a free country".
D) Bumper sticker on many cars..."Freedom is not Free" and "Support our troops".
E) This is a little ridiculous. We were at a road side Pizza Hut, and they had a promotional item for sale: (In the background of the poster is an American flag) - "The All American Meal". What was it? A personal size pepperoni pizza with cheese.
Well, maybe it is really not that ridiculous, maybe this individualistic meal made with an obscene amount of fat and oil is what all Americans should eat.