"How swiftly Americans throw down their values and run in the face of a real or imagined threat from The Other is breathtaking."

Hullabaloo: "We love to pledge allegiance to the flag, sing the Star Spangled Banner, and pat ourselves on the back for how much we love the home of the brave. Then we turn tail and run from our own values at the first sign of fear itself...

How swiftly Americans throw down their values and run in the face of a real or imagined threat from The Other is breathtaking. Especially when our own propensity for lashing out violently in fear gives the rest of the world greater reason to fear us than we them. What have Americans to fear from terrorists? We kill each other in far greater numbers every year. ..

No, this nation of immigrants is free to shout liberty and freedom from the rooftops while brandishing weapons and melting down in a "full-fledged xenophobic hysteria." We have proven to the world this week just how situational and disposable our vaunted American values have become. Less a system of operational values than a brand. (Team America: paraphernalia imported from China.) We are just that exceptional, and shameless. Do what we say, don't watch what we do. No, you do not really have to live your values to claim being a Real American anymore. You only have to show up wearing them on your sleeve. Everybody goes home with a participation trophy."