The term "Americans" implies nothing about anyone else on the continent. Our country is "the United States of America". It has since its inception been shortened to "America", amd its people called "Americans", because the word appears in its name. The name of the continent is North America, by the way, so there is no real confusion.
As for patriots, it was a meaningful distinction, insofar as they were refusing to subordinate their country any longer to the interests of the King. Obviously, for those sincere in rebellion, there was no other way to look at it: locally, it was a contest between those who favored their homeland, versus those loyal to the King. To object to it is fatuous, as if it is illegitimate to use words that reflect your point of view.
On the question of bin Laden: he is incapable of rationally assessing what is in the best interests of his coreligionists. His grievances are all based on the most lurid form of fundamentalist Islam, and he wishes, in essence, to oppress millions of Muslims in order to impose the strictest and least intellectual form of Islam upon them. He is not George Washington, he is merely a reactionary bigot with a lot of money and a cadre of fanatics to do his bidding....... |
