Hey, nice to see you guys are still friends. I don't think it's gotten "toxic" here at all, and most people seem to be agreement as to how to treat unwanted guests anyway. As far as America bashing goes most comments were against the administration(s) and not the citizens. I think that is pretty standard the world over. What makes us Europeans nervous is that when things go as wrong as they have done in America (Banks, Bush..etc) things can get dangerous. Your "socialists" by the way would still be classed as right wing in most European countries, so go easy on them, they haven't done at all bad.
I don't think threads like this do any harm, and I am surprised it went as far as it did. A positive side effect is that I have got to know some of you much better than a standard introduction would have allowed.
Those news items were a bit of a surprise to me as I have not lived in England for about thirty years, and back then that would not have happened. So the world has become a crazy place, but it is also what you make it.
I'm not a churchgoer, and for me Christmas is just a few days off, but I do subscribe to "Peace on Earth to all men (and women)" and a few other ethics, as I guess most of us do.
The "non toxic" level of this thread is a compliment to all of you. Merry Christmas.
Chris

Chris