As someone who was proud to bang some pots and pans when the guy was elected to office, I'm sad in some ways to admit that I generally agree with the right's criticism of the left on this point. There's far too much self hatred and America hatred on the left side of the isle.
If you hate your country too much then something else more unsavory will replace it.
America was founded on the *basis* of the Reformation and Enlightenment. Enlightenment thinkers put Enlightenment ideals into America's founding document.
Yes in subsequent years some less than perfect things. But not everything is equal.
America has a more healthy birth rate.
Americans are more generally proud of their country - and that's a good thing. It means people who come here are actually drawn to something positive. If for example people come from a more oppressive culture, if there's isn't a positive cultural draw to something better, they may more readily retain the oppressive culture they're more used to (as a sort of safety blanket).
As an atheist, let me say: thank god for rural America, where there's a general counter culture to the relativism on the coasts. Not everything is equal nor relative. America is better because it's founders drew up documents directly from key Enlightenment values. Freedom of speech & therefore freedom of thought. Separation of church & state. Separation of powers. Not having direct democracy, but instead having a democratic republic. The right to bear arms - aka the right to be a Duck Dynasty person.
Liberal self hate is just as distasteful as the conservative variety. For example conservatives are upset that we're sexual animals, and that pleasure is an inherent part of sex. Liberals are upset that the reason sex exists in the first place is for reproduction. Conservatives are upset that outliers naturally exist. Liberals are upset that outliers aren't treated with "full equality," even though not everything is equal. Thus both sides are upset with the facts regarding human nature, evolution, and biology, in their own way.
Both sides question each other's motives, and refuse to realise that each side has some good faith goals. Both sides tend to be too short sided to give an inch on the key issues they care about. Fully natural human morality can and is rooted in religion, because religion is a natural phenomenon. It's so natural that two or more atheists gathered in the name of a social or political ideology can't help but form de facto religions, with belief maintenance, heresy trials, and excommunication all waiting in the wings.
The answer to conservatism isn't full blind liberalism. Rather a key answer to human flourishing is examine what's of value from all sides. What are the facts. What ideas help humans flourish & move forward and survive. The Enlightenment yielded some key answers. And that's why America is better - because it's founding ideals are better.
