Yes, I would say "terrorist" is the correct term for somebody willing to attach a bomb to themselves and blow up masses of people.  What would you call them, anonymous?  An argument can be made that the war in Iraq is the wrong war at the wrong time, but staying home and waiting for the next 9/11 is really not my idea of a sane strategy.   

"And like the extremists on the other side, it's impossible to reason with them and explain the error in their thinking" I love it! We invade their space, we mess with their politics we even chose their neighbors from Europes chosen people and covet their oil, and they are the terrorists?

If we ever learn to mind our own business, the world will be a better place for everyone.  Let's just stay home and build that friendship fence on our border, we will not be missed, the world survived centuries before the creation of the United States, let them do it again, they are not children.

I appreciate each of your thoughtful comments.  Thanks for putting the "roll" into this blog n roll topic. 

I second Tom, again.  I've been fighting for our freedoms for 14 years because I love America.
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There are times that I become furious at our culture.  There are times that I think some pretty mean things, like wishing we had simply let the southern states drop out of the union.  From my perspective, we'd be 300 years ahead of ourselves if we had let that happen.
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The problem seems partly due to the presence of two very different definitions of "America" floating around.
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When I think of America, I think of our freedoms, our promise of equal opportunity, liberty, and justice for everyone.  I think of the amazing things that the brightest minds in our nation have accomplished, like sending the first (and only) men to the moon.  I think of the flying Stars and Stripes that proclaim, "this is the land of the free!"
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Some other people, and I write this without any intent to disparage, think of America in terms of our culture.  Blogger Sam Heath is archetypical of this group.  They feel that if America is no longer a place where Christianity is touted as the nationally preferred religion, or if America is no longer a place where everyone lives their lives according to the same Leave It To Beaver blueprint, it is no longer "America" to them.
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I can actually see why they might feel that freedom-lovers like me "hate America."  They define America by the culture that they remember rather than its historical promises of freedom and justice.
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The tragedy is that we are in danger of becoming a place where we no longer feel it necessary to ask people what they believe.  We tell others what they believe -- and if they deny it, we call them liars.
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I do belong to one predominantly left-wing network in Oregon.  There are a couple Republicans and independents, but most of them think Democrats are in the same bed as Republicans.  I am probably the most conservative member.  That's how far left they are.
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Of all these, I know of only two that truly hate America.  They refuse to separate what our government is doing from America itself, and as a result, they hate them both together.  And like the extremists on the other side, it's impossible to reason with them and explain the error in their thinking.

Hey Doc,  Great tune.  Very bar room bluesy.  Makes me want to shoot some pool.  :)  As for your questions, I am very patriotic.  I'm getting very politically involved this cycle and hope to do even more next time around.  The reason I post here is because I care so much about the future of this country.  I know it's not exactly the biggest forum, but it's a good place to chat with folks about this sort of thing.  I think I used to fall into the trap of being angry with America because of x, y, z.  Since September 11th, I've come to realize what America really is, all of us working together and the laws that govern us.  If I don't like something, I am responsible to change it.  It is my country.

Speaking of responsibility, I'll segue into the second question about jingoism vs. patriotism.  Patriotism is all about responsibility: social and civic and carefully wielding the power that comes with that.  Jingoism is all about power without responsibility.  "If you don't like it, kiss my ass" in other words.

My two cents anyway.

Now I understand why you've gone anonymous :)

Five years have gone by? I have been hiding in the bunkers since 9/11 but I listen to the Bush speeches and watch him on Foxnews (the real Fox, not Vicente Fox) and I am not coming out from under the bed until he says "Mission accomplished" and means it.