(Considering all this -- I'd gotten the idea her father had up and died.)

In answer to BigV's question, I'd say part of what makes this an American board is the geographical location of most of the correspondents. Nobody's saying or implying "foreigners out," because we're just not that stupid. The other part of what does this is that an insistent program of America-bashing on anyone's part here is going to be met with counterattacks -- what else are you going to expect if you outrage somebody's patriotism enough?