You said you find this criticism troubling, but then you said you understand why people find these expressions of national pride troubling. I think you're supposed to pick one?
> despite the fact that I can see no way in which the U-S-A chants can possibly be misconstrued as denigrating of any other countries.
I think it's about context, right? Many countries feel some imperialist pressure coming from the USA, which makes a "USA, we're number one!" type of chant different to an "Iceland, we're number one!" chant or whatever.
It was late, I was very tired and perhaps I didn't express my views as well as I should have.
I tried to make it very clear that I in fact didn't find the criticisms of the chants troubling, and that in some ways I could even understand them.
What I specifically found troubling, and feel I articulated this quite clearly, was the notion that by simply engaging in these chants, employees were automatically devoid of class or dignity. Those were the words of the parent comment, not my own, and that is what I took issue with.
With regard to your second point I can understand why countries may find the chants of USA off putting.
> despite the fact that I can see no way in which the U-S-A chants can possibly be misconstrued as denigrating of any other countries.
I think it's about context, right? Many countries feel some imperialist pressure coming from the USA, which makes a "USA, we're number one!" type of chant different to an "Iceland, we're number one!" chant or whatever.