I WAS absolutely disgusted to learn of the latest Hollywood release, The Patriot.

Not satisfied with playing down the role of the British during the Normandy Landings and re-writing history to suit themselves regarding the capture of the Enigma Coding machine, they have to insult us whom they refer to as their closest friends and allies.

Regardless of whether the film has historical inaccuracies, it feels like they are sticking two fingers (or is it one?) up to us. I know where I'd like to stick their latest films!

It's about time this country depended less on America and became proud of our achievements - why aren't we making new films about our successes during both world wars? There were plenty of battles during the First World War that could be accurately made into films.

America has far too much influence on this country, from benign sitcoms such as Friends to our language itself; so many people use their spellings, phrases and pronunciations that our Mother Tongue is being damaged.

I wonder how many people are aware that America came very close to adopting German as their national language, and that their Ambassador in London strongly recommended to his Government that the USA joined with the Germans in the last War; apparently there was a lot of anti-English feeling in America during the 1930s.

I know I might be regarded as racist, but I'm proud of my country and I don't like to see them have such a control over us.

Mark Eccles,

Fairway,

Clifton, York.