Go to a bar on Friday night. Find the bad ass in the bar. Ask people why they hate him and most responses will be "he walks around like he owns the place" or "He thinks he is such a bad ass". Now drop the bar and add in the world, take the bad ass and replace America in its place and the rest of the land masses are the patrons.
In some respects we are bad ass, in others we are not. Go to England and buy things, I will guarantee you they will charge you more for almost everything. I saw this first hand, but the family I was with got charged less only because they where English. I am sure its the same everywhere else, stereo types may not be right but they are there for a reason most times.