Actually, anime is a word the Japanese adopted from, you guessed it, English; a shortened form of 'animation' specifically. Just like 'terebi' is the word for television. Do you guys get offended when someone calls a Mitsubishi TV a television instead of a terebi?
Interesting to note is the fact that, while American anime fans obviously consider 'anime' to represent Japanese animation, the Japanese use the term 'anime' to include all animation--yes, including American cartoons.
But joking aside, I do understand the differentiation, and obviously, as I'm coming to this con I can assure you that I like a lot of Japanese anime much more than American cartoons. Still, generalizing the theme and art-style differences between Western and Eastern animation does not make one a cartoon and one...something else?
I suppose I'll draw more fire for this, but that's all right. Just nobody take me too seriously.