I don't have any hatred for Lucas at all. I hate AVID though.... Ok, I am still learning it, but still....
Even so, I guess I'm one of the few who doesn't completely hate the prequels (though AotC could have been less lovey dovey and was the most annoying of the series). I don't hate Jar Jar. I don't love him either. He's just there for comic relief, which sometimes doesn't work. But you know, I was 11 and my cousin was about the same age when we saw TPM and we both loved the film. We would imitate Qui Gon and Darth Maul all the time after that. I used to collect Queen Amidala stuff at the time too. I had that doll where you could change the red costume. I did try to get the one where you could change her to Padme, but got too old when it was cheap enough.
I've seen the Ewok movies, American Graffiti, Land Before Time (I totally grew up with that and would love it), Willow (great film) and even his collaboration with Jim Henson on Labyrinth, another great film. I have yet to see his collaboration with Kurosawa, and am eager to get a look at that (I have a personal love for Kurasawa's work, my favourite being Yojimbo). He created a huge indie film enterprise and has given many indie filmmakers that dream, shown that it is possible even though their films are probably not quite as of the fantasy realm as Lucas works in.
In truth, I have respect for him. I wouldn't have FCP, AVID, HD cameras to play around with at film school, I would be still pulling out too much money to shoot on film. I can now spend money where it is needed on catering and transportation and production design. He's given much to the film students of today.
Indiana Jones was what started this passion I have. The films are important to me in that way. I'm grateful in a way, that they made KOTCS, as this was a great oppotunity for the younger fans like myself, to enjoy it on the big screen. I never had that chance with any of the others. I was born too late for that and born too late and in the wrong country to have been part of the production experience. Just to have been a production assistant, would have been awesome.
I would love to see Lucas do these supposed art films he was talking about in 2005. I want to see the next stage of this guy's career rather than just revamps of SW. I think there is way enough SW out there. The fans tend to keep it alive very well. There is enough of them. They even create their own mythologies now. There's books all the time and comics too. Collectables you swear you've seen a hundred times before but oh, it's a new collection called "The Force" or whatever.