American Exceptionalism: Wrong, Stupid, Dangerous

I can't remember who the rightwing hit man was who suggested that President Obama didn't believe in "American Exceptionalism" although if my memory does not fail, it was a member of Congress which only shows that you don't have to have too many intellectual abilities or even love America to be elected to national office. The belief in "American Exceptionalis" is exactly what has damaged, diminished and nearly destroyed America's ability to both serve its own people according to its own internal values and America's ability to make an outstanding contribution to the health of the global community.

It is said by some that "American Exceptionalism (hereafter refered to as AE)" dates back to the evaluation made by Alexis de Toqueville that America was "exceptional". Okay, call the defense witness and see what he says. Alexis was on guy with one opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. He was not arguing as most of the proponents of AE, do that American was "above" others, "above" the law or "above" reproach as most of the supportes of this idea do. "Exceptional", were it to be true in some degree, even, really has no trustworthy, objective meaning as it is a judgement. If you googgle "Hotels" in Australia you will find several that are "exceptionsl" or are offering deals that are "exceptional" values. What does "exceptional" mean. In terms of this nation, it most often has meant that we have an excuse for immoral actions, international interventions, and for electing Republican and for starting wars which protect the military arms and oil industries.

There are things that are unique about this nation, some very good, some very bad and most in the middle; but, it could also be said that other nations are exceptional in their own niche areas of history, current reality, etc.

We could have made exceptional progress on health care and education during these past decades when the economy was booming and the national budget under control but, instead, decided we would either give the money back to the rich or spend it on wars that have won us nothing. the wars in Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq have been exceptionally wrong, stupid and dangerous to our national well-being, wasting untol trillions of resources and, more importantly, human lives, our own and those of others with the net result our nation is in debt, in a bad economy and totally polarized.

For these and other reasons, "American Exceptionalism" is wrong, stupid and dangerous. It is the dangerous part that is worrisome, because there are more than just one idea that has come forth from America that is both Wrong and Stupid; but few which hold the potential for damaging the nation and the world as much as "American Exceptionalism" has, is and will damage the nation and the world.

The primary point here is not whether Obama believes in "American Exceptionalis". I hope he doesn't, it would serve the nation well. There are many things to like about America, many blessings we have that others don't have (more top soil than most nations, for instance), but none of this makes us capable of or called to be the defender of democracy in the world, nor a power to impose our will on others; nor some "cit on a hill" as theologians have suggested. What it does mean is a special responsibility to take care of the amazing natural resouces we have and use them in a way that bring life to our nation and to other nations. In this sense of working with others we are not called either by God or our own history to be missionaries or colonialists for American democracy, American Freedom, American free-market theory, etc.

Right wing ideologues and Conservative, Patriotic Christians do no service to the nation by supporting the "belief" in "Amercian Exceptionalis". It is not true, it is not helpful and it is dangerous to our national health and any chance we might have to add to the overall goodness of the earth and other nations.

It would be better for us to believe in "American Humility" which would give us an attitude where what we have as natural and human resources, which is rather considerable, even extraordianty; would be used for those purposes that improve the quality of life for our people and for our brothers and sisters around the world. Human beings in general and nations, in particular, do not do well thinking of themselves as "exceptional". It normally leads to losing your way in life, hurting others and damaging yourself.

That being true, then belief in "American Exceptionalis" ought to be part of the litmus test for those who would pretend to serve as presideing. If you believe in it, you might be dangerous and if not, it could be that eventually you could be use for the nation.

This does not mean that we, as Americans, together as a nation or with other nations, do not need to apply our talents, energy and ideas for doing "exceptionally good" things for ourselves and the world. How about working together to see how we could all have solar or wind, or not polluting energy for our homes by 2020. That would be exceptional, but, evidently no one of any real power in the nation thinks that it is either plausible or possible (or, probably more to the point, don't see any self interest served by this project) What about making our schools and colleges extraorinarily exceptional in accepting students of all races and economic class and producing exceptional leaders for tomorrow. No, "exceptionalism" in invokled only when it comes to justifying war and keeping up the moral of the troops. We can do the latter by bringing them home, treat their war trauma, and see if we can be "exceptional" in our ability to fight terrorism and secure the peace without destroying so many homes, buildings and lives. That would be "exceptional", but the meere suggestion will be met with "exceptional" resistance because we all know that the real "exceptional " we seek is really an "exemption" from the suffering of others and from the laws that govern others such as human rights law.

What a sad day for America that it should be taken hostage for hte idol makers. In fact, that is what "American Exceptionalsm", an idol of proportion that masks our slavery under the cloak of patriotism. Too bad for us.