America’s ‘Exceptionalism’ must be put to the test
Do you believe in American exceptionalism. Wikipedia’s definition follows.
American exceptionalism is the theory that the United States is qualitatively different from other nations. In this view, U.S. exceptionalism stems from its emergence from the American Revolution, thereby becoming what political scientist Seymour Martin Lipset called “the first new nation” and developing a uniquely American ideology, “Americanism”, based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, republicanism, democracy and laissez-faire. This ideology itself is often referred to as “American exceptionalism.”
Rudy Giuliani along along with many in the Right Wing believe that President Obama does not love America. New York Post’s Kyle Smith wrote the following sarcastically.
Rudy Giuliani thinks President Obama doesn’t love America. That’s not true. Obama surely loves America, though not the actual existing country. He is head-over-heels gaga for a fictional America, a notional America, an enlightened America, America with an asterisk.
This is a great country, potentially, if it ever grows up and learns a few things.
Whenever Obama praises America, especially in foreign lands, he is careful to append caveats that make it clear America should, as he once said in another context, get off its high horse. He doesn’t apologize, exactly, but he makes it clear that his overall image of America is of a morally shrunken, chastened land whose sins render it unfit to exert much authority in the world.
He further says the following.
Even when Obama claims to support American exceptionalism, he can’t do so without a “but.”
At West Point last year he said, “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being. But what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law; it’s our willingness to affirm them through our actions.”
While Kyle Smith may think this is a critique, it is actual a positive on the President’s interpretation not only on American ‘exceptionalism’ but on pointing out issues that we must work on to make the country better. The Newsroom video above point out many of the issues many Right Wing Conservatives fail to recognized while keeping their heads in the sand. To truly love America one must see its flaws, understand where it has been, and work toward working towards its desired ideals.