The Culture War Divide: American Exceptionalism
by Evan SayetWith the stunning announcement of his pending retirement, Evan Bayh – only recently on the short list to be Barack Obama’s running mate in 2008 – the question of partisanship has once again become central to our national debate.
The conventional wisdom is that it is mere partisanship that is hampering the progress of necessary legislation in Washington (and in state capitols as well). This is a both wrong and dangerous conclusion, one that misses the real and important point: Americans are divided not just on policy but on their most basic beliefs about the most fundamental of issues, from the nature of man to the meaning of our existence, from the reality of God to the purpose of governance – and at its core, it is a question of one’s beliefs about the existence of the better.
Proof that our divisions run deeper than a mere “hooray for our side” partisanship is that the culture war is raging outside of the halls of governance, with people with no vested interest in the victory of an “R” or a “D” just as adamant and even militant as are the professionals.
In today’s culture war, what determines whether one supports the liberal or the conservative position on any given issue is what they believe about exceptionalism in general and American exceptionalism (and that of Western Civilization) in particular.
On one side of the battlefield are those who reject the notion of cultural exceptionalism. They are the “multiculturalists” and the “Citizens of the world” who are convinced that those who recognize America’s unique greatness are not only bigots (“xenophobes” and “nativists”) but dangerous bigots whose blind adoration of America’s unique culture can only lead to war and with it the poverty, crime and injustice that war inevitably brings.
Ironically, those who deny America’s unprecedented cultural greatness are forced to believe in American exceptionalism – left with no other choice than to believe that America is exceptionally evil. After all, if America’s unique constitution, unprecedented Judeo-Christian values and unequalled Protestant work ethic are no better and no worse than any other culture, then one must explain America’s undeniable and unequalled success. To their way of “thinking,” America’s unparalleled prosperity, ingenuity, creativity, productivity and strength are not just unjustified and unjust, but because of the magnitude and duration of that success, America is the greatest injustice in the history of the world.
To those who deny America’s exceptional greatness the only other alternative is to believe in America’s exceptional evil.
The purpose of the policy of those with this vision, then, is to pursue justice by undermining America at every turn. Her sovereignty should be turned over to one-world (supposedly non-bigoted) bodies, her wealth redistributed to nations based on nothing other than their violence and economic failures. After all, to the multiculturalists the failures of other nations serve as proof positive of their victimization.
To those who deny America’s exceptionalism, those who support America (especially those so steeped in bigotry and hatred as to join the military to fight for America’s preservation) can fall into only a handful of categories: so oppressed that they have no choice but to fight on behalf of evil in order to pay their bills, the stupid and the evil bigot. Those who deny American exceptionalism, then, hold the soldier in pity at best and more likely disdain and hate.
It is not surprising, then, that those who hold this vision are quick to condemn anyone who works in service of America, from members of the CIA to the soldiers shot to death by an Islamist at Ft. Hood.
Similarly, those who champion American values at home are held in disgust and disdain by those who deny America’s exceptionalism. They, too, are, at best, stupid and more likely evil bigots who must be contained, their children “reeducated” in the schools to reject their xenophobic love of America and her culture. These people are convinced that there’s something “the matter” with the people of Kansas and that Americans outside of San Francisco (Hollywood, Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Upper East Side of Manhattan) “cling” to their constitutional rights and religious freedoms out of “antipathy” towards people who are merely “different” than they are. These people must be controlled by an elite who does not share their bigotry (i.e. respect and adoration for America and Western Civilization): the “multiculturalists” and the “citizens of the world.”
Barack Obama has publicly declared that he is of this ilk, that he does not believe that America is anything special. Asked if he believes in American exceptionalism he gave one of his typically dissembling answers, claiming that he did, but then quickly adding that he was sure “The British believe in British exceptionalism and the Greek believe in Greek exceptionalism.” In other words, he believes America is “exceptional” not based on reason and a quest for the better, but merely because of his own bigotries and the accident of his location of birth.
It is not surprising, then, that the one constant of the Obama administration has been to weaken America, to take for the elite (the ruling class) unprecedented powers (including decision-making about who will and will not get loans, control of our essential industries and, if he gets his way, every aspect of our health and well-being), nor is it surprising that he has consistently worked to weaken and ultimately destroy our Western allies and embolden, strengthen and empower each and every one of our enemies. Obviously, then, it is without regard to the letter next to his name, that those who recognize American and Western exceptionalism, who cherish America’s constitution not out of bigotry but out of intellect, who wish to educate their children in a way that preserves for them the opportunities that America’s exceptional culture has provided generation after generation of Americans (including those tens of millions who have renounced their native cultures and risked all to become Americans) stand in strong (and unflinching) opposition to the policies of today’s Left.
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157 Comments
What people all over the world SHOULD find exceptional about America, is our Constitution. A document that represents the Western Enlightenment. The idea that individuals can make decisions for themselves. Own their own property. Pursue their own goals, unhindered by a ruling class.
This is made clear in De Toqueville's book "Democracy in America." A Frenchman merely observing and documenting this new way of living.
Nothing to add to Mr Sayet excellent points. Just a question, why do these "Elites" that want to
even the playing fields by the destruction of America feel so certain they will survive and remain
the "elite". There are those that will of course, I'm just not sure individually they should feel they
will be the rightful survivors or heirs to whatever remains of their quest. I don't want to believe they are
so altruistic as to want to die for this cause because they weren't "elite" enough..
Those "enlightened intelectuals" bray out that love of country is an outdated tribal council tendency which prevents the utopian vision of the united order of justice, but those who omit the American way from our Kryptonian's credo can buy their own products for snake oil only works for those who believe that the fetid results are because us provincials don't believe if we all flap our arms we will lift up to the heaven of hope and change.
Exactly, Mr Sayet, exactly.
This is the clearest distillation of my personal experience of the last 40 years I have yet read.
P.S. I would add "Upper West Side of Manhattan" to your list of nastiest leftist zip codes – they may be the worst !
Excellent article. Thank you. Imagine what kind of world this would be had America not existed for the last 230 years. Conservatives can. Progressive liberals will not. It would be political suicide for them to think about that.
In order to repair and preserve out Republic, we must vote every progressive out of all levels of government. Progressives, on both sides of the aisle, are the problem.
This is rather silly. Is it honestly realistic to believe that everybody either thinks American culture is either exceptional or evil (paragraph 6). How about some American Realism, where we celebrate our successes and are honest about our flaws and mistakes? It is also silly to think America has a single culture. This nation and its political system would be near unrecognizable to the Founding Fathers.
"Ironically, those who deny America’s unprecedented cultural greatness are forced to believe in American exceptionalism – left with no other choice than to believe that America is exceptionally evil."
While phrased very poetically, speaking in a logical sense, removed from ideology, I don't think I can agree with this statement. Those who deny unprecedented cultural greatness can also believe in america's equal state. Not evil, not worse, just equal and different. Before I get flamed for this statement please notice that I am not claiming myself as one of "those", I just think this sort of binary view leads us to a dangerous ground where everyone who disagrees with you must be unpatriotic and hates the country. When even those who live in San Francisco Hollywood, Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Upper East Side of Manhattan are in fact americans (albeit very different ones). Even if they are often misguided it those people that constantly test your beliefs that make your beliefs as strong as they are. Is anything more american than convictions born out of trial?
On that note too, I don't find it necessarily false to say other countries believe in their own exceptionalism. By far and large most foreigners who I have met reaffirm this statement. Nor is it necessarily wrong either because the idea usually boils down to their culture and heritage. It says nothing about where the want to go, or who they want to be (which could be socialist or completely democratic), it's merely the confidence that comes with knowing who you are.
Now, having said all this I realize, by at least a few I'm going to be rabidly attacked, and probably get a few names slung at me. Rather than entertain such things, I'm just going to leave this thread alone for all matters that aren't a substantive discussion.
-Good day and thanks for listening
Buh bye, DLTDHYITAOTWO…
Your question – "What will happen to the Elites?" is answered in the last part of Atlas Shrugged. It's a good read for anybody interested in art imitating life, – or life imitating art – I always get that mixed up.
Atlas is so close to what's happening now it's scary. It is a MUST read.
I would like to know how many politicians have read it. I know for a fact Ron Paul has.
"This nation and its political system would be near unrecognizable to the Founding Fathers. "
You can say that again.
I haven't read Atlas Shrugged since I was in high school, that was a while back. I shall reread
the book as it was on mind to do so recently anyway. thanks.
Quite, and another way to say it tho not as effective as yours is "don't let that living Constitution of yours
bite you on the @$$ on the way into this site.
The problem is not that these kinds of liberals simply disagree. It's that they take the very binary view you've described. But it is not their simple view that make them un-American or unpatriotic, but the very actions they take that actively undermine America and the American way of life. Actions speak far louder than words. And on some level, they understand that the very privileges they enjoy can only be found in this country, hence why they continue to live here.
However, on the view itself that America is not exceptional…well, history disagrees. Other people of other nations may believe their own nations to be exceptional, and it is true that other nations have made notable contributions to modern civilization. But as Thomas_Talionis has already pointed out, what makes America truly exceptional is the founding documents of the nation. Other countries have similar documents, but their nations were already long-established before such documents were written. (And in many cases those documents were founded on ours) On the other hand, America herself was founded on those very documents. More than anything else, this is what makes us unique.
If Atlas Shrugged was happening right now, the so-called "Tea Party" movement would be pelting Dagny Taggart with rocks for not being "ladylike" enough, and calling John Galt a "RINO" for being irreligious.
That's a good jumping off point for a conversation, Evan. Peoples perspectives on whether or not the US has a claim to be exceptional.
I remember when Obama talked about Greek exceptionalism. I had to laugh. And this was just after the first stories broke about riots and Germany denying any help to them. I had to think real hard about how and why he would call Greece, even Great Britian in the same statement, exceptional. And of course the reason was political. (And this is not denying any amount of exceptionalism to any country.)
He wants the American public to guage our way of living with the Greeks, and any other country that's politically weak, toppling from the abuse of government practices, and on the brink of economic catasrophe. Then we won't seem so bad.
But that was going down the road of Glenn Beck. A little bit of the crazy talk. I do enjoy listening to Glenn, I am a fan. But I know the difference between when he's on point and when he's reaching for a controversial sound bite to make a point. But still…
I saw that Obama was trying to temper our perspective of our situation. But what happens is that people fall into the practice of ending up with an either / or take on it. We are exceptional – or we're not. And that's just not correct. We are exceptional, but we have some things to work on. Just like you and me personally.
I'm not giving up on myself, you need to work on yourself, and together, we can make the United States the country we know it can be, because we know what it has been, and how it can be better.
One of these days someone will have to explain to me how one can believe in exceptionalism but use "elitism" as some kind of slur…
First of, thank you for actually being willing to have a conversation. I appreciate that.
And yes, I agree with you that a liberal who undermines the american way of life should be outed and identified as unpatriotic. I would just ask, as you have made here, the acknowledgment that there are types. Even if I were to self identify as a liberal right here right now, I would still not support people like micheal moore for example, just because I believe someone on your side, who acts in an underhanded way, does more damage to your "side" than anyone from the opposition ever could. All I'm afraid of is that if either side were to turn their beliefs into a simple matter of "you agree with me or you hate america" then they would stop looking at ALL politicians critically. Once that happens, people start abusing the system simply because they can.
In terms of american exceptionalism, I don't disagree with your statement, I just think that in terms of those outside of this country, what you've stated is an ideal they can aspire to, that does not necessarily make it incorrect for them to believe their own countries are exceptional for who their people are and were. The validity of the idea seems to change depending on the framing. We see clearly how the author chose to frame the statement but does that mean that Obama's statement was framed in such a fashion? Well maybe yes, maybe no. I cannot really say.
having now read through iwwalker's statement I think I should amend what I've said to also account for that possibility. It's still valid and real to believe you are exceptional for what you have brought to the table. As we know that america is exceptional and how it is exceptional, can it not be equally valid for another country to be realistic about themselves and believe that they are also exceptional for what they bring to the table, even if they are honest about the bad?
I think the difference between me and the author is i am taking that word to mean, extraordinary. Which a country might be for many reasons. Whereas how it is written by the author it reads as if it meant "best". These are two related terms but not the same.
Extremely well put, I think you've said it better than I was trying to myself. Thank you.
Twizzle…
Excellent content, great read…
exceptional, in it's strictest sense means unique or at least not ordinary. Elitism refers to a claim of inherent superiority. similar, and often interchanged when they shouldn't be, but not the same.
"In other words, he believes America is “exceptional” not based on reason and a quest for the better, but merely because of his own bigotries and the accident of his location of birth."
So Hussein Obama is a anti-white Black supremacist who believes Kenya is exceptional.
I can go with that.
Indeed.
Just to point out, periods are helpfull to conveying a coherant thought.
We are exceptional because we believe our rights come from God, that we are born with them, and they do not from a king, or queen, or president, or government, or at the point of a gun.
It is exceptional that we live in a country where we take it for granted this is true.
That was truly exceptional concept and a key revolutionary concept in the evolution of civilization. Still is.
Obama cannot veto that.
.
The whole point is that we are just as human as people from any other nations. We are just as flawed, or as perfect. It's our culture that allow us to achieved our exceptionalism, our SINGLE culture which the left trying to dismantled. Look at Western Europe with the multicultrualism, which culture is loosing? Which culture is screaming discrimination all the while discriminating everyone else? If you can't say it, you're not being honest with yourself.
For Americans to overly emphasize their superiority over the rest of the world merely by virtue of being Americans is nationalism. There is such a thing as too much patriotism on the right, and I think Bill Whittle comes just a tad close to that line with his quasi religious veneration of the Constitution and the founding fathers. Truth is, thought I think undeniably great, they were fallible human beings and the union they formed, though great, was also imperfect, and continues to be imperfect to this day.
However, all of that said, it is simply a statement of reality that we are living in the greatest nation on earth. No nation offers such a perfect mixture of Judeo Christian ideals and classical liberalism. Sure, we are deeply flawed, but we have an unparalleled mixture of freedoms, rights and ideals in this country which no other nation has.
Now, I think we are not as exceptional as we once were, due to the Unions, the secularists, and the Morale relativists, and for what its worth, if Barack Obama had actually managed to implement the full scope of his Socialist agenda we would be one step closer to being just another European welfare state.
It's America, not america. Interestingly, you capitalized all the cities. You don't believe in YOUR OWN EXCEPTIONALISM unlike the foreigners you speak of. If America is average, why do we have immigration problem. Why some people risk their lives to get here?
More and more its become clear to me that culturally there really is two Americas … and frankly the only way liberty is going to survive and peace is going to prevail is if we physically become 2-4 Americas.
I think its time to part ways … let the progressives ruin their own little country(s) and leave the rest of us alone in our own. We'll stick with liberty and capitalism and y'all leftys can do whatever you want and other than arresting and returning your refugees we won't have any thing to do with you anymore.
I know … not really any way to do this peacefully (and it would have to be a peaceful and amicable divorce to work … another civil war would just make more of a mess).
Another civil war? In the words of Han Solo: "Well, bring 'em on — I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around."
I can't remember the guys name . . . but he's also a 'one worlder' and coincidentally the same guy that came up with "carbon credits."
He was also heavily involved in the oil for food scandal.
please don't confuse grammar for a point. the reason i capitalized the cities is because i copied and pasted that directly out of the article. thats why they are also the same exact cities and in the same exact order as the article. My use of capitalization does not a point prove. To think that it does is just silly.
As far as living elsewhere goes, I've served two years in the peace corps, in honduras. Where have you lived? Now, if you actually read my statements, I never said average, thats your statement. I just said equal, and I even went so far as to mention that I don't share this belief it is just how how some people may think. Please, read my statement completely before you decide to create a theory as to it's intent.
well as I've said on this page in another thread, I think we are getting confused over the term exceptional. Exceptional, as I read it just means unique, with a connotation is usually taken to mean good. It is entirely possibly for America to be superior, and still believe that other countries are both unique and good. The two aren't conflicting sentiments.
Sorry, no. Hitler, Stalin and Mao – All nationalists. Stalin and Mao might have paid lip service to the notion of international communism, but they knew that was a lie. Hitler? He was fine with a one world government as long as it was a German world. This is one of the reasons why Communism generally turns into a variety of national socialism.
And to compare Roosevelt and Wilson to Hitler Stalin and Mao is just silly. Sure, we have every reason to hate what they did, and they might even have had aspirations to be more like their Leftist cousins in Europe, but it simply is a drastic exaggeration to say that they approached anything like the great leftist totalitarians even if they wernt that far removed ideologically.
ex·cep·tion·al (k-spsh-nl)
adj.
1. Being an exception; uncommon.
2. Well above average; extraordinary: an exceptional memory. See Usage Note at exceptionable.
3. Deviating widely from a norm, as of physical or mental ability: special educational provisions for exceptional children.
Other countries are unique and good (to an extent) but give me any nation on earth which has the same balance of powers, rights, and cultural advantages that we have now. As I said, we have the best of Liberal (in the classical sense) reforms and Christian tradition.
But to be an American exceptionalist is to believe America is not only unique and good, but superior. The culture of the rest of the world, while it often has something good to it, is drastically inferior. Hell, even Islam, for example, has allot of things going for it culturally, but lets face it, they are Barbarians! They are the real meaning of conservative in the old sense. In fact I would venture to say that they are some of the few actual conservatives left.
Point is, despite our problems, we are culturally superior and exceptional to the rest of the world, and its not blind nationalism to say so. No one has exactly what we have, it is our unique combination which makes us superior. This is why today's Liberals suck, because they want to remove everything which makes us great.
Could not agree more. Europe is, simply put, undergoing a peacefull barbarian invasion, and as far as I'm concerned, those pig headed European Atheists deserve exactly what they are getting.
Few of the elites have a clue what the real world of conflict means. Most of them have never had to deal with a punk's bitch slap, forget about real thugs or violence of any kind in which their own survival was at stake.
People like Matt Damon stay focused exclusively on arguments that get them promoted in their Hollyweirdo socilal set, issues like how to make the USA appear to be the worst evil on the planet. They never truly consider opposition arguments.
The half generation before them (Spielberg) can't face the truth because if they did, they would have to admit to their tratorous youthful beliefs and actions.
Then there's the group above all of them – the highest of world-wide high finance *ssholes. To get your head straight about the patron/client system they've put in place, you have to ask and answer who owns the New York Federal Reserve Bank? To get to the correct conclusion, you have to ask and answer who owns the banks that own the New York Federal Reserve Bank?
see I'm not denying american superiority at all. As you've pointed out thought, the definition of the word has nothing to do with superiority. It just means uncommon. And many places are uncommon in many different ways.
Now given that the word exceptional doesn't actually imply superiority, I can accept that some people will nonetheless intend such a meaning when referring to american exceptionalism. My only point is that when someone speaks of other countries also being exceptional or believing their own exceptional nature they could very well mean it as simply unique and good. It seems very plausible since the definition you have provided in no way actually says superior or anything of the like.
Sayet did not talk about "everybody." He limited the second half of his sentence in the first half by referring to, "To those who deny America’s exceptional greatness …." That might be a touch hyperbolic, but not much.
In fact the two clashing points of view Sayet describes are one of the central issues of modern ideologies.
He didn't go into historical roots, but most of the strategies that those who think America is a hell hole were popularized by the commies during the cold war.
I read Atlas Shrugged last summer. Liked it till I got to Galts rant. I could barely get through it. I had to stop reading for a few days. He was a godless man and by the end of the book the questions I asked myself was how long before they were back to the same place.
I agree that we are living that book, but I do not agree with the solution at the end. And really, Dagny? I liked her till she ended up sleeping with all the leading men. Really!?
Was it grammatical error or respect? OK, let go with your word, equal. What was lacking there in Honduras that we have here? The people of Honduras are equal to the people of US, so that's not the different. It's the opportunity for an average person to gain wealth. We have that opportunity here, and few other countries in the world can say the same. Infact, today it's mostly the Eastern European countries – read former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic states- that offer similar opportunities. (Isn't that ironic? I wonder why…) So for you to say that we're all equal, we're not.
" I just think this sort of binary view leads us to a dangerous ground where everyone who disagrees with you must be unpatriotic and hates the country."
What if it is true that almost always those who disagree this time turn out to be either unwitting or very willing propagandists who are out to destroy the USA? What if the idea of binary opposites is the only correct analysis? In that case, you've just shut down anyone's ability to think straight.
To be honest, you are voicing an anti-American cliche that I first encountered 35 years ago.
Sayet isn't talking about what other countries believe about themselves (as you change the subject to below); he's pointing out the self-immolating demoralizaton of our civilizaton via the lie that America is not exceptional.
And that right there is half the reason Han is so hot!
I might just have to support a hippie quarantine: "Are y'all ready to take a shower and go to work? No? Okay, then it's off to California!"
"On one side of the battlefield are those who reject the notion of cultural exceptionalism. They are the “multiculturalists” and the “Citizens of the world” who are convinced that those who recognize America’s unique greatness are not only bigots (“xenophobes” and “nativists”) but dangerous bigots whose blind adoration of America’s unique culture can only lead to war and with it the poverty, crime and injustice that war inevitably brings."
I recognize, "America's unique greatness" because I've spent a lot of time in other countries. If you want to see the real cause of poverty – it isn't war – let me take you to some barrios and slums in central America and Asia: The real cause of poverty is corrupt government that doesn't allow citizens the opportunities to better themselves.
Challenge any of these, "citizens of the world" to find out how much time they spent outside of five star hotels and posh parties when they were abroad, and you'll inevitably find their eyes have been shielded from the grim realities that lie at the edges of foreign countries. I met – personally – desperate squatters in France, for Christ's sake. France!
I don't think you got my point which is, unless one is willing to deny that 'America is the most successful — prosperous, strong, creative, productive, etc. nation in human history, then how this came about needs to be explained. There are only two possilbities, either there is something superior about our culture and therefore behaviors that bring about these great and enduring successes or there isn't anything special about our culture and these succuesses are unjust, and the magnitutde and duration of these successes makes these injustices highly unlikely to be the result of mere accident (in other words an on-going and intentional effort to steal prosperity etc. from others.)
Thus America is either the greatest nation in the history of the world or the most evil. There is no middle ground because our success is not somewhere in the middle.
Aaron,
The question isn't does someone from another country have an affinity for that country and its culture. I'm sure they do. Just as I'm sure that people from Chicago have an affinity for the Cubs. But to argue that the Cubs are an exceptionally great team without regard to the players on the roster and without regard to the standings and results is not what we're talking about here.
America's "record" is one of exceptional success. It is also one of the few countries that people from all ovefr the world — no matter their native countries — flock to in the hopes of a better life. It is also one where, within but a single generation, virtually all "minorities" have achieved success of their own in America. THESE are the things that make it exceptional, not merely that I happebn to like hamburgers better more than feta cheese and olives.
Absolutly right on FDR. The New Deal was different from what our founders envisioned.
I wish more people would point this out.
The difference is that there is no track record from today's elitists that in any way hints at their actualy superiority. We do want an "elite" — those who have risen to the top through an exceptional code of hard work, intelligence and accomplishment. Unfortunately today's "elite" believe themselves "superior" because they lack all of these things. Other than winning an election (with the help of the leftist media that worked on his behalf by covering up both his failures and his malfeasance, what has barack Obama ever actually ACCOMPLISHED?
"Elitism" today is nothing other than bigotry against people of religious faith, patriotic Americans and those who work for a living.
Galt's rant – yeah, that piece of meat is pretty tough to chew on. But if you allow Rand's thought and speech pattern to take over the way you read it, like if you were reading it out loud, it helps a lot. Approach it as if you were trying to convince someone of these ideas, trying to get them to follow your arguments, and then attempting to \”close the deal\”, and you will get the passion and anger flowing within yourself. It makes it more personal, and it sort of makes sense, in a fun, rambling way.
The questions that you ask yourself are good questions. The answers you give to those questions should be pretty revealing. The book is such a success because it make people of all stripes ask those questions.
The personal moral choices the characters make? – Again, more questions to answer, and a starting point for more conversations. Seems like a pretty good book to me.
Aaron– The guy you were responding to in this post WAS "the Author." And he has tried to clarify that "American Exceptionalism" is about not just what Americans think of America, but what the whole World thinks of America, and about the readily observable fact that there is no where else in the world where the people are as free, or have a better standard of living, and that these things are a direct result of WHAT AMERICA IS and what America Believes and stands for.
With all due respect, was the point of your first comment that the term exceptional-ism is misapplied, or is your point that America is not deserving of the appreciation we give it?
The only reason I jumped on this is because it sounded like you were suggesting that "Well, America is a very great nation, but it is one of many". Sounds kinda like "Well, the Bible is one of many good books" .
Now if your point is to chop logic on the meaning of words and phrases and what not, than that's a totally different thing.
I thought your first comment was interesting, but I'm still not quite sure what your getting at. So, in short, whats your point?
The problem with the idea that "all men are created equal" is in the way that fuzzy thinkers can be confused by the concept….Equality of opportunity IS NOT equality of result. "Equality" in the American sense does not eliminate the concepts of right or wrong, good or evil, or better or worse. Relativity is a scientific concept, not a social one! A rapist is not "equal to" a loving husband, or any law abiding citizen. The attempt to MAKE everyone equal through government intervention DENIES the founding principle, it doesn't support it! And the fact that the Greeks may find their country "exceptional" (despite the especially current evidence to the contrary) does not make it equal to America. It merely notices that patriotism exists.
The person that uses that argument is a lazy person. Willing to give up trying to be "as good as possible". I'm willing to admit to being lazy in some ways, but I do consider myself a perfectionist, and when I do something that I believe in, my efforts are going to be beyond "as good as possible"… (ahem, I'll call bs on that a little bit, myself) … even though I know it's going to turn out less than perfect. And in my mind, often times it's just pure crap.
I agree that exceptional is a different stance from perfect or flawless. But the person that doesn't understand the nuance between those words, well, they could become "useful" to some others.
Exceptionalism is to Discrimination as Elitism is to Bigotry.
I'm sure someone will be able to tear that apart, but in my mind, it's exceptional!
Good wrap up. It points out that we personally need to answer the questions, "How do you view the success of the American experiment?" and "In a short 200 odd years, we've blown away any form of competitive comparison of accomplishment. How do you explain that?" The answers will define the philospical stance of the respondant.
That's why I make a point of frequently pointing out "the American way" when talking about Superman. He's not supposed to be some wimpy, multiculturalist loser who obeys the fickle whim of some ruling elite (whether that means what's left of Krypton, which strikes me as a communist planet, or a Luthor-type government right here) or the soulless and amoral dregs of society (here's looking at *you*, Miss Lane–I don't buy into the propaganda about her, and I don't think she's anything but the embodiment of modern-day feminism). He's an American, for crying out loud! He's the ultimate immigrant, raised in the heartland of the freest nation on Earth. Shouldn't he defend *those* values, like the Big Blue Boy Scout he is?
Well said, sir. And I'm ashamed to say that this "Aaron" guy shares a name with a friend of mine. Said friend is Jewish, but so far as I can tell, he's no loony leftist. (We don't talk politics much–we figure it's a dirty field.)
""Elitism" today is nothing other than bigotry against people of religious faith, patriotic Americans and those who work for a living."
Calculating one's self (or one's point of view) to be superior to another is not precisely the most endearing the trait, but it doesn't constitute "bigotry" in and of itself.
Example: I'm a man of science. I accept the fossil record, the research and the evidence that the Earth is about 4.5 Billion years old and that creatures living here have evolved over time through natural selection. Based on this, I hold myself superior – in a certain intellectual capacity, at least – to people who "believe" that it's about 6,000 years old, that life is the result of a dispute over produce between Father Christmas, two nudists and a snake and that Satan hid dinosaur bones in the ground to mess with us. Now, you can opine that my manner of expressing such makes me a "jerk," which is fine… but the resent the implication that this somehow rises to "bigotry."
There is no mystery here. The "most successful — prosperous, strong, creative, productive, etc." nations are those that have embraced the Western concepts of 1) respect for individual rights, 2) the rule of law and 3) free markets. Of course the nation exhibiting the highest degree of all three in combination is the "most successful — prosperous, creative, productive, etc." in history.
I believe one world government types are going to be the great tyrants of the 21st century. Just my prediction.
At face value, I agree with much of what you are saying. But your low rep shows that your idea of flaws and mistakes is probably Vietnam and the Reagan years.
Very well put. It's like that question you occasionally hear asked: "If you want to know about a nation's government, just remove the borders. If all the borders were removed, and there was free, legal immigration all over the world, would people flock into a country, or flee from it?" I mean, are people trying to get into Cuba being turned back by the thousands? Are people all over the world trying to come to America, or get far away from it?
It even works to a degree within this country. For more than 100 years, everybody was flocking to California, for example. Now, people are fleeing the state by the millions, because the state government has run it into the ground.
Actually they were the great tyrants of the 20th.
Hitler, Stalin, Mao … Roosevelt (both of 'em), Wilson … all one worlders … all tyrants.
Fantastic statement, thank you.
This was a wonderful article, Mr. Sayet. I've always believed with my whole heart that our Founding Fathers, our Constitution, was inspired by God , and that He has allowed this nation to succeed when by all rights, it shouldn't have.
A tiny band of frontier farmers, doctors, teachers and bankers stood up to the most powerful and well-trained military in the world, a military that outnumbered them in many cases by more than 10 to 1, and won. Not just once, but repeatedly. A small nation was created, and within 100 years, it had expanded to one of the largest nations in the world. That nation was founded by democracy, a form of government that had, until that point, failed every single time it was tried. With a republican twist, democracy is now the standard for new nations. Our Constitution was laughed at and deemed a complete and utter failure by every single world government at the time. Now it's the model for other Constitutions the world over.
You bet this country's exceptional.
How about "intellectual snobbery?"
We have seen the enemy and he is Obama and all his absurdly blind minions. What you've elaborately described in this pathetic oaf is a traitor, nothing less. This creature deserves nothing but the utmost contempt. The Socialist agenda has ruined this country for decades and the avalanche is gaining speed. This disgusting dirtbag of a "President" and the multitude of criminals infesting Congress are driving this runaway freight train called America straight to Hell. November can't come soon enough! If there are enough of us left with any common sense remaining, we'll eject these cowards and creeps and expose the Left for the degenerate scum they are and always will be. Is that plain enough?
I would go so far as to argue that most "elitists" are not neccesarly amongst the "elite", but for some reason they feel a false sense of superiority over their peers. Elitism is a mindset. Perhaps its best to use a different term though. Maybe narcissism is a better word.
Two years in the Peace Corps…..'nuff said!
Aaron, other countries CAN be "unique" and "good" but there is a reason that America has attained UNPRECEDENTED success. That reason can either be that our combination of things (good and bad) are still far superior to others (their good and their bad) or it can be because we are exceptionally evil (the biggest theives in human history.) There is simiply no other way to explain our UNPRECENDENTED success.
ISTIC,
"Exceptional" does not mean "perfect" or "flawless." The idea that being less than perfect someone renders one not exceptional is to deny ALL exceptional people, places and things because, in the real world, NOTHING is perfect. I find that this insistence upon perfection is really often merely a crutch so that people don;'t have to think or dare risk being "bigoted" by speaking up on behalf of the exceptionally good (or against the exceptionally evil). With perfection as the only standard of truth, in a world where nothing is perfect, the person with that standard can argue that NOTHING is true and in turn never have to work to discover the truth.
That is a very inspired take on the differences between to the two philosophical camps. Sadly, I know people who were in the "America is exceptional" camp only little more than a decade ago who are now in the "America is evil" camp. How did that happen?
The problem with Europe is that it never achieved the pinnacle of Free Democracy. Basically most European countries went from Monarchical rule and feudalism to a democratic form of socialism.
Aaaron, please point out another country that was founded on the principles of Individual Rights and the People's Rule?
If we are to remain a sovereign nation, cultural homogeneity is absolutely essential. 'Sorry about your public school, one-world indoctrination. Go away–you're part of the problem.
Translation of your last paragraph: I can't possibly defend the pap I just spread, so, please, please, don't challenge me on any of it.
OT/ does Evan have a website that you can purchase DVD's that have perfomances of his stand up?
Thanks.
You're a racist, MovieBob, and that explains your confusion about exceptionalism/elitism. 'Just practicing. How'd I do? Are you wringing your hands and voting for communists who want to use the force of government to give all your stuff to those who won't work for it themselves, in the incessant attempt to play the one-world morons who don't get the idea of self-determination and self-reliance yet? 'Couldn't help it. By the way, where's my mortgage payment and full tank of fuel for my hotrod diesel pickup?
You forget that the only way the lefties survive is with the conservatives/captialists money!
Well said – timeless truth.
Evan! Damn it! When's your book coming out!
Amen.
If Obama keeps ramming through his agenda without regard to the people he's hurting, you just may get your wish.
You're right how dare i question a point! Everyone knows that blanket agreement with everything that is written is a great way to fight media bias!
I see your point now, and yes I wouldn't deny it I just think the toss up comes over the hesitation some people feel to deny the marginal success of other countries. As I've said before, the way you phrase exceptional it looks like your mean it to mean best. Whereas some will simply mean it to equate to above average or good. Which, a country can be in many ways since it's too complex of a thing to be measured in such a binary fashion.
I am in no way denying americas success or that it is unprecedented. I just got tied up because i wasn't applying the word exceptional as you mean it.
What exactly does that say? I'm trying to see the point you're trying to make by the fact that I gave two years of my life to perform a duty overseas?
You have no reason to believe it isn't my grammar, other than the fact that you want it to be. Now even in the terms of equal, I'm just pointing out that there is a third option, not that it is the one I would take. Everyone seems to think that just because I'm not sure the only choices are 1) america is evil or 2) america is the best that I somehow don't believe that america has actually enjoyed unequal success. Like I have stated, other countries can believe in their own exceptionalism by appreciating where they come from and who they are, that does not by any means not mean that they can't also believe in american exceptionalism as an ideal that they strive to…i.e. where they want to be – simply because of our unequaled success.
My point, and thankyou for asking rather than attacking, is that yes, if you take the word exceptional to mean best, then the premise of the author would be correct. If you take the word exceptional to mean uncommon and good, well there are so many ways to measure that in something as complex as an entire nation that many nations would in fact qualify for many reasons. If you accept the second idea, then it becomes possible to admit there are positives and negatives concerning any country.
Now I'm not saying that I support such an idea, I'm just saying that if a person were to think in such a manner, the choices wouldn't be as clear cut as america is the greatest or america is an evil evil empire.
I appreciate your response, and i in no way contend america's success, im just trying to get inside the head of the "one worlders" so as to understand if they all truly do believe in america's "evil nature".
Going with your example of the cubs, I would question how you are measuring success. Sure their wins/loss record blows, but due to their loyal fan base they can still be making more profit than teams with better records. Just as a country can have many positives and many negatives. If you take success to be something more complex than a baseball team, with even more facets, well then exceptionalism does become a matter of valuation and appreciation.
Even then, I would have to say that yes, in most fashions that can be objectively measured, yes america is clearly ahead, however some people are not such objective thinkers. The often liberal (and yes while I don't like it I admit) tendency to think in relative terms does make them lean towards subjective comparison, where things like hamburgers versus feta cheese hold more significance than they should.
You make it sound like I have denied that fact. Have I?
Evan (that's me) is remiss in all things. My book is two years overdue, I have no DVDs for sale, the best I can say is that we're going on tour this summer (East Coast mostly), I have a weekly compilation of the best jokes from my monologue every Tuesday in Human Events (home of me….and Ann Coulter!!!) and we just shot the first three episodes of a pilot project for cable TV called "Evan Sayet's Right to Laugh" which is a lot like "An Evening at the Improv." and other such shows except I'm the host and producer and I choose the talent (always people whose material reflects and respects America's — not Hollywood's — values.)
Meanwhile, I'm performing with my troupe of conservative stand-ups TONIGHT (Sunday) in Ventura CA. If you're nearby, please join us (I'm up against the Oscars) and if not, please let folks in the Ventura area know about me and the event.
Keep an eye on my website for more!
Evan
Well, the good news is that I haven't given up. In fact, I've returned to it for the first time in a long time and it's going better than ever before. I have written in literally EVERY format from the one-liner to the two hour screenplay and award-winning documentaries (look for DODO in video stores in April) and this book is the ONLY thing that has kicked my behind.
Thanks for asking. I'll get it done!
Evan
Let's see — we invaded a country that posed no threat to us, we started spying on our own citizens, we opened secret prisons where we tortured people to death. In short, we violated most of the precepts that do make this country great. Those who say this country is evil have simply given up. They should be working to make it better.
I didn't mean that at all. I was just pointing out a situation that is often overlooked. That the US was specifically founded under Individual Rights and whereby the People were required to manage the Gov't not the other way around.
I don't like to assume anything, so I'll ask. Do you think that the way the US Constitution laid out the founding of our country was "better" than the foundations of anyother country on the face of the Earth? Please explain. I am honestly interested in your opinion. Seriously.
I have another reason not to believe that it's your grammar. Another reason: you're not sure IF America is evil. What has America done that's evil? Sure we've made some mistakes, some innocent people were hurt/killed with our good and noble intentions. I though good intentions count. If we're truly evil, with our man power and fire power we can invade and take over just about any country we choose, like Hitler's Germany. So if you aren't sure if America is evil. Ask yourself if she's anything like Hitler's Germany.
Can you just imagine the outrage if our federal government tried to install a nationwide CCTV program like they have in the UK? I think that's probably the biggest difference between our two countries. Many Americans will fight to the death to keep the freedoms we have; the Brits, as much I as love their country, seem all too willing to give them up.
I think because it started on a small scale in the name of safety for the citizens. Most of Europe have the CCTV monitoring streets and market squares. We have CCTV for monitoring traffic on busy highways and intersrctions. We also have them at airports, seaports, train stations, and bus terminals. Some cities have traffic cams to catch traffic violators. Los Angeles has high intensity microphone towers through out the city to listen for "gun shots" instead of relying on it's citizens to call the cops. All of them are for public safety. We're on our way, one small sector at a time. I'm not certain ALL the cameras at shopping malls are being monitored by mall securities only, but I sometimes watch Glen Beck.
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