American Exceptionalism

The Republican’s are building their 2012 presidential campaign around the theme of American Exceptionalism.  What “evil” American could deny our exceptionalism?  Obama, of course!  They will use carefully edited sound bites to prove it. It’s one more Republican proof that “he hates us and everything we hold dear”. 

This is but another autonomous principle that can be used to divide the world into good and evil.  You remember the early stages of their smear campaign; his missing birth certificate, socialist loyalties and Muslim faith; all ‘evil” stuff.  It has been Palin’s job to keep the shadow of doubt following Obama; he just isn’t American enough.  So this claim is not completely new, “but now he doesn’t even believe in our God-given right to run the world”. 

From Washington Post writer, Karen Tumulty, “A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution found that 58 percent of Americans agreed that: "God has granted America a special role in human history."  “Newt Gingrich says Obama fails to understand that "American exceptionalism refers directly to the grant of rights asserted in the Declaration of Independence," and that it is a term "which relates directly to our unique assertion of an unprecedented set of rights granted by God.”  Doesn’t it scare you just a little when humans interpret the will of God for others – particularly when they have political agendas? 

It’s tough to argue with God’s earthly confidantes.  But I’m going to chance it and side with the other 32 percent who don’t believe that God picked us to rule the world.  I think I can say without fear of contradiction that not a single other country on Earth agrees with that assertion.  My reasoning: One hundred and seventy eight million Americans (58%) say Yes.  All the other 6.4 billion people on the planet say No. 

Anyway, regardless of what self-appointed divine emissaries tell you, I doubt “He” plays favorites.  Now, I’m not arguing against the belief that our values are exceptional.  I think they are.  Even French historian de Tocqueville believed that our country has a unique character.  I agree.

So I concede that our values and our character are exceptional.  Here’s my concern: They are principles toward which we should continually strive.  But we don’t demonstrate them consistently. 

A case in point: The main goal of the Republican Party is to make sure our president fails, regardless of what it does to the country.  That doesn’t sound like the kind of exceptionalism that any political party should admit to openly, let alone be proud of.  Let me repeat that:  Sink the president, regardless of the effect on the country, in order to get a Republican elected in 2012.

Some will think me critical of our country.  The simple-minded will call me a traitor and urge me to “leave if I don’t like it”.  The close-minded won’t even read this far.  But some folks will read this far and recognize the ring of truth here. 

One of the Republican Party’s main themes for a long time has been to divide this country into those who deserve and those who don’t.  The good, hard-working “real” Americans want their country back from the evil, lazy “fake” Americans– like Obama and “those people”.

Are these the politics of American exceptionalism?  No.  They’re the politics of the Republican Party grasping at straws rather than governing.  Here’s their bankrupt recipe:  Don’t offer anything productive. Criticize and obstruct everything while adding a dash of homophobia, a verse of Biblical literalism, a touch of race-baiting and a measure of xenophobia.  Top off with a great lie and stir for two years.  You’ll get a meal that is guaranteed to distract even the most discriminating diner.  Imagine what it’s doing to the “not-so” discriminating.  The Republican Party is giving American exceptionalism a bad name – one more of their mistakes to blame on Obama.

Robert DeFilippis