In a recent speech, president Obama advised the world that while America can't be a global cop, it ought to take action in certain situations – such as Syria’s use of chemical weapons. "That's what makes us exceptional," Obama said. "With humility, but with resolve, let us never lose sight of that essential truth." In response, Russia’s president Putin immediately objected in a New York Times article: "It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation." Putin’s denial of America’s exceptionalism is also a favorite theme of leftist scholars and progressives in general. "Since the 1960s, post-nationalist scholars have rejected American exceptionalism, arguing that the United States had not broken from European history, and accordingly, the United States has retained class inequities, race-based inequalities, imperialism and war. Furthermore, they see most nations as subscribing to some form of exceptionalism." – Death of a Nation: American Culture and the End of Exceptionalism, by David W. Noble. The topic, being debated by Obama and Putin, was jumped on by many leftist activists and writers anxious to correct any notion of American exceptionalism. "Now, I've never understood the concept of “American Exceptionalism. What is it, exactly, that we are an exception to? It seems to mean, basically, that whatever rules apply to all other countries should not apply to us. Offensive military action, attacking a country that has not attacked you, is absolutely wrong ... except when we do it. The U.S. has always had two things that make us special, and have dictated our rise to dominance -- the Atlantic and the Pacific. That's it. We have oceans that divide us from our major industrialized enemies ... no country is exceptional. America is just another country which benefitted from an accident of geography." – The Myth of American Exceptionalism, by Michael Gene Sullivan, Huffingtonpost.com, September 15, 2013 America’s achievements are stunningly exceptional, but they are not the basis for American exceptionalism. Her national character is, that character that is played out in everyday American life in her core institutions of family, religion, and government. That character uniquely allows the individual to rise above his ethnic, national, and religious limitations to reach his full potential as a free person. Who can deny that America’s meteoric rise to power and prosperity is unique in history? With only 5% of the world’s population America produces 25% of the world’s wealth, has more total technological patents and scientific citations than the rest of the world, has military might that exceeds all other nations together (yet uses that power to drive out Iraqi invaders and put out oil-well fires in Kuwait, then leaves), and her citizens give more to charity than the rest of the world combined. But these exceptional achievements are not the basis for American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism does not mean that Americans are better than others or that America is the greatest country ever. Nor does it imply that America is above the rules that apply to other nations. America is truly exceptional because, unlike all other nations which derive their identity and purpose from some unifying quality – an ethnic character, a common religion, a shared history – America is founded on and dedicated to the principles of human liberty, grounded in the truths that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with lifelong rights. America is the only nation in the world founded on that creed that is applicable to all men and all times. This is what makes America an exceptional country. It is because of America’s foundational principles that America has achieved greatness. Sadly, we began well but are finishing badly. Today America’s behaviors belie her creed, as our government increasingly infringes on the individual’s freedoms and limits his potential to the leveling consequences of wealth redistribution. Only ignorance of our history and our enduring foundational principles would allow such a decline unopposed. Presidents Putin and Obama may disagree regarding American exceptionalism, but they are in perfect agreement on the role of government to control every aspect of their citizen’s lives, for the citizen’s own good, of course. Author’s Biography: Dennis W. Hicks founded and directed three high-tech businesses and with his wife, Donna Rae, participated in church planting in California and Idaho. For 35 years he has been a mentor, a Bible teacher and author. Dennis and Donna Rae currently reside in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley near Hamilton, Montana. They have three grown children who are raising their own godly families in Idaho and California. Dennis W. Hicks 350 Lorenz Spur Drive Hamilton, Montana 59840 Tel: (406) 961-0111 dhicks@lightwaveart.com In God We Trust
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