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There’s No Such Thing as ‘Palinism’
There is, however, such a thing as Americanism.
There is an undeniable tension between Jefferson’s global aspiration and the slogan “Country First.” Country can all too often become it’s own kind of myth. Even though Palin and McCain want to keep growing the U.S. economic pie across the globe, their conflation of one particular American culture into the Country they want to put First is deeply problematic. The war hero John and the hockey mom Sarah are as familiar as any Norman Rockwell portrait of Main St. USA can be. The problem is, because of that global economic pie and the migration and mixing of cultures it requires, such an image is as selective as it is deceptive. As America enters the 21st century and comes closer to realizing the global potentials imagined by Jefferson, it seems bizarre that any major party should be running a campaign that looks so, well, un-global. In this era, visuals count for a lot. Hometown in-grouping is visually exalted to the point of spectacle by the McCain campaign’s constant evocation of its “I’m one of you” quality. The problem here isn’t with being American, it’s a problem with the definition of “you.” Even more, it’s a problem of who “you” is not.
Obama may be more open to portraying himself as the man of the world, but it is odd that he should see the American project as exceptional enough to be the only country on Earth where his story is even possible, yet not an idea worthy of export. This would be more understandable in a world with feasible alternatives for the advance the cosmopolitan ideals he and his supporters hold dear. If the UN were a functioning agency for perpetual peace instead of a cover for thugs and autocracies, or if NGOs had the force of military might to bring to bear on the adversaries of social justice — then American exceptionalism might deserve to recede. As it stands, neither condition is met. Instead, Obama continues to offer a populist brand of economic protectionism that implicitly devalues the notion of job creation by American corporations in India or Yemen. He proclaims that he will “end the tax giveaways to companies that ship our jobs overseas,” while proudly wearing his global citizenship on his sleeve. He gives eloquent and moving descriptions of the American ideal, all the while acting as if he can avoid the unavoidable stance America must take against those who wish his story were impossible.
Obama believes that the only exceptionalism worth anything is “based on our Constitution, our principles, our values and our ideals.” He might do well to ask himself: How, when there are those who would rejoice in seeing those ideals destroyed, can we secure the blessings of liberty without the understanding that America is exceptional both in it’s conception of those values and in its capacity to promote and defend those ideas in a globalized world? Palin believes that “America is an exceptional country” and McCain believes that we are the only nation “that really is deeply concerned about adhering to the principle that all of us are created equal.” The two might ask themselves whether they can claim the mantle of advancing those American values while simultaneously thumbing their noses at what the new world America is supposed to steward is really made up of. It certainly isn’t all Johns and Sarahs.
There is, of course, no such thing as “Palinism.” There is, for lack of a better term, such a thing as Americanism. Revolutionary liberalism is both exceptional and universalist. Those who would seek to advance only one thread of such an intimately knotted fabric shouldn’t hope to be able to unite this country in the difficult years to come.
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Josh Strawn is a writer and musician based in New York. His band is Blacklist.
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33 Comments
1. Joe Buzz:Thanks Josh, If this is Palinism on display at “House of Eratosthenes” I will take it in a leader any day. Regardless if she knows the GNP of Russia or not she will react to a situation in the way a leader should, genuinely and without pretension.
Palin orders a Cheesesteak
and note point #6 by the blogger:
6. Isn’t it interesting what polar opposites Sarah Palin and Barack Obama are? It’s gotten to the point where you can’t help but notice it. Palin is surrounded by ankle-biters trying to trip her up about the “Bush Doctrine,” et al, and she just keeps her sunny disposition. Obama is somber, morose, something of a nattering nabob of nastiness, even though he’s surrounded by fawning media darlings that lob softballs at him and kiss his ass all day. Interesting.
Oct 1, 2008 - 9:16 am 2. Sandra M:Music is Mr. Strawn’s first language. English a distant second. Apart from the intellectually pretentious and pompous blather popular in Greenwich Village cafes, there is a blatant inaccuracy at the center of this essay ; namely:
“Obama believes that the only exceptionalism worth anything is “based on our Constitution, our principles, our values and our ideals.” ”
Obama is probably a Marxist, given the people around him from childhood. Oprah and Eckhart Tolle convinced him he was “The One” which added a messianic glow to his campaign, but Palin, not Obama, is the one who subscribes to “our Constitution, our principles, our values and our ideals.”
Obama has done more to destroy race relations than any figure in the past forty years, not by what he says but by attending Jeremiah Wright’s church for 20 years, on at least 480 occasions.
As I learn more about ACORN, an organization he worked for for years, I fear this will be the most crooked election in my lifetime. From the individual found to have registered 35 times onward, this is going to get very ugly and very Un-American. Look at what Obama’s cousin. Raila Odinga, who Obama campaigned for in Kenya two years ago did after losing his election.
Obama is not pro-freedom and he is certainly not pro-capitalist. He opposes lowering taxes (in the name of fairness) even if doing so brings in more revenue.
NEVER believe what a politician looking to get elected says. Check what he’s said and done in the past. On that basis, I vote for Sarah Palin, a superb governor, the most popular in our country.
Oct 1, 2008 - 9:42 am 3. Self-hating boomer:What evidence is there that he sees anything positive in America at all? When I screen out the obviously disingenuous statements made for political consumption, all I can see is a deep hatred for America, and especially for white people, including his own ancestors.
Oct 1, 2008 - 9:54 am 4. HRPKathy:Obama is not only anti-American in his actions, but in his closing remarks at the debate when he mentioned his (polygamist drunken irresponsible and suicidal) father as having seen the ‘promise of America’ that non Americans can ‘no longer see’.
His anti-American bias blinds him to the hordes of people immigrating both legally and illegally – what else does it blind him to?
Barack loathes his American DNA, and celebrates his Kenyan father. He didn’t even go to his mother on her deathbed, too busy campaigning for IL Senate to go to Hawaii, however during the Presidential campaign he had time to go there. Odd, that.
He celebrates “Dreams of My Father” – his mother and grandparents raised him – and some guy in Indonesia named Soetero. They don’t merit a book, I guess you have to drink yourself into a stupor and get behind the wheel of a car and kill yourself at 43 to merit the kind of praise Obama deems worthy.
If the world has more Obamas than Johns and Sarahs, then the world, like Obama is celebrating the wrong values.
Oct 1, 2008 - 10:30 am 5. JED:Palin talks to us. Obama talks over us. McCain talks at us. Biden talks in circles to himself.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:09 am 6. Therese:Thanks you guys. I see Obama as anti-America and deep down anti-White. Everything in his associations, marriage and bio says this, but it seems that a lot of people can’t or won’t see it. I don’t understand why.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:13 am 7. Self-hating boomer:(And by the way, I am African-American, so calling out his anti-White sentiments is my perogative, not racism. I see it for what it really is.)
That’s too charitable. Obama is trying to pimp us. As far as he’s concerned, all us clingy typical whiteys are ho’s, to be manipulated to get what he wants.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:23 am 8. Jeff:We all need to really look at this election objectively. Since the completion of the vetting process of both VP candidates, Biden has gone on to accommodate roughly about 84 interviews with the press while Palin has done less than 4 interviews with the press. That is a MAJOR unbalance in the two comparisons and it truly shows McCain’s apprehensiveness about her ability to speak on her own accord, without his physical presence. What does this portray, first and foremost? It portrays that this Presidential ticket does not have the full and utmost confidence in his VP ticket to fend for herself and answer any questions that the American public needs to know. It truly shows that his vetting process was not done in a wise manner but more so in a political manner. Here is a woman that exudes family values; taking care of 5 kids while being the Governor of Alaska, maintaining a healthy marriage, having decent morals and values, and is completely a Washington outsider. This is a classic profile of a candidate that has never been tainted, in the eyes of the American public that has lost faith in the judicial system. This pick was merely done to appeal to the American families with values and tradition but what else could be said about this VP ticket? Does it show the American public anything about her ability to make all the necessary decisions in regards to foreign affairs, national defense, economic legislation, and the overall ability to govern the most powerful country in the world?
We must keep in mind that McCain IS in fact 72 years old and if elected, he WILL be the oldest President to ever be elected. The last oldest elected President was Ronald Reagan at 69 years old, when he was elected in 1980, but he was in fairly good health. McCain, on the other hand, will be 3 years Reagan’s senior, if elected. He also does have a history of skin cancers which are not completely cured, among other ailments that he suffered during his years as a POW in Vietnam. Can we, as the American public, be completely confident that if anything happens to McCain while in office, that Palin will in fact be fully ready to tackle anything and everything that this country will have to face? America MUST search deep down and answer this question, honestly.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:25 am 9. Joe Buzz:Therese, my guess is that many are blinded by “white guilt”. Their world view is based on feelings. They want to feel good about themselves but cant be happy with who they are. This is also why they need the perception that the rest of the world likes America.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:33 am 10. Believer:Sarah Palin has shown us an open, loving and generous heart. She’s a woman of character and integrity.
People of goodwill – in any corner of the world – embrace those virtues.
Those who are repelled by her should look deep into their own hearts for what is missing.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:55 am 11. proud elitist:I am “repelled” by her, Believer, because she does not represent my value system nor do I believe she, at present, has what it takes to be 2nd in line to the presidency, much less a President of the US.
Your side (the right) tries to portray a vitriol towards Palin that MANY on the left do not possess. Palin is just not qualified enough to be president. She is Bush in drag, lipstick, a skirt, etc. A person in way over their head without enough curiosity or world-view to be in the position of VP. Not to mention the fact that she lies regularly about things that have been fact-checked.
Dramatize it all you want. I simply see her as a joke and insult to the American people.
Again, the frame of reference is VP. Not a mayor, Lt. Governor or Governor of less than 700,000 people.
And the thing is, conservatives are even jumping off of the Palin ship and quietly suggesting a replacement candidate for McCain.
The press/media does not have to tank Palin. She does that to herself by simply not having what it takes to do the job. Her home-schooling of policies has not shown through in any of her one-on-one interviews.
Of course, now with the right crying FOUL! over moderator Ifill, they already have their story in the bag. If Biden patronizes Palin (as McCain did to Obama), he’s bad. If Biden attacks Palin for her positions on issues, he’s a big ol’ meanie. It’s a win-win situation for Palin. Heck, the McCain campaign actually had the debate format changed to accomodate Palin. What does that say about her supposed performance if the rules have to be changed?!
I mean, it’s like taking the SAT. She’ll get points just for showing up and knowing her name.
Grow up. This isn’t high school or junior high. You need brains, thick skin and a message for Americans.
Palin, I fear, lacks about 2.5 out of those 3 qualifications. Actually, that lack is how the McCain campaign is portraying her.
Oct 1, 2008 - 1:07 pm 12. jane:Jeff – Since Biden has a history of brain anurysms shouldn’t we be worried that he might drop dead from another one and leave us with a President who has the same lack of foreign policy experience as Palin?
I’d rather run the risk that Palin “might” end up POTUS than have the fact that Obama “is” the President.
Oct 1, 2008 - 1:26 pm 13. thegr8_1:Go to Hugh Hewitt at Townhall and he interviewed Palin fit about 10 minutes in a fair and balanced way. Can’t find anywhere to express this but that pathetic biased “moderator” lmao should withdraw from the debate tomorrow night, a travesty she is I’m the tank for Obama and a book about him she wrote comes out on 1/20/09. How about Brit Hume takes her place?
Oct 1, 2008 - 1:28 pm 14. Therese:to proud elitist:
Your negative vitriol will not work. Governor Palin is more than qualified to be the Vice President of the United States. Here’s some of the reasons why she is perfect for this time:
1. The change that people want is for government to be cleaned up. We’re tired of the corruption, especially given the latest Democratic cover-up of their Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac political favors and its connection to this $700 billion bailout. Governor Palin rose to where she is because she has exposed corruption and dealt successfully with it. More, now than ever, we really need someone in office who is an outsider that has a track record of exposing and dealing with politicians who only care about themselves and not the country.
2. We are in an energy crisis. Quite frankly, one of the main reasons why foreign policy is so important at this time is because of oil. We need to drill in our own country. We need to start drilling now. Governor Palin has been fighting for this for a very long time. She has the knowledge and experience to make this happen. Democrats will not allow drilling because they are too tied to environmental groups. Have you noticed how very little has been said of drilling lately?
3. She is a Washington outsider who knows and understands the lives of us regular Americans. I’m tired of Ivy League, “Hollywood”, beltway-trained politicians. Americans have had enough, and we want someone who we feel knows and has experienced with what we are going through everyday. This is an insight that you cannot buy. It is based on personal experience. Governor Palin has this in a big and natural way which is why she is such a tremendous threat to the Democratic party. Allowed to be herself, Palin has the ability of attracting enough votes to win the election for the McCain/Palin ticket. Don’t underestimate how important natural likability is to the electorate.
Something that I am noticing more and more about you liberals. You never seem to be able to promote the positives of your own candidate. Instead, you prop your candidate up by trying to put ours down. This is your problem. You have a negative view of everything, even when it is good.
Talk about Joe Biden.
Oct 1, 2008 - 2:57 pm 15. david levavi:…Behind Palinism lies anger. It’s been growing as America’s relative decline has become more manifest in falling incomes, imploding markets, massive debt and rising new centers of wealth and power from Shanghai to Dubai…
Roger Cohen’s triumphant glee at American misfortune can’t be missed. Who is this Anglo-Jewish carpetbagger and what does he have to gain from the inevitable hardships for millions that must surely follow the Wall Street crash?
Some years ago, AJ Liebling published a devastating review of Graham Greene’s, The Quiet American. Liebling properly recognized that Greene’s anti-American rancor was rooted in the postwar collapse of British power and a deep jealousy of its replacement by American hegemony. Unlike virtually all other American reviewers, Liebling was profoundly disturbed and offended by Green’s celebration of the assassination of his fictional protagonist, an American CIA agent by Communist Vietnamese.
Greene was a cranky English Catholic who tilted toward Liberation Theology. The least you can say for the Twentieth Century English literary icon (overrated in my view but no matter) is that for all his leftism, anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism, he was finally loyal to his English nationality and his Roman Catholic faith.
Roger Cohen is an English Jew, loyal neither to England where he was born and educated, his Jewish faith or the US where he has made his career. For Israel, the Jewish homeland, Cohen has no use. Cohen is a perennial international Jewish type commonly referred to by his polite countrymen in the Nineteen-thirties as a ‘cosmopolitan of dubious origin.’ George Soros is of this category as was Armand Hammer in his day.
To a rootless and unfettered world citizen like Cohen, American exceptionalism is anathema. He sneers at American belief in manifest destiny. On our views on “religion, voting, patriotism and the death penalty.” Cohen and his internationalist ilk are long past such petty provincialism. He touts what he calls “a new world… (of ) …Mutually Assured Connectedness.”
(Ah, the fabled Global Village where the houses are made of gingerbread and the candy-apple trees grow. Just take the last exit off the Information Highway and look for the Welcome World Citizen signs.)
I would suggest that Cohen’s core problem with exceptionalism is religious rather than political. Roger Cohen is a profoundly twisted Jewish anti-Semite.
English Jews are the most cowed Jews in the Western world. Habituated by centuries of vicious, albeit unfailingly polite, Jew-hatred to keep their heads down and their mouths shut. The result is a peculiarly oleaginous, shit-eating brand of Hebrew. Jewish opposition to “Zionism” is nowhere as popular or pronounced as among wormy English Jews.
Witness that in Cohen’s perverted view, “…Behind Palinism lies anger.” A “…damn-the-world, God-chose-us-rage…”
Cohen is offended by a law professor from Northwestern named Steven Calabresi who insists that, “Like it or not, we Americans are a special people with a special ideology that sets us apart from other people.”
Why are Americans so damn superior, is Roger Cohen’s core complaint. Why can’t they be like everyone else? Why do Americans insist on swimming against the tide? Why won’t they assimilate and become one with the rest of the world?
Palinism indeed. Roger Cohen needs a good psychiatrist.
Oct 1, 2008 - 3:28 pm 16. Sandra M:McCain most annoys me in his “saint” “unbiased” “bipartisan (that is compromising) persona. I was for him in 2000, but now am mostly fearful of his opponent. .
Hence, when some liberal says that Governor Palin will be a heartbeat away from the presidency, my insides grow hopeful and say YES!!!!
Governor Palin is a long-time student of Ronald Reagan. She has read most of the books about him and subscribes to his principles. Given her principles I have great trust in the people she would rely on, most especially General Petraeus. And I think she would respond positively to Governor Bobby Jindal. So, lefties, keep trying to scare us about the Governor being a heartbeat away from the Presidency, it will just make us work harder to elect her. And should Obama steal the election, a Palin for President committee will immediately form, a repeat of 1976.
Oct 1, 2008 - 4:07 pm 17. Jeff:Jane,
If you watched the first Presidential debate and really watched it from an impartial standpoint, Obama’s ideals and plans for foreign affairs, national defense, energy development, and the economy was much more well thought out than that of McCain’s. While Obama was precise on most of his points, McCain was only precise on a few points and was vague on most of the points. Most of you are apparently already biased by your own distorted views so nothing would matter anyway. Your “empty suit” analogies are as empty as your tolerance levels for things in this life that you just can’t understand or relate to. I only blame this on most of your upbringing by your parents. Don’t get me wrong, most of you are not to blame. You are only the end product of what we see today.
Oct 1, 2008 - 4:11 pm 18. Believer:I didn’t think my post would elicit a response. But there you are, “proud elitist,” all stirred up.
Consider it a good thing. A gentle nudge from God Himself who loves you and wants you to face truth. You’ve chosen blindness for far too long.
You know the truth of your candidate. Instead of acknowledging his evil, you’re desperate to find wrong in his opponent. You’ve been complicit with the campaign to hide the truth.
When you learn how blind you are to your own condition, you’ll be able to see the world — and all things about you — with clearer vision.
Oct 1, 2008 - 4:22 pm 19. HRPKathy:david l, excellent and informative response, thank you.
Proud elitist, the fact that you and jeff hate Palin is the best endorsement someone can get, sort of a reverse political barometer.
Oct 1, 2008 - 4:24 pm 20. RF:Very good article. My take; Woot!-Get your education, choose your job, and government that works for you! or Booo!-Stay where you are and have everything handed to you on a plate made of cheese!
Oct 1, 2008 - 4:31 pm 21. HRPIdiot:HRPKathy, Palin has exposed herself to be an incurious dolt on more than one occasion. Hasn’t the last 8 years taught you that competence counts and hiring Liberty U morons is a recipe for disaster? You don’t learn from your own mistakes. I guess that’s why you are a 250lb People magazine reading dolt yourself. Your responses lack any sense of context. Obama, in your mind can do no right and McCain can do no wrong, even as he’s cheated on his wife, cheated his constituents as part of the Keating 5, and cheated the Republican Party by “hiring” a Lancome model, sportscasting clod. What have you done for your community? That’s what I thought, an internet thug.
Oct 1, 2008 - 7:53 pm 22. Javelin:Self-hating boomer
Oct 1, 2008 - 9:51 pm 23. Javelin:Real classy analysis, makes me think even less of you!
I think the real elitist here are the ignorant redneck reverse snobs. This cheap talk about elitists is code word for people who aren’t small minded, common, abusive talk show radio ditto heads. I’ve noticed that anyone who dares criticize Palin somehow gets elevated to elitist. Go drink your beer, watch your sports, clean your guns and don’t crash your ATV’s, you salt of the wearth.
Oct 1, 2008 - 9:56 pm 24. JMS2008:“Something that I am noticing more and more about you liberals. You never seem to be able to promote the positives of your own candidate. Instead, you prop your candidate up by trying to put ours down. This is your problem. You have a negative view of everything, even when it is good.”
Therese, Thank you for saying this. This was exactly what liberals were doing 4 years ago. I remember getting stopped on a street corner by a young guy with a clipboard who said, “How would you like to help defeat Bush in this election?” He proceeded to give me a litany of reasons to defeat Bush. After about 5 minutes, I said to him, “Who is your candidate?” Of course I knew, but I wanted him to get the point that he hadn’t mentioned his candidate’s name once in his entire schpiel. He said, “John Kerry.” I said, “Kerry? No thanks,” and I walked away.
People love to say that Palin doesn’t have the experience to be VP. She absolutely does have the experience to be VP. She is way more qualified for that position than Obama is for the presidency. He simply has no experience in any area that’s necessary for the job. He speaks in theory, but he’s never actually “been there.” If he had even one minute of executive experience, he’d say that was enough. In fact, he says that running his campaign (which he doesn’t actually do), overseeing 2500 people, is sufficient executive experience. What? Okay, so that’s sufficient, but being Governor of a state with a $10 billion dollar budget is not sufficient? Being a community organizer is sufficient, but being a mayor is not? I don’t understand how this works.
Javelin: It’s not simply criticism that gives elitists the title. It’s the hypocrisy. Look down your nose at Sarah Palin all you want. No one cares.
HRPIdiot: Are you kidding me? Give me your opinion, then, on Senator Biden. Half the time, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The other half, he’s going against Obama’s stated policies. Oh, and, let’s talk about Obama’s belief that there are 57 states and that he will be president for “8-10 years.” What? Have you ever seen footage of what happens when Obama’s traveling teleprompter goes on the blink? It’s laughable. He is completely lost. He has no idea what to say to America if it’s not written for him in a speech. He’s a talented orator, but that’s about where it ends. Hillary knows it. You know it. We all know it. And the Keating 5 was a very big wake-up call for McCain. He learned a big lesson, which is why he is a much better candidate than Obama. Obama is on his way to getting a major hand-slapping from his relationship with corrupt Fannie Mae executives from whom he took money in exchange for refusing to regulate them, but his ego is so huge that he probably will learn nothing. That is one of the major reasons why he is completely unsuitable for the presidency. He’s a disaster.
Oct 1, 2008 - 11:33 pm 25. Deus:Therese 2:57 pm:
“Something that I am noticing more and more about you righties. You never seem to be able to promote the positives of your own candidate. Instead, you prop your candidate up by trying to put ours down. This is your problem. You have a negative view of everything, even when it is good.”
Oct 2, 2008 - 4:01 am 26. Therese:Deus: Do you have anything positive to say?
Oct 2, 2008 - 7:14 am 27. submandave:“I see Obama as anti-America and deep down anti-White … but it seems that a lot of people can’t or won’t see it. I don’t understand why.”
I think it is similar to the dogmatic insistence on appending “religion of peace” to almost any discussion of Islam. It has become so common to look at every person as a part of a group or demographic that any criticism of an individual carries the implicit potential that the criticism will be misunderstood as a criticism of all members of the group. It’s exactly the same thing as Rev. Wright makign a huge speech on how criticism of him and his hair-brained racism drivel constitutes an attack on all black churches, his audience lapping it up and offering “Amens” in support.
Oct 2, 2008 - 7:25 am 28. Dr. Gonztraub:TO DAVID LEVAVI
Oct 2, 2008 - 11:33 am 29. Was Gwen Ifill tipping her hand? « The Right Daily:I make you today chief of indian tribe, your name will be from now on WALKING EAGLE. Because you are so full of excrement, you can’t fly. I suggest you go to the nearest hospital asap and get a COLOSTOMY, you are about to explode. Handurla amehd Jamez bajame lajaula jaime, chupateesa
[...] Okay. I could joke about us knowing more “about Sarah Palin” than the Commission on Presidential Debates knew about your pro-Obama book. But, I shouldn’t. ‘Cause, Gwen’s like ”a real, live journalist” or something. One must remain tolerant, no?
[...]
Oct 2, 2008 - 12:15 pm 30. Palin Overload! What’s the latest Sarah scoop? « Palinmania!:[...] No Such Thing As Palinism? You’re Kidding, Right? [...]
Oct 2, 2008 - 1:03 pm 31. Chespirito:Therese:
Deus: Do you have anything positive to say?
Oct 2, 2008 – 7:14 am
Read your own posting at 2:57 pm. Sounds familiar?
Oct 2, 2008 - 10:52 pm 32. david levavi:HRPIdiot:
Thanks.
Dr. Gonztraub:
If you were coherent, I’d respond. Try simple English. That failing, write yourself some scrip for Thorazine. Haldol, maybe. Or for similar effect, bang your head against a brick wall a few times.
Oct 3, 2008 - 10:45 am 33. Marc Malone:Um, guys? Back to the article?
I have to disagree with the general direction of the article. I think American Exceptionalism is the idea of an America that exercises in practical terms Divine principles. The Founders were deeply religious men. I believe that we were to be a shining example to the world. Eventually, others would follow our example. I don’t think they meant for us to compromise and follow others’ example. Nobody sets up a system that they think is inferior to that of another’s.
So, Universalism is a cheap copy of American Exceptionalism. It’s a way to water it down, cheapen the drink, and make it less appealing. You seem to be espousing the same multicultural nonsense as others.
It’s simple to me. Other cultures simply are not morally equivalent to American culture. I simply do not apologize for our ways. Nationalism for us is not the same as it is in other countries. We don’t believe in our country, right or wrong. We simply believe that our country is right, and that we have a track record to prove it. People around the world live better lives because we exist. Do we screw up? You betcha. Take any perfect system, add humans, and they’ll screw things up.
The system is Divinely inspired, and so, comes under attack. Now, it seems we’re losing. This explains the rising up of the rest of the world as they sense victory over us. It explains the decline in our morals and values… our character.
We may fail, but it doesn’t invalidate the worthiness of American Exceptionalism. It merely means we, ourselves, were unworthy of it.
Oct 5, 2008 - 9:31 pm