tommymore

How are we different than the rest of the world? Phrased differently, why can't we once again collapse into Civil War? Or go the way of Venezuela? Or Turkey? How are we exceptional? Is not human nature the same the world over?

In my experience of over fifty years, Americans see themselves as different than all other nations. We have the greatest legal document for government ever written. We have in place the greatest government that ever existed. We have abundance and free movement and stocked shelves in supermarkets. We correct our mistakes in rule over women, Native Americans, B****s, and every injustice. We air our dirty laundry, something no other nation has ever done. Our country made great mistakes over its history--terrible, terrible mistakes--and eventually looked to rectify them, and did: no other nation has ever done that. We lost many human lives in WWII and then looked to re-build our enemies. This is utterly astonishing in history. A Benevolent victor?

Love of this country is the same as love of decency and honor. It is the core of who we are. Being American is the inculcation and realization of true liberty. We are who we are because we live in freedom. It gets into the bones of the people. We see differently because of it. We think differently because of it. We act differently because of it. We are fundamentally different than all other nations.

This e******n is a tipping point for maintaining the essential character of America. I only ask that we remember what we are before casting a v**e.

THUNDERBOLT

Here ya go...
ThunderBolt

tommymore

The Therapist will be in to see you in a moment but, sorry, the straitjacket has to remain.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

The art of being "exceptional" is to act in an exceptional manner, meaning, learning and evolving, striving always to improve. One cannot be exceptional one day and remain so the next, without constant work at it. Resting on one's laurels or past glories, is not exceptional behavior, that is lazy.

In WII where we prevailed, many mistakes were made and many of those mistakes were never admitted to or recognized, causing us to repeat them, such as the wholesale bombing of civilians. That didn't work, something "Bomber Harris" failed to see. Here we are all these years later, pretty much doing the same thing, justifying it as a measure to secure the safety of Americans. When we become the terrorists, using some of the same tactics they do, how are we any different? Well, we're Americans and Americans can do no wrong.

The rest of the world does not see Americans as exceptional, they see us as bullies and entitled little princesses, who are spoiled to the point of tyranny, but are willing to give treasure away as though we were still the rich and powerful Nation we were in 1946. We cannot buy our way back to being exceptional - but we're damn sure trying to.

A Nation is only as exceptional as it's people behave - and we are acting far from exceptionally.