General Discussion

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

34. Nope

Wed Dec 9, 2015, 11:25 AM

Dec 2015

And compared to most developed countries, there's not a single thing on that list that makes the US particularly "exceptional". Equality before the law and equality of men and women? See almost every country in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc.

Freedom of assembly, etcetera? See: every other liberal democracy, again.

Safe haven for those fleeing religious persecution? Yeah, the USA, hardly unique there (ask all the Puritans who went to Holland. Or the French Huguenots who ended up in Britain and the Low Countries.)

Nation of immigrants? Like Australia and New Zealand and Canada and Brazil and lots of other places.

Honestly the most "exceptional" thing about the USA, compared to most other countries, is the tendency of too many Americans to treat being an American like some sort of weird cultish quasi-religion.

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Do You Believe That America is Exceptional? I Do. [View all] Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 OP

As exceptional as anybody else! immoderate Dec 2015 #1

If America = Americans them I don't think upaloopa Dec 2015 #2

We're as exceptional as any other western democracy. We exceed in some areas and fall short in a octoberlib Dec 2015 #3

I agree with much of what you say. redwitch Dec 2015 #4

Well said. n/t mountain grammy Dec 2015 #32

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but... The Velveteen Ocelot Dec 2015 #5

I agree with you completely. If we want to be exceptional, we need to stop bullshitting ourselves. Squinch Dec 2015 #8

MLK Jr brilliantly used professed Christian values to shame those who advocated & allowed oppression Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #13

Ironic that post 9-11 we of the USA have come to PufPuf23 Dec 2015 #6

An imaginary border prioritizes the imaginary division of people LanternWaste Dec 2015 #7

Few polities have so brazenly and willfully refused to live up hifiguy Dec 2015 #9

Once upon a time. seabeckind Dec 2015 #10

Thank you. I was about to hunt this down. Photographer Dec 2015 #12

Actually I wrote this with non DU'es in mind... Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #11

The root word is "exception". It's kinda by definition a zero sum game tkmorris Dec 2015 #35

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Dec 2015 #14

How do you propose that we confront xenophobia effectively outside of our own ranks? n/t Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #15

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Dec 2015 #18

I don't disagre with your main point Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #19

No lucky is the word. America developed as a new country on a new continent back in the 1600's. craigmatic Dec 2015 #16

Being an American is just as good as being a Mexican, Peruvian, Vietnamese or South African lunatica Dec 2015 #17

I was playing with a concept here of how to reach some on "the other side". Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #20

Exceptional what I'm not sure of. hobbit709 Dec 2015 #21

No. I don't. CharlotteVale Dec 2015 #22

I think it used to be. I think it could be again. sibelian Dec 2015 #23

"The world is my country and my religion is to do good.� Thomas Paine Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2015 #24

We're an exceptional mess right now. LuvNewcastle Dec 2015 #25

The text is self contradictory Yorktown Dec 2015 #26

I was born here in the U.S.A., but in hindsight I should have left when I was young and debt free. hunter Dec 2015 #27

I agree with Hunter olddots Dec 2015 #36

Exceptionally greedy, arrogant, and ignorant mwrguy Dec 2015 #28

No I have traveled too many places to know it really isn't Person 2713 Dec 2015 #29

Nope, no rah rah shit for me. I am realistic. Nt Logical Dec 2015 #30

We mostly talk to ourseles here. This is out on Facebook now Tom Rinaldo Dec 2015 #31

No I don't... BooScout Dec 2015 #33

Nope Spider Jerusalem Dec 2015 #34

We were exceptionally lucky to share a nation possessed of incredible resources... Orsino Dec 2015 #37