Originally posted by musicman
I hate to disagree with a Ludwig man, but I believe that America is unique in human history, in that our founding fathers based our entire system on sound biblical principles. Their distrust of government showed a clear understanding of the fundamental nature of man (all men shall fall short of the glory). Name one other people, since the beginning of time, whose guiding principles were so deeply rooted in healthy skepticism and abiding respect for the individual. You can't.
And, seriously - can you name any nation - in all of history - that can even approach what America has done for the good in this world? If you're honest, you can't. I don't even want to think about what this world would be like wihout America in it. No, God is not an American. Americans are just human beings who screw up, like everybody else. But, if we could just stop bathing in the slime of self-abasement for a moment, and stop engaging in the perversely ego-gratifying practice of self-flagellation, we'd see that America is truly a miracle. Slavery was perfectly acceptable for over 6,000 years. Women have been treated worse than livestock for most of recorded history. America wiped all that away in the historical equivalent of the blink of an eye - and she still catches hell for not doing enough.
Thanks to our drive and ingenuity, many plagues and diseases are gone. Hitler is gone. Communism is gone. Evil, disease, and suffering continue in our imperfect world. Let's continue to battle these on all fronts - the way Americans always have. But, damnit, let's not forget to be humble and grateful every once in a while
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