On American Exceptionalism

[PoliticalChic]

I was never much of a U-2 fan, nor really paid much attention to the pronouncements of Bono......

...but in his speech at Georgetown University, he said some things that got right to my heart.....and on America's birthday, July 4th, they should be shared.





1. "[Here he was speaking of helping others].... the power of technology, is the leverage they give us…If we're willing to use it. And I think we are. I know we are, I know you are.

2. Anyways, it's not a right-left issue, it's a right-wrong issue. And America's consistently been on the side of what's right.





3. Because when it comes down to it, this is about keeping faith with the idea of America.

4. Because America is an idea, isn't it? I mean, Ireland's a great country, but it's not an idea. Great Britain's a great country, but it's not an idea.

5. That's how we see you around the world… as one of the greatest ideas in human history. Right up there with the Renaissance... right up there with crop rotation… The Beatles' White Album...

6. That idea, the America idea, it's an idea. The idea is that you and me are created equal…





7. It will ensure that an economic recession need not become an equality recession. The idea that life is not meant to be endured, but enjoyed. The idea that if we have dignity… if we have justice… then leave it to us, we can do the rest.





8. This country was the first to claw its way out of darkness and put that on paper. And God love you for it. Because these aren't just American ideas anymore. There's no copyright on them.
You've brought them into the world. It's a wide world now.



9. I know Americans say they have a bit of the world in them. And you do. The family tree has a lot of branches. But the thing is… the world has a bit of America in it, too. These truths… your truths… they are self-evident in us.

So those people I've been talking about today… the poor… they're not those people. They're not "them." They're "us." They're you. They may be separated from us by oceans and circumstance. But they dream as you dream. They value what you value.
There is no them, only us…





10.That American anthem is not exceptionalism… it's universalism. There is no them, only us.
Ubuntu: I am because we are… There is no them, only us."
Bono turns up the volume for social enterprise | Guardian Sustainable Business | Guardian Professional




God bless Bono.

God bless America.

 

[LiberalMedia]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

 

[The Rabbi]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

Another angry dyke America hating liberal. And people wonder why conservatives dislike liberals so much. IT is because they spit on and disrespect everything we hold dear.
BUt here's a great explanation for why they do.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ODXgGS50AVY]Understanding How Modern Liberals Think - YouTube[/ame]

 

[georgephillip]

‘From a very literal point of view, the harbours and the
ports and the railroads of the country – the economy,
especially in the South – could not conceivably be what
they are if it had not been (and this is still so) for cheap
labour. I am speaking very seriously, and this is not an
overstatement: I picked cotton, I carried it to the
market, I built the railroads under someone else’s whip
for nothing. For nothing."

Americans today should consider the possibility their "exceptionalism" stems from fear in 1776; fear among European settler-colonialists in North America that London was moving rapidly towards abolition, and armed black militias would soon be patrolling American cities, canals, and plantations.

Happy Fourth, Slaves

http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/free/lobster68/lob68-founding-fathers.pdf

 

[LadyGunSlinger]

Rabbi.. that's a great video..

PoliticalChic- Excellent OP .. Those of us who love and cherish this nation can relate and understand those words.

 

[Freewill]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

No, America is exceptional because folks like you are allowed to stay.

 

[LadyGunSlinger]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

No, America is exceptional because folks like you are allowed to stay.

Early thread- but best post of the thread I'd wager.. that says it all..

 

[LiberalMedia]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

Another angry dyke America hating liberal. And people wonder why conservatives dislike liberals so much. IT is because they spit on and disrespect everything we hold dear.
BUt here's a great explanation for why they do.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ODXgGS50AVY]Understanding How Modern Liberals Think - YouTube[/ame]

LM's Rule #1: No conservatard can argue without attempting to derail the thread towards another topic or flinging insults towards non-conservatards within two posts.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

You can continue on with being sub mediocre. I'll continue on with exceptionalism.

 

[occupied]

The "American exceptionalism" that many find so distasteful is the conservative attitude that people in other countries deserve somewhat less honesty and decency when dealing with our government or corporations than we would ever accept for ourselves and then thinking other peoples hate us for our freedoms. People hate us because American power is all too often duplicitous, reckless and greedy.

 

[The Rabbi]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.



In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:



God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

Another angry dyke America hating liberal. And people wonder why conservatives dislike liberals so much. IT is because they spit on and disrespect everything we hold dear.
BUt here's a great explanation for why they do.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ODXgGS50AVY]Understanding How Modern Liberals Think - YouTube[/ame]

LM's Rule #1: No conservatard can argue without attempting to derail the thread towards another topic or flinging insults towards non-conservatards within two posts.

You should try for some original material sometime.

Personally your act doesnt fool me. If you took a Southern Baptist from a small town and asked him to imitate what an angry leftist dyke (are there any others?) sounded like, he'd sound like you. It's too exaggerated. It isnt believable at all. Those Birkenstocks are Chinese fakes bought at WalMart.

 

[LiberalMedia]

Another angry dyke America hating liberal. And people wonder why conservatives dislike liberals so much. IT is because they spit on and disrespect everything we hold dear.
BUt here's a great explanation for why they do.
Understanding How Modern Liberals Think - YouTube

LM's Rule #1: No conservatard can argue without attempting to derail the thread towards another topic or flinging insults towards non-conservatards within two posts.

You should try for some original material sometime.

Personally your act doesnt fool me. If you took a Southern Baptist from a small town and asked him to imitate what an angry leftist dyke (are there any others?) sounded like, he'd sound like you. It's too exaggerated. It isnt believable at all. Those Birkenstocks are Chinese fakes bought at WalMart.

Thank you for proving my rule twice in a row.

I see that you have yet to weigh in on my (completely accurate) analysis of De Tocqueville's writing. Would you care to stop making an ass of yourself and start meaningfully contributing to the thread?

 

[The Rabbi]

LM's Rule #1: No conservatard can argue without attempting to derail the thread towards another topic or flinging insults towards non-conservatards within two posts.

You should try for some original material sometime.

Personally your act doesnt fool me. If you took a Southern Baptist from a small town and asked him to imitate what an angry leftist dyke (are there any others?) sounded like, he'd sound like you. It's too exaggerated. It isnt believable at all. Those Birkenstocks are Chinese fakes bought at WalMart.

Thank you for proving my rule twice in a row.

I see that you have yet to weigh in on my (completely accurate) analysis of De Tocqueville's writing. Would you care to stop making an ass of yourself and start meaningfully contributing to the thread?

I am meaningfully contributing. I am mocking you with extreme derision. I cannot think of a better contribution than pointing out you are an act, a poseur. No lesbian acts like you do or posts the insane crap you do. It doesnt happen outside of stand up comedy routines.

 

[Discombobulated]

America may be an exceptional place, but there's nothing exceptional about Americans.

 

[PoliticalChic]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

How many times a day do you sit and ponder 'Why am I so lonely?'

 

[PoliticalChic]

America may be an exceptional place, but there's nothing exceptional about Americans.

Another autobiography.

 

[LadyGunSlinger]

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.



In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:



God doesn't exist. Deal with it.

Another angry dyke America hating liberal. And people wonder why conservatives dislike liberals so much. IT is because they spit on and disrespect everything we hold dear.
BUt here's a great explanation for why they do.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ODXgGS50AVY]Understanding How Modern Liberals Think - YouTube[/ame]

LM's Rule #1: No conservatard can argue without attempting to derail the thread towards another topic or flinging insults towards non-conservatards within two posts.

Coming from the Queen of insults herself.. Opinion is subjective.. Your telling people , "God doesn't exist, deal with it," along with trashing idealism regarding true patriotism is indeed insulting to many.. so heed your own advice hypocrite..

 

[Indeependent]

The "American exceptionalism" that many find so distasteful is the conservative attitude that people in other countries deserve somewhat less honesty and decency when dealing with our government or corporations than we would ever accept for ourselves and then thinking other peoples hate us for our freedoms. People hate us because American power is all too often duplicitous, reckless and greedy.

I listened religiously to Limbaugh from 10/2001 to 01/20/2008 and the first sentence is his explicit explanation of "American Exceptionalism"; those who disagree with me obviously didn't listen to the blow hard during that period of time.

I disagree with the second sentence...they love us because they want to become Americans and use those left behind.

 

[Discombobulated]

America may be an exceptional place, but there's nothing exceptional about Americans.

Another autobiography.

If this forum is a representative cross section of this country Americans should have very little to feel exceptional about.

 

[Kondor3]

Typical LibProg-Speak.

You may, indeed, be unworthy, but you do not speak for the rest of us, nor is your assessment of the rest of us anywhere close to accurate nor objective.

In a previous life, you lived in a monastery, wore a hair-shirt, and whipped yourself until you bled, as penance for imagined sins, and abased and denigrated yourself as unworthy at every possible opportunity.

Funny how some of those characteristics spilled-over into a subsequent incarnation.

It always makes me smile when conservatards use the phrase "American exceptionalism" as if it were something positive.

The position of the Americans is therefore quite exceptional, and it may be believed that no democratic people will ever be placed in a similar one. Their strictly Puritanical origin — their exclusively commercial habits — even the country they inhabit, which seems to divert their minds from the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts — the proximity of Europe, which allows them to neglect these pursuits without relapsing into barbarism — a thousand special causes, of which I have only been able to point out the most important — have singularly concurred to fix the mind of the American upon purely practical objects. His passions, his wants, his education, and everything about him seem to unite in drawing the native of the United States earthward: his religion alone bids him turn, from time to time, a transient and distracted glance to heaven. Let us cease then to view all democratic nations under the mask of the American people, and let us attempt to survey them at length with their own proper features.

In short, America is exceptional because:

1. Americans are religious extremist zealots.

2. Americans are greedy, commercialized sell-outs.

3. Americans are inherently repulsed by civilized topics such as science, literature, and the arts.

4. Americans are only saved from becoming complete savages due to other countries developing our own culture for us.

5. Americans are only concerned with materialism and the petty struggles of day-to-day life, with no concern for anything greater.

De Tocqueville's Democracy in America coined the phrase "American exceptionalism" as an insult to the greedy, uneducated, crony capitalist, right-wing nutjobs that ran the country back in his time and continue to do so today. EVERY time you use this phrase, conservatards, the left joins the rest of the world in laughing at your complete lack of understanding of the buzzwords you cling to.

And by the way:

God bless Bono.

God bless America.

God doesn't exist. Deal with it.