That phrase has been making the rounds quite a bit this week. And every time I hear those word energies I cringe. What American Exceptionalism are they talking about? It can’t be our ability to manufacture quality goods as we’ve shipped those jobs over sea’s.
It can’t be about “liberty and justice for all” because
America has become a militarized police state, our prison system is the largest
on the planet and a for profit business model with our judicial system having become
loaded with conservative activist judges.
Income inequality continues to grow at an exponential rate,
with the hard working – if they can find a job – disappearing middle class
citizens still losing their homes to corrupt “banksters.” All of this while not
ONE high level “bankster” has been charged and/or sentenced for their economic
crimes against Humanity.
And what about the only business referenced in our
Constitution – a free press? Not only has this administration legally
challenged more reporters than all the other presidents combined, most of media
organizations – whether print or television – are now owned by just 6 multinational corporations! As such, American’s worldview is contracting at an
ever faster pace as they are relegated to “fluff” news like Miley Cyrus scandals
or what Honey Boo Boo ate last night.
Last but not least is the concept of American Exceptionalism
in regards to spreading the enlightening concept of Democracy as a fair and
just government model. Since the end of WWII, we have invaded and installed
more dictators than I can count. Through our “honorable” actions millions of
men, women, and children have been killed, murdered, and deplaced. Dozens of countries
endured long civil wars after our departure in the Middle East, Asia, and
Central America in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s …..
Anyone remember Vietnam and our “patriotic” usage of napalm and agent orange?? Or that America
assisted Saddam Hussein with gassing Iranians in the 80’s? More recently, we’ve been kidnapping “presumed
guilty” innocent people, taking them to “friendly” allied countries to be
tortured and, in some cases, murdered. Currently our government “leaders” have
the “audacity” to invade yet another nation because a few hundred children and
others were supposedly “gassed” by their government.
In a Washington Post op-ed piece today, Richard Cohen tried
to make the case “that only the US can play cop”. Since
the fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree I say maybe Israel can take that
unwelcome mantle from us in light that they were proven to have used chemical
weapons on innocents. Unfortunately
for Spaceship Earth that’s been the problem over these many decades – we’ve
been playing the role of the “bad” cop far too well.
As a nation we wonder why we are one of the most hated and
reviled country on the planet. Makes me wonder if the reason Lady Liberty is
blindfolded is because she’s ashamed at what our country has become.
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