Very thought provoking article on the specialness of America & Americans.

[CrispyQ]

<snip>

Since World War I and especially since World War II, this sense of specialness has focused on American democracy as the highest form of democracy, something we are taught to believe it is our duty and our purpose to teach to other nations. We also view our way of life as the highest form of society and culture yet developed, characterized by individual freedom and affluence, and it is also something we believe is to be shared with the rest of the world.

My fellow Americans, it's time we got over ourselves. We aren't God's gift to the world.

The longer we walk around, both as individual citizens and as a nation, pretending that our government's worst actions are justified because of our 'specialness,' the more horrifying and destructive those actions become. The more we convince ourselves that our way of life, with affluence and freedom side-by-side with alienation, ill health and the spiritual emptiness of consumerism, is superior to the way people in other countries live, the more devastating our continued consumption becomes to the world and also to ourselves.

<end snip>

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0610-10.htm">America the Special

Wow, she so eloquently expressed everything I've been feeling since this dreadful war & even more disastrous administration! We appear to be the spoiled-brat, bullies of the world & we are proud of it. I'm so saddened at what this country has become.

[ithacan]

1. fixed link...

www.commondreams.org/views04/0610-10.htm

The way our leaders portray America to the world and also to us would have us believing that 'anything goes' in the effort to protect us from ever having to face up to the ecological and social justice consequences of our way of life. Everything they say reinforces our beliefs about our specialness, our goodness, and denies the threat posed to the future of all life on the planet by our excessive consumption of resources and production of waste, as well as our pretences about American democracy being the principled reason for everything our government does around the world.

America is special. We are special in our apparent willingness to allow our government to start wars, repudiate treaties, ignore international justice and torture prisoners in the name of protecting us and our special way of life.

Nice piece. Too bad more people won't read it and think about it.

[CrispyQ]

2. Thanks! Still new at this posting stuff! ...nt

[Independent_Minded]

3. im not

its not that Americans see themselves as "special"(IMHO)

we have plenty of ills, many of them we've exported to our allies. of course we have shortcomings, as do all nations. i think to a degree they are magnified because of our economic strength, and our population size.

still, not that it absolves all sins, but as a people we have it pretty good. while we have failed in the past, to put what is right over our own self interest, we have on balance been a good ally to brother nations.

in my view it is fine to feel shame for our shortcomings but there is nothing wrong with taking pride in our achievements as well.

[iangb]

6. "as a people we have it pretty good......."

No. You have it very, very good.

Meanwhile your Government is cheating and brutalising anyone who they see as threatening the flow of luxuries to you..........and doing that in your name.

You have done good........but you cannot keep getting free beers forever for your past generosity. Not when you have carpeted so many nations with broken bodies and ruined lives.

[CrispyQ]

7. Taking pride in our strengths is one thing . . .

Blind arrogance with a self righteous attitude is quite another. Granted, not all Americans are this way, but I do see a trend. Hopefully, a new trend will start this November.

[camby]

4. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS,

my friend, and WE'LL KEEP ON FIGHTING 'til the end.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS,
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS,
NO TIME FOR LOSERS
CUZ WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS....
well, in our own minds, at any rate.
....OF THE WORLD!!!!

Jeez....kinda makes you wanna puke, doesn't it.

[seventhson]

5. Who even wants to be an American these days? Try reading this

http://www.swans.com/library/art10/mgarci15.html

What it means to be an American


excerpt

I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the altered states in America
And to the republic-of-dreams for which it stands,
One nation under the gods, the goddesses,
The spirits of the ancestors,
And the great unknowable void,
With liberty to imagine justice
For all.

"Are you an American?" I've been asked since I can remember and to this day. I'm never sure, let's just say I'm trying.






More...much more

Bookmark this place ( www. swans.com ) it is great!

[seventhson]

11. I invited the author of this article to check out DU, so...

it would be great if we could give him some feedback.

any takers?

Take this quote from the article, for example:

"To be a truly real American is to see all this, to be driven insane by the clarity of understanding the holocaust we unleash upon this earth, and of splashing out unhindered by truth or moral vision, into a life of maximal creativity and expression" Manuel Garcia

[Jose Diablo]

8. But, but

Look in the sky
Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No, its SUPERMAN.
Faster than a speeding bullet.
More powerful than a locomotive.
Able to leap tall buildings.
Mild mannered Clark Kent
....
....
Dedicated to Truth, Justice and the AMERICAN way of life.

Also, ever notice how Star Trek the shows had contemporary problems being solved in the 23rd century. And of course, Captain Kirk was as American as apple pie.

Anybody else grow-up with WWII and Korean war clips? Remember your 'Fanner 50' pearl handled cap gun? What about the show "Combat". Play games of cops and robbers? How about cowboy and Indians? Americans have been trained as a warrior country since the 40's.

Recess time in elementary school. Ever get beat-up? How to respond? Compromise/negotiate or suck it up and fight back?

All this training is for preparing for a brutal world.

Is it a brutal world or is the world brutal because we make it that way?

This is our mythos and it is deeply ingrained.

[kodi]

9. well, it has been useful propaganda for the uber class hasn't it?

manifest destiny 2000, ho!

[Jose Diablo]

10. It has been planned for a long long time IMO n/t