The end of American-exceptionalism

By Contributor Archive

Filed Under General on Apr 3 

Every week I attend graduate level courses where I am surrounded by self described communist professors and extremely naive adults who constantly pontificate about the concept of “American-exceptionalism” in the classroom. Social studies educators in the course bloviate that American students are getting an American-centric education. American students they say need to learn to become better “global citizens”. It may sound harmless but believe me, it is not. As a social studies teacher we are told that we should introduce our students to the “people’s” books of American-haters like Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. We are told this is teaching students to think critically and is introducing them to “alternative perspectives”. These re-educators believe that American students have been taught stories of American greatness and that now it is their time and responsibility to correct the record, and believe me, they try to do just that.

The subject of Obama’s remarks today about American and European attitudes is reflective of the re-education that is prevalent within the educational culture.

Obama’s remarks.

“In America, there’s a failure to appreciate Europe’s leading role in the world, instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America’s showed arrogance.”

“In Europe, there is an anti-Americanism that is at once casual but can also be insidious. Instead of recognizing the good that America so often does in the world, there have been times where Europeans chose to blame America for much of what’s bad,”

I will refrain from debating the minutia of what I believe to be key flaws in his statement. I guess it is nice to see that he isn’t afraid to lecture the world and scold them as well. Good thing he left his ruler at home.

“ENOUGH!”

Barack Obama’s rhetoric is part of the school of thought I wrote about above. Barack Obama has learned and believes America is part of a global community and as such should not seek to be exceptional in the world. Americans should feel guilt and resentment for our successes and America should recognize “Europe’s leading role in the world”, to not do so is an act of arrogance.

President Obama knows that he has been elected by the American people, but, he also believes that his election was a global mandate. The roaring crowds and hysteria that follow him on his International Lampoon’s European vacation only reinforces what he already believes about himself, that he is not only here to “Change” America, but every nation in his path. The equal distribution of mediocracy has been the policy oversees, and now, so it seems, will need to be the policy domestically as well if we are going to become one with our global neighbors. Anything else would be arrogant.

I liked it better when Mohamed Ali was King of the World.

Comments

  • Alaina

    Does this actually suprise anyone?

    I know… he can move to Europe. I’ll even pay his moving costs!

  • East of Eden

    As a former high school socail studies teacher, I never bought into the notion that I need to teach with a more “world-centric” view. I always, and I’m proud of it, taught history, economics and government with an American-centric view point. I am an American, as were my students, so we learn things the American way. I know that students in France, Germany and everywhere else are getting their country’s version of history…and that’s fine.

    As for the presidents remarks. I am ashamed and embarassed that he is the president of our great nation. I feel that I have nothing to apologize for. When I look at Europe’s contriubtions to the world I think of a few things: communism, socalism, facisim, genocide of massive proportions and moral decay. Nothing to be proud of at all.

    What Obama has done is make us look week in the eyes of the world. I don’t want to be like the Europeans, I want to be an American, and I wish our president did too….what an idiot!

    • German Observer

      In general I don’t want to take part in this discussion. We’ve had it too often on PD recently and as a botton line I concluded that you (the average contributor on PD respectively) and I have very different views on morality and the world, we want to live in.

      But as you seem to feel a need of counting the shortcomings and merits of our continents, just for the sake of historical accuracy you should add to your list: burning witches, imperialism, the concept of human rights, the idea of democracy, the age of enlightenment (with all its political and social consequences).

      And if you really don’t find a reason to apologize (not as a person, but as a nation), you must have lived in a cave over the past 40 years or so.

      • Brian H

        What witches were burned, and how many? No witches were burned, a quick Wilkipedia research would have corrected your error nicely.
        Please keep in mind that when the “witch trials”, for whitch I assume you are speaking of occured, our continent was still under the authority of a European power. The land was settled by Europenas as well. The Loiuisana Territory was purchased, as was Florida. The acquisition of the Southwest territory that was acquired in the Mexican-American War might be considered “imperialistic”, but even that was paid for…and you have to go back to 1848 for your prime example.

        America being lectured by Europe on the concept of human rights is HAHAHAHAHAHA funny.

        Facts are stubborn things, are they not?

        I thought after Obama’s condemnation of American arrogance you guys in Europe would like us now and forgive us for all our past evils. I guess more A.. kissing by King Obama is needed.

        • German Observer

          Brian H., there is a clear advantage in reading AND thinking … and of course its a nice thing to think first and write afterwards.

          “Adding” something to a list means extending the list with that something. So, as EoE’s list was attributed to Europe I just added a view items, that he has forgotten.

        • German Observer

          Brian H, I don’t know, wether or not apologize is the right word here, but on this blog I more then once expressed my great gratitude for the US contribution and sacrifice during WWII. This is not forgotten here. Though the awareness for this is diminishing slowly here, you still meet people, who received their first piece of chocolate from American GIs.

          But thats why I awarely spoke about the past 40 years. Also, I guess this is beyond the discussion. The fact and the matter is, that you use morality as an option – and if you like it or not, America acts with out any morality quite often. Or how can you give reasons, why the US once strongly supported Saddam in many ways and even the Taliban (to name just two)?

          • Brian H

            “America acts with out any morality quite often.”

            Please give a specific example. You may not agree with a policy, GO, but that does not suggest acting without any morality. I STRONGLY disagree with Obama’s policies but I would never say he is doing what he does because he is acting without morality.

            The USA donates more food, money, and resources to the world and sacrifices more blood than the rest of world does combined. That is not hyperbole, that is statistical fact, GO.

            “Or how can you give reasons, why the US once strongly supported Saddam in many ways and even the Taliban (to name just two)?”

            1. Iran
            2. USSR

            Politics often makes strange bed fellows, GO. You know that. Nations must deal with the perceived threats as they occur. We could play that silly game of associations all day. Could we not, Barack?

            I always appreciate your feedback and exchanges, you know that as well. Thanks for the diologue.

          • German Observer

            Brian, I enjoy the discussion too, although I really didn’t wanted to be engaged in this discussion and I don’t really have the time to (esspecially as words don’t flow that easy for me in a foreign language), but anyway.

            You ask for specifics and name the same yourself.

            The US didn’t seem to have the slightest problems to support Saddam (with money, weapons, military advice etc.), who started the war with Iran (causing the death of 1 million people), surpressed his own people and the Kurdish in the most brutal manner. Does not sound like moral behavior, does it? Why? You say, it was to damage Iran. But the whole story is, that the CIA helped to replace the elcected leader Mossadegh with the Schah (who tortured, surpressed his people, avoided free elections etc.). Not really a good base for the Iranian people to like the US a lot, is it? So, as the new Iranian leaders (who themselfs surpress their people, kill, torture etc.) didn’t like the US, you felt it was worth to support a monster like Saddam, their enemy? Brian, with all humble respect, all this means, the US does not give a dime to morality, democracy and human rights. Saddam just turned into an enemy as he decided to invade Kuweit (themselfs not really democrats) and thus putting oil reserves in danger. Only then you decided, it was worth to fight him.

            Second example, the Taliban, I’ll do it shorter. Was it really worth to support them with money, military advice, intelligence, weapons, just to damage the Soviets? I mean, the Taliban are not really the nice guys, are they?

            We could add Noriega, Pinochet and others to this list. The bottom line is always the same: US foreign policy is almost always power policy and nothing else. And all that talk about human rights is pretty cynical. And this by the way is not an bush-issue alone, but is true for the changing gouvernmets, be it Republicans or Democrats. There are exceptions like your engagement in Somalia and Serbia. But if you would be really concerned about human rights, where is your pressure to Sudan. There is a real genozid going on, which really concerns me. I’m quite irate to your government, to mine, the EU and the UN, that they don’t take action.

            Now, you say, reality politics often makes strange bed fellows. Probably you are right. The art of politics obviously is the art of doing the doable. But to me politics is leaving out, what is not really nessecary, like implenting and supporting dictators.

            Now, be it, like it is. The big joke for me, that really makes me speechless is, that most people on this platform are not able to admit just this. Instead you seem to be angry when your new president gives the slightest sign to play a bit nicer. Sorry to say so Brian, but this is freaky and makes me scared. I don’t know how much of the people and their mind sets of the US-population the contributors to PD represent. But how harsh the reactions here are, when Obama says hello to the people of Iran or admits, that the US made some mistakes (only strong people are able to do so) is plainly strange.

            Wow, in my next live I learn how to have shorter statements :-)

            • Brian H

              Thanks, GO.

      • Brian H

        Europe should apologize to us, GO.

        In the last 100 years the USA has sacrificed to save Europe from itself:

        WWI: 120,000 American troops
        WWII: 400,000 American troops

        Troops allocated to Europe duriing the Cold War: 18-22 million.

        And if you really don’t find a reason to apologize (not as a person, but as a nation), you must have lived in a cave over the past 100 years or so.

  • kristen

    I don’t know how you sit through those classes. Those professors are everything that is wrong with college campuses today. I had a professor while working on my math endorsement a few years ago spout his political commentary and hatred of W. somewhere in each class period. This is math! Drove. Me. Nuts.

    I’m a little annoyed with Obama’s comments to Europe about America being arrogant and such. I guess this is what we get from a guy who sat in Rev Wright’s congregation for 20 years. I’m also not happy regarding his comments of Guantanamo, and his insinuation that we are (were) a country that tortures. That is completely insulting to our troops.

    • Brian H

      Not only is his diatribe of America being a country that tortures completely insulting, it is also completely wrong.

      Obama seems to believe his confessionals of perceived American shortcomings will tear down national divisions. What he fails to understand is that when he makes such statements, as in Guantanamo, it only fuels the hatred and stereotypes he wants ended.

      American foreign policy and diplomacy should not be conducted in the same style one would exercise while sitting on the couch of Oprah or Dr. Phil.

      AMATEUR!!!