Are We Exceptional?

Russia's President Putin

It’s a jump ball as to who is the bigger egomaniac … Barack Obama or Vladimir Putin.  But my money is on Putin.  He is so self-absorbed that he now feels that he can criticize Americans for believing that we are “exceptional.”  In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, Putin lays out Russia’s case for restraint in dealing with Syria … some of it somewhat rational, if self-serving … see: NY Times Op-Ed.  He clearly has read the polls in the United States and believes that he is half-way home in convincing us that we should not unleash our military might to punish Syria for its alleged chemical attacks. 

Perhaps he is right … but then he finishes with a flourish:  He disses Americans for believing that we are exceptional … viz:

And I would rather disagree with a case [Obama] made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. 

Putin’s view, I believe, is also held throughout much of liberal western Europe.  And it is a view that I think President Obama also secretly covets despite the above words he read from his Teleprompter two nights ago.

The question then poses itself – is America exceptional and, if so, what does this mean? I don’t believe that this assertion is braggadocios … I believe that it reflects a certain humble uniqueness for our country ... in that we were founded by men who understood that governments are dangerous and gravitate toward the stifling of freedoms.  Instead of believing that our leaders are chosen by God and then lend to their citizens certain freedoms and largess, they constructed a Constitution that reversed this mandate.  It is we, the people, who are endowed by a higher power with certain fundamental freedoms and then lend to our leaders certain powers to govern … only to the point that they don’t abuse this prerogative … in which case they can be removed.

I can understand why Putin and liberal Europe (and much of the rest of the world) can’t grasp this concept … for they are clearly distancing themselves from this form of exceptionalism.  Europe overall is run by self-appointed bureaucrats who answer not to its people.  Russia has subverted its own Constitution and its election process to the point of ludicrousness.  It is only through a modicum of embarrassed self-control on the part of such leaders that actual dictatorships have not returned in force.  But the table is clearly tilted in that direction.

Which brings us back to the United States. Yes, I believe we have been exceptional.  We have, over the life of our country, often taken up the mantel of saving the world from itself … losing countless lives and untold treasure in the process.  Have we benefited in the process?  Probably … but only a pittance relative to what we have sacrificed.  The real question is: Will we continue to be exceptional?  Have we lost our way and, consequently, given up some freedoms in our attempt to remedy the social ills that invariably creep into societies?  To a degree, yes.  But I believe that the tenets of our Constitution are still a beacon to the majority of Americans … and most of our current backsliding will, therefore, self-correct in time.  After all, we are an exception to the rule.