Is American Exceptionalism Dead?

American exceptionalism has always been about our decency. Our striving to be the best version of ourselves, standing for the ideals of freedom, human rights, moral leadership — yes, even when we know we are far from perfect. We stand for the constant work towards achieving those lofty goals, our more perfect union. We always reach up. We lean forward. We embrace the arc of history which bends toward justice.

Being American is about the ideal. The ideal is what the flag stands for, not the fabric itself. Public servants swear allegiance to the Constitution — the statement of our beliefs — swearing allegiance to those beliefs, not the parchment itself. And above all, we fought a revolution against Kings, so we abhor the the allegiance to any one leader. It’s simply antithetical to who we are.

Our goodness is our brand. Our striving for decency is what has always made us successful in the world. Caring for others. Cooperation with the world community. Standing against tyranny. Altruism. Didn’t we fight wars on behalf of democracy? Didn’t we endure a bloody civil war to stop the scourge of slavery? Haven’t we struggled through the civil rights movement to condemn Jim Crow laws that sought to keep our Black brothers and sisters of America underneath the boot of White Supremacy? Just a decade ago, we embraced the hope and promise of our first Black President. Our Union seemed more perfect than ever.

What happened to us? Was it all just a mirage?

We have surely hit a new low point. In 1970’s, Richard Nixon and George Wallace championed White Nationalism, appealing directly to white voters with slogans like America-Love it or leave it and Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. Ronald Reagan’s Make America Great was adopted by Trump in 2016 in his nakedly racist ideology.

This is painful to watch. This time in American history is painful to live. Open hatred is now on display more than at any time since Wallace’s racist screeds. The un-American Lock her up! Is now Send her back! It can’t happen here is happening here.

The President of the United States knows he is throwing matches on gasoline every time he does it. It’s the closest thing to abject evil that I have seen in my lifetime. He incites the crowd, then steps back, arrogantly gazing over the howling mob, like so many grainy black and white early Hitler speeches, you can see the technique in real time. Don’t raise a hand to silence the chant, step back while it takes hold and builds, then puff up the chest, gloating as the hatred coalesces around you to build your ego further.

Yes, the President knows what he’s doing. He just doesn’t care. It serves his purposes. He cares not for the result. He doesn’t care what unstable person hears him and decides he must eliminate those “Enemies of the people.” He feigns innocence that is words incite violence. He simply lies more. He lies about sitting United States Congresswomen, our fellow American citizens, no matter the death threats they endure because of his recklessness. And worse yet, is that the Republican Party cowardly stays in their defensive crouch. Not one will speak out. Not one Republican in the US House of Representatives could summon the courage to vote to condemn his hateful remarks.

American Exceptionalism is officially dead. Killed by this wannabe dictator and the criminals he surrounds himself with. From the self-dealing millionaires to the growing list of sexual predators that he embraces, they face no consequences from a Republican Party that has been completely hijacked at this point. There is no moral center. There is no voice shouting in the wilderness among them. Complicit minions are all that remain of a once-decent political party.

To my fellow Americans who remain in the GOP: People who disagree with you are not un-American. You do not own patriotism or my flag. In fact, your capitulation to the demagogue-in-chief makes you complicit in the breakdown of our decency. You didn’t invent the racist, nationalist dog whistles that have been employed by the darker fringe of your party for decades, and the darkest part of our country since it’s founding, but you are embracing it as your ideal every time you cheer this grifter. You are staining our flag with hatred and fear. You disrespect the soul of this great nation and I promise you this:

We will stop you. Because that is not America. America is exceptional. America strives to improve. America will not cower to your small-minded hatred and bigotry. There are many, many more of us than you. We will not be silent. We know what makes our country strong. We stand on the side of freedom. Freedom from religious dogma, freedom to make living wages. Freedom to organize our labor groups. Freedom to love who we choose. Freedom to have affordable housing. Freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water. We will stand with freedom loving people across the globe and drive tyrants, racists, oligarchs and fascists from power.

We know we are on the right side of history. We will fight to save our country. We will return America to its moral place in the world. We invite you to join us.

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