Reply #22: That's not what American exceptionalism is about...

[Violet_Crumble]

I thought I'd give my AU$0.02 cents worth seeing as how I'm not American and have always lived in another country. I can understand people feeling some patriotism, but that's not what US exceptionalism is all about. It's about believing that the US is the Greatest Place In The World and unique and about feeling sorry for all the rest of us unfortunate folk who by an accident of birth aren't able to experience the freedom of everything and the sheer wonderfulness of the US. While the belief of uniqueness is unique to the US, nothing else that gets bragged about as being unique to the US is. Freedom? Yeah, no other country has freedom, just the US. Only place in the world you can start with nothing and make millions? Never EVER happens anywhere else. A wonderful healthcare system that the rest of the world is jealous of? A fantastic and solid housing market where you know that the bottom's not going to fall out of the market and yr house now being valued at a few thousand dollars is about to be foreclosed on by some bank you've never heard of coz they weren't the guys you dealt with 15 years ago when you bought the house. The freedom to travel to Cuba whenever you want for whatever reason you want? I know I'm absolutely exuding jealousy at all those freedoms I don't have!! ;)