Conrad Black doesn’t find American exceptionalism to be all that exceptional.
There is no doubt that this is the country’s longstanding self-image, and the American genius for the spectacle, for public relations and advertising, which is as old as the republic, gathered much credence for this version of events, through the polemical talents of Jefferson, Paine, Patrick Henry, and others. In fact, though King George III and his prime minister, Lord North, handled it incompetently, they were really only trying to get the Americans to pay their fair share of the costs of throwing the French out of Canada and India in the Seven Years’ War.
Black’s assertions are rather subjective (he completely leaves out the entire argument of representation in his tax bromide), but lets take him at his word. He dismisses American uniqueness (the melting pot, fighting racism, the war against slavery) and distills it down to historical pinpoints, which may be accurate, but leave out the flavor. America isn’t exceptional because of the historical record, but in spite of it – this is what separates America from your average European former-monarchy.
This is a nation of immigrants, founded on democratic and classical liberal beliefs. Not some hodge-podge of inbred royals with the stifling foot across the citizenry’s throat until the guillotines roll out. Black’s column is the equivalent of debasing the entire British Army for Dunkirk.
While Black, with his prose in full force, waxes cynical over Franklin’s diplomatic accomplishments, the high cost of health care or overzealous prosecutors, he completely misses the point, and in that instance makes one for us. Being American is obviously something he doesn’t understand.
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This is precisley why we have to fight these tools who think like Black. We are acceptional!
And it is a concept he will never understand. He is too clever by half, and, as such, becomes a fraction of what he should be.
What a maroon…….
I give Lord Black the benefit of a huge doubt. He has been raped by our criminal justice system. Patrick Fitzgerald (US Attorney in Chicago and the perpetrator of the Scooter Libby fiasco) will have an extra hot seat in Hell for the miscarriage of justice done upon Black by the United States government in Chicago a few years ago. Black and Libby are exceedingly black stains on the Bush Administration.
Besides being British of course. If I were him I wouldn’t want to hear anything about American exceptionalism either. So while I disagree with him on his larger points I fully comprehend the source of his article.
His trial was interesting, to say the least. It’s easy to understand his vitriol for overzealous prosecutor. Our country has its warts, God only knows, and a look through most Federal government Web sites will show you a lot of them. But exceptionalism is an idea, not a point of historical argument.
I don’t agree with him, but then I won’t hold it against you when you think your kid is more exceptional than mine either — which will be completely false.
I agree with Floyd, I’ll forgive him a few ill thoughts towards America. If I was railroaded by a corrupt political hack like Fitzgerald in some other country I wouldn’t be able to muster many kind words.
Hey Scooter Libby got screwed. He is no black stain. he got railroaded. And FU Valerie Plame and your prick husband. Those two are the ones who should be in jail.
Bush was in charge and he could have and should have pardoned Black and Libby. They were both obvious miscarriages of justice… Bush was nice to the wrong people sometimes. I voted for the guy 4 times — I love GW Bush and think he was one of our better POTUS’, but he screwed the pooch on those guys.
I don’t see pointing out the truth as disloyal. I’d also wager that Black loves America (obviously not like an American). The “exceptionalism” idea — if taken too far — can be a laurel upon which we rest as opposed to a value for which we fight.
>>Being American is obviously something he doesn’t understand.>>
Sounds depressingly identical to the current resident of the Oval Office.
This reminds me of a story Rufus told about an experience he had while in Europe on business. If I remember right, the Europeans thought he was too ambitious in what he wanted to accomplish, and told him so.
“You Americans think you can do anything.”
So there are at least some people from the wrong side of the Atlantic who believe in American exceptionalism.
I believe in American exceptionalism… I also believe it’s in a precarious position and we are nearing a tipping point. I think this healthcare bill is the poison pill.
The MoxArgon Group breaks the whole thing down brilliantly:
http://moxargongroup.blogspot.com/2007/07/xran-xplains-conrad-black-trial.html