Is American an Exceptional Nation?

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  1. aware profile image68
    awareposted 11 years ago

    when disaster strikes, one ship will appear off  your shore to help . that  is a us navy  ship.
      yes we are exceptional .

    1. Josak profile image60
      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) the US is the 18th highest foreign assistance provider.

    2. KK Trainor profile image61
      KK Trainorposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, but there will be US Marines on board to jump off and help! (had to get that in, sorry)

  2. aware profile image68
    awareposted 11 years ago

    KK .   no sorry needed .    our military  is the most exceptional   force   ever assembled .   dad  is retired  USMC..

    1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
      Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      And the most terrifying--cluster bombs and drones.

      1. KK Trainor profile image61
        KK Trainorposted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Should a military not be terrifying? What would be the point of that exactly?

        1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
          Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Well, as you might have noticed drone strikes are controversial and, as you might or might not know, nearly all civilized nations, except for the US, have signed a treaty outlawing the use of cluster bombs. Obama has declined to sign on behalf of the US on the advice of the Pentagon.

          Convention on Cluster Munitions
          Main article: Convention on Cluster Munitions

          Taking effect on August 1, 2010, the "Convention on Cluster Munitions"[71] bans the stockpiling, use and transfer of virtually all existing cluster bombs and provides for the clearing up of unexploded munitions. It had been signed by 108 countries, of which 38 had ratified it by the affected date, but many of the world's major military powers including the United States, Russia and China are not signatories to the treaty.[72][73][74][75]

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_munition

          http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008 … ombs_N.htm

          1. KK Trainor profile image61
            KK Trainorposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I just don't care what other countries have signed onto. I know liberals think that stuff matters, but I happen to think we should watch our own backs first. Lots of countries sign onto things that are not in our best interest and we decline to do so (Kyoto treaty anyone?), which is the purpose of our government. You may not agree, but it is their job to do what's best for the country, not what some people may want them to do.

            1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
              Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              How do you feel about poison gas? Is that okay with you, too? Whatever works is okay?
              How about waterboarding? Dropping suspects out of helicopters?

              1. KK Trainor profile image61
                KK Trainorposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                Wow, I don't think I said that "whatever works is okay", and we were not talking about poison gas. Maybe I'm uninformed and ignorant but I don't know that we still gas people these days.

                1. Josak profile image60
                  Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Ever seen what a cluster bomb does? The clusters break up into thousands of explosives, many of these don't explode and are left to go off as soon as disturbed, people in Vietnam are still being maimed and killed by cluster bombs triggered during farming etc.

                  There is a reason countries choose to sign these treaties... because they judge (as we should) that protecting innocents is important and want to take steps to do that. The US still has massive stockpiles of Gas weapons which most other nations have outlawed and obviously cluster bombs are the same.

                  1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
                    Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    US's refusal to sign and ratify the cluster bomb treaty could be considered a sign of our country's exceptionalism!!

                    Here's a list of the countries who are parties to the treaty:

                    Afghanistan     3 December 2008     9 September 2011     1 March 2012
                    Albania     3 December 2008     16 June 2009     1 August 2010
                    Antigua and Barbuda     16 July 2010     23 August 2010     1 February 2011
                    Austria     3 December 2008     2 April 2009     1 August 2010
                    Belgium     3 December 2008     22 December 2009     1 August 2010
                    Bosnia and Herzegovina     3 December 2008     7 September 2010     1 March 2011
                    Botswana     3 December 2008     27 June 2011     1 December 2011
                    Bulgaria     3 December 2008     6 April 2011     1 October 2011
                    Burkina Faso     3 December 2008     16 February 2010     1 August 2010
                    Burundi     3 December 2008     25 September 2009     1 August 2010
                    Cameroon     15 December 2009     12 July 2012     1 January 2013
                    Cape Verde     3 December 2008     19 October 2010     1 April 2011
                    Chile     3 December 2008     16 December 2010     1 June 2011
                    Comoros     3 December 2008     28 July 2010     1 January 2011
                    Cook Islands     3 December 2008     23 August 2011     1 February 2012
                    Costa Rica     3 December 2008     28 April 2011     1 October 2011
                    Côte d'Ivoire     4 December 2008     12 March 2012     1 September 2012
                    Croatia     3 December 2008     17 August 2009     1 August 2010
                    Czech Republic     3 December 2008     22 September 2011     1 March 2012
                    Denmark[A]     3 December 2008     2 February 2010     1 August 2010
                    Dominican Republic     10 November 2009     20 December 2011     1 June 2012
                    Ecuador     3 December 2008     11 May 2010     1 November 2010
                    El Salvador     3 December 2008     10 January 2011     1 July 2011
                    Fiji     3 December 2008     28 May 2010     1 November 2010
                    France     3 December 2008     25 September 2009     1 August 2010
                    Germany     3 December 2008     8 July 2009     1 August 2010
                    Ghana     3 December 2008     3 February 2011     1 August 2011
                    Grenada         29 June 2011     1 December 2011
                    Guatemala     3 December 2008     3 November 2010     1 May 2011
                    Guinea-Bissau     4 December 2008     29 November 2010     1 May 2011
                    Honduras     3 December 2008     21 March 2012     1 September 2012
                    Hungary[33]     3 December 2008     3 July 2012     1 January 2013
                    Ireland     3 December 2008     3 December 2008     1 August 2010
                    Italy     3 December 2008     21 September 2011     1 March 2012
                    Japan     3 December 2008     14 July 2009     1 August 2010
                    Laos     3 December 2008     18 March 2009     1 August 2010
                    Lebanon     3 December 2008     5 November 2010     1 May 2011
                    Lesotho     3 December 2008     28 May 2010     1 November 2010
                    Lithuania     3 December 2008     24 March 2011     1 September 2011
                    Luxembourg     3 December 2008     10 July 2009     1 August 2010
                    Macedonia     3 December 2008     8 October 2009     1 August 2010
                    Malawi     3 December 2008     7 October 2009     1 August 2010
                    Mali     3 December 2008     30 January 2010     1 August 2010
                    Malta     3 December 2008     24 September 2009     1 August 2010
                    Mauritania     19 April 2010     1 February 2012     1 August 2012
                    Mexico     3 December 2008     6 May 2009     1 August 2010
                    Moldova     3 December 2008     16 February 2010     1 August 2010
                    Monaco     3 December 2008     21 September 2010     1 March 2011
                    Montenegro     3 December 2008     25 January 2010     1 August 2010
                    Mozambique     3 December 2008     14 March 2011     1 September 2011
                    Netherlands[b]     3 December 2008     23 February 2011     1 August 2011
                    New Zealand[C]     3 December 2008     22 December 2009     1 August 2010
                    Nicaragua     3 December 2008     2 November 2009     1 August 2010
                    Niger     3 December 2008     2 June 2009     1 August 2010
                    Norway     3 December 2008     3 December 2008     1 August 2010
                    Panama     3 December 2008     29 November 2010     1 May 2011
                    Portugal     3 December 2008     9 March 2011     1 September 2011
                    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines     23 September 2009     29 October 2010     1 April 2011
                    Samoa     3 December 2008     28 April 2010     1 October 2010
                    San Marino     3 December 2008     10 July 2009     1 August 2010
                    Senegal     3 December 2008     3 August 2011     1 February 2012
                    Seychelles     13 April 2010     20 May 2010     1 November 2010
                    Sierra Leone     3 December 2008     3 December 2008     1 August 2010
                    Slovenia     3 December 2008     19 August 2009     1 August 2010
                    Spain     3 December 2008     17 June 2009     1 August 2010
                    Swaziland         16 September 2011     1 March 2012
                    Sweden     3 December 2008     23 April 2012     1 October 2012
                    Switzerland     3 December 2008     17 July 2012     1 January 2013
                    Togo     3 December 2008     22 June 2012     1 December 2012
                    Trinidad and Tobago         21 September 2011     1 March 2012
                    Tunisia     12 January 2009     28 September 2010     1 March 2011
                    United Kingdom     3 December 2008     4 May 2010     1 November 2010
                    Uruguay     3 December 2008     24 September 2009     1 August 2010
                    Vatican City     3 December 2008     3 December 2008     1 August 2010
                    Zambia

  3. Nick Hanlon profile image60
    Nick Hanlonposted 11 years ago

    Lesson learnt.These forums have got more to do with a Derek and Clive skit on youtube than an intelligent discussion.The horror,the horror..

    1. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
      Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I doubt many here will know Peter Cook & Dudley Moore, Nick, but I just wanted you to know that you connected with another fan of the absurdist dialogue—so thanks and don't get discouraged with how exceptionally empty-headed and vapid some Americans can be. There's fun to be had, nevertheless.

      http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy/twintwits.gif

    2. tylerhernandez09 profile image60
      tylerhernandez09posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      sorry bro.  the world we live in.  I tried my best to tickle your inquiry.  It was a very good question and one worth pursuing.  I hope my comments were helpful to you.  wink

  4. Nick Hanlon profile image60
    Nick Hanlonposted 11 years ago

    the phrase ''exceptional nation'' comes from Alexis De Tourqueville in the 1830's BTW.

    1. Will Apse profile image88
      Will Apseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You confused the issue. American Exceptionalism and the notion of America as an exceptional nation (in the title of this thread) are two entirely different things.

      The idea of American Exceptionalism to me is suspect because I don't believe that America was constituted in any special way. It lacked an aristocracy (lucky beak) but in every other way it was just another European nation. It later aggressively acquired a massive land mass (as European nations are always keen to do). And even later acquired a massive population.

      It certainly is an exceptional nation now, because of it's size, population and business prowess. When it declares itself the leader of the Western world no one can disagree (money buys a lot of gun barrels and missiles which certainly stifle dissent).

      The question is: does the US deserve such a leadership role on any other grounds than military power?  Is the US equipped morally, socially and intellectually to guide us through the  next hundred years?

  5. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
    Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

    I'm fine with that label too, though I see my behavior as closer to that of a gadfly, Sassy.  But you can't  insult people and then feel hurt because they have labeled your behaviors accurately.  Thinking that you are communicating is very different than successfully communicating.  I wonder if you really know what you're expressing because you seem surprised and annoyed by the responses you receive.

  6. profile image0
    SassySue1963posted 11 years ago

    Actually, I'm more amused than anything.

    lol @insulting people

    "xenophobe"
    "bigot" (reiterated by a few)
    "troll"
    But I'm insulting people? lmao Okay.

    1. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
      Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, right keep up appearances at all costs—we don't want reveal a bruised ego.

      and . . . "Where on Earth did you get that bit of misinformation about Progressives?"

      1. profile image0
        SassySue1963posted 11 years agoin reply to this

        It is not misinformation. It is fact. Of course, as I said, it was the early Progressive movement. Not saying any of those goals remain in these times. The Early Progressive Movement was , after all, faith based.

        1. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
          Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Are you conflating political progressives with the Progressive Christian movement of the 1800's?  If so you're mistaken, Sassy.

        2. tylerhernandez09 profile image60
          tylerhernandez09posted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Sassy, I don't think the wizard was trying to fight with you.  I think he was actually wondering where you got the info so he could look it up for himself and see what he can learn.  I know I was.  Simply saying it is "fact" gets us nowhere.

          1. profile image0
            SassySue1963posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            http://reason.com/archives/2006/05/05/w … -reformers

            Yeah, it's not as clean as you'd like to believe. Now, it also gives some reasons for how it happened, why, etc. And, to be fair, I believe that it mostly occurred in Southern Progressives but I could be wrong there.

            @tyler I didn't think Wizard was trying to fight with me. I only wanted to confirm that I was not implying those were goals of modern Progressives.

            1. JSChams profile image60
              JSChamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              Yeah.....you certainly won't get anything Christian out of the Progressives, that's for sure.

              1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
                Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                In my experience many Christians are progressives and vice versa.

                1. JSChams profile image60
                  JSChamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Not in mine.....

                  1. Ralph Deeds profile image66
                    Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                    Maybe you should broaden your circle of friends.

            2. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
              Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

              Sorry Sassy, and not to belabor the point, but your link is a right-wing hatchet job that is a perfect example of bad scholarship and bad journalism because it isn't remotely close to the standards of professional objectivity and integrety.

              Damon W. Root is a young pup and pseudo-scholar weened on the teat of conservative propaganda mills and agitprop outlets. If you click on his "credentials" you'll see that he has only been sanctioned by overtly biased organizations that only your side takes to be "fair & balanced."

              The article tries to link everything bad and evil that happened in that era to the label "progressive" and it's oh so obvious and laughable. 

              Don't be fooled, these people have no integrity or objectivity—though I'm sure you won't take my word for it.

              I spent thirty years in academia and Mr. Root is, in the vernacular of the period, a rapscallion! 

              Ecce Homo . . . .http://reason.com/assets/db/13298721696045.jpg

  7. profile image0
    SassySue1963posted 11 years ago

    @WoW I have to say, I am not familiar with him specifically and am willing to take your word for what he is. It is not the first place that I had read such claims though as I was studying up on the Progressive Movement (actually fact checking another comment elsewhere about something else).  I do know that they were initially faith based, sought to change others' behavior to what they felt acceptable and traditional and brought us Prohibition. I wasn't really insulting the movement either as I also know they brought us things like child labor laws, better working conditions for everyone, parks in the cities and tried to clean up the tenements. Nothing is perfect though.

    1. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
      Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your response, Sassy—ours is a frenetic culture where everyone, it seems, is angling for their fifteen minutes of fame.  We all need to slow down and become more aware. 

      And to my great surprise and to further my awareness, I just came upon this interesting piece on Paul Ryan by a reporter at Fox News.

      http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/ … on-ticket/

      1. profile image0
        SassySue1963posted 11 years agoin reply to this

        Sometimes you have to read behind things. All of his sources come from places like the Washington Post. The studies are conducted by Brookings and his friends, political allies of the Obama campaign.
        Now, there are things in Ryan's plan that Romney has already changed. I do know that while those loopholes are to be closed, they are only being closed for top earners and not for everyone. So that claim is false. I haven't examined the Medicaid part that closely yet (it is long and there are different safeguards and it works with other plans like Medicare etc) to make an informed comment on that part.

  8. Wizard Of Whimsy profile image59
    Wizard Of Whimsyposted 11 years ago

    WRT labels and taking things too seriously, this is a disturbing piece of news . . .

    http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/14 … forcement/

    Cat Hung At Obama/Biden Sign – Prompts Visit From Law Enforcement - August 14, 2012

  9. profile image0
    SassySue1963posted 11 years ago

    Yeah. There are crazies from both sides that really need to get a grip no doubt.

  10. alexashots profile image59
    alexashotsposted 11 years ago

    America could be an exceptional nation but, my dear friend how american can be a NATION? American can be exceptional native.

  11. MillerLegal profile image58
    MillerLegalposted 11 years ago

    The USA is exceptional in many ways.  First, our country has always been "free" meaning never had authoritarian, colonial or invader control of the population.  There is no other country in the world that has our form of government.  America generally has a homogenized culture.    Read a profound statement on this matter at >>  http://thejimmyzshowblog.blogspot.com/2 … rican.html

    1. Nick Hanlon profile image60
      Nick Hanlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      ''There is no other country in the world that has our form of government"
      Cite evidence please.There are plenty of other democratic,secular republics in the world.

 
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