David Morris wrote an excellent article in AlterNet. He believes that the United States is exceptional by the advantages it has but not what we have done with them. He quotes from the Brookings Institute: "Recent research contradicts the fundamental tenet of American exceptionalism. A Brookings Institution report comparing economic mobility in the United States and other countries concludes, “…“Starting at the bottom of the earnings ladder is more of a handicap in the United States than it is in other countries.”
Karen Timulty, a Washington Post reporter concludes "it is the belief that America “is inherently superior to the world’s other nations”. It is a widely held belief. Indeed, most Americans believe our superiority is not only inherent but divinely ordained. A survey by the Public Religious Research Institute and the Brookings Institution found that 58 percent of Americans agree with the statement, “God has granted America a special role in human history.”
Those who believe this also believe in 'faith', something that people want to believe though they have no proof. When people believe they are better than anyone else, they stop viewing what others are doing, become insular, and as we have done in the US, begin a downward spiral, blind to realities.
Everyone should read this article to see why we are no longer number one nor likely to be as long as we feel a divine right. We need to get religion out of our politics and fast. To read this article, Click here
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