I believe in American Exceptionalism – the idea that the United States is unique among the nations of the world.
Quoting from Wikipedia to save time:
The roots of the term are attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville, who claimed that the then-50-year-old United States held a special place among nations, because it was a country of immigrants and the first modern democracy.
But also because our founding principles of justice, equality and liberty and, more specifically, our Constitution, set us apart from all of the rest.
I have long believed that the waves of immigration that built this nation brought to our shores the best, hardiest, most adventurous, most creative, and boldest people from all corners of the world. This is a nation that was built by people who had the courage to leave their old lives behind and risk everything in a huge leap of faith.
In many ways, it’s tempting to suggest that – in the case of Europe in particular – the descendants of those who stayed behind lack the qualities and character that make Americans unique.
We, I believe, are destined to lead and be a beacon of liberty and hope for the world.
There are obviously a lot of people here and abroad who don’t share that view and I worry that President Obama is among them.
Back in April, when Obama was on his European Apology Tour, he said this:
I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism. I'm enormously proud of my country and its role and history in the world…
Now, the fact that I am very proud of my country and I think that we've got a whole lot to offer the world does not lessen my interest in recognizing the value and wonderful qualities of other countries, or recognizing that we're not always going to be right, or that other people may have good ideas, or that in order for us to work collectively, all parties have to compromise and that includes us.
It is clear that Obama does not believe in American Exceptionalism or understand it as most Americans do. Rather, he sees the United States as a co-equal among nations with no special qualities or merit.
The fact of the matter is that Obama is the first American president who is an internationalist who does not put his country first. His amazingly self-revelatory habit of jamming his speeches with “I” and “me” suggests an ego that sees itself as leader of the world, not just the U.S. or even the Free World.
He spent much of his formative early years in muslim Indonesia and, depending on how you read the Constitution, is not a natural born U.S. citizen by virtue of his Kenyan father. I firmly believe he does not share our values or have our commonly shared American experience as a basis for his understanding of this country.
In short, he is not one of us. Never was. Never will be.
He has also aligned himself with those who would commit us to international treaties that would abrogate our constitutional rights.
Like, for instance, the United Nations campaign against gun ownership. This from Kenneth Anderson, onetime director of the Human Rights Watch Arms Division:
I recall sitting in meetings of landmines advocates talking about where things should go next; I was director of the Human Rights Watch Arms Division, with a mandate to address the transfer of weapons into conflicts where they would be used in the violation of the laws of war, and small arms were the main concern. I was astonished at how quickly the entire question morphed from concern about the flood of weapons into African civil wars into how to use international law to do an end run around supposedly permissive gun ownership regimes in the US.
I dropped any personal support for the movement when it became clear, a long time ago, that it is about controlling domestic weapons equally in the US (or, today, even more so) as in Somalia or Congo.
Here’s what the U.N. would like to see:
According to the United Nations:
Citizens should only be allowed to own guns if they are given a government permit, and the permit should only be issued if there is a "good reason" for possession or or "genuine need." In particular, permits to own guns for self defense should not be issued unless the applicant proves that he is in immediate danger.
The law require "safe storage", which means that firearms should be disassembled and the ammunition ammo stored separately.
There should be frequent renewal procedures to assure the owner's continued eligibility. A good example is provided by Australia, which for most gun owners (except farmers) requires membership in a sports club, and participation in a minimum number of shooting events annually.
A firearms license should be contingent on the consent of the person's spouse or former partner.
All firearms should be registered on a centralized computer system.
The home and vehicles of a gun owner should be subject to official inspection "at will."
Reconcile that with the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
The alternative to American Exceptionalism is subjugation of the United States to a world government. Care to guess which side of that issue Obama comes down on?
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