America is still exceptional.
It was exceptional in the late 1700s when we booted our British overlords from the continent and showed the king where he could shove his tea (right into Boston’s harbor).
As arrogant as it seems for Americans to call ourselves exceptional, we didn’t start it. Ironically, it was started by a Frenchman in the 1800s and we have not forgotten it (and we never will!). It’s one of the coolest things a Frenchman has done next to Zidane throwing away a World Cup to headbutt a guy who badmouthed his sister.
It’s impossible to list the myriad ways America has been awesome throughout the years: Countless inventions, like the assembly line and social media, first to the moon, huge players in defeating Hitler, defeating the Soviet Union, miracles in modern science, Hollywood, Snoop Dogg and the Boston Celtics.
And we remain exceptional today, in 2023, when the American experiment celebrates its 247th birthday. America is one of the freest countries in the world, with some of the greatest opportunities, and it stands as a global beacon of hope: just ask the millions of immigrants who came here last year.
When I say exceptional, I mean unusually good, outstanding. There is something about America, founded on principles that were truly revolutionary: that people could govern themselves, live as equals, free to worship and say what they want and have a fair and impartial criminal justice system, etc.
It was so successful that the world filled with imitators and haters — something that doesn’t happen to the average.
But America’s exceptionalism does not mean we are the best. Now before anyone throws their newspaper in disgust or punches their laptop screen in furious anger (Not the best? This guy hates America! He probably didn’t even stand to write this column!) I’d ask you to take a second and tell me how I’m wrong.
I’ll wait.
Kidding, I won’t actually wait because it’s impossible to answer definitively how America is the best. We might lead by some measures, but we disappoint in many others. We might feel like we are the best, but that’s just an opinion.
Obviously, the American idea is still objectively awesome. Exceptional, even. But we have unfortunately fallen short many times in evil ways: Slavery and its aftermath, the genocide of Native Americans, Japanese internment camps, our treatment of the Chinese, witch hunts, mass shootings, lingering poverty — the list could go on.
In fact, it’s impossible to talk about America honestly without mentioning both what makes us amazing and what’s abhorrent, but at times it seems we lean too far in either direction: America is either infallible or irredeemably evil.
The good news is that it’s neither. The fact that the country has survived this long with such drastic swings between amazing highs and incomprehensible lows is a testament to our exceptionalism.
I believe overall it is that American idea that unites us, but nowadays the ties that bind feel frayed, like we’re two Americas learning we can’t coexist. We undoubtedly felt this way preceding the Civil War, which brings me no comfort.
Gallup found that only 18% of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going and a record low of 38% say they are proud to be Americans.
Sounds bad, sure, but at least we are agreeing on something and that’s a start. Why we have such low feelings toward our country varies by the person, but here’s an opportunity.
If one member of a couple in counseling were to dismiss the other’s concerns — They should be over this by now! or They’re making this up! or even They are just trying to destroy this relationship! — they wouldn’t stand much of a chance.
This Fourth, let’s not simply celebrate the American idea, but also acknowledge ways we’ve fallen short and continue to fall short. Let’s listen to our fellow Americans, without judgment, and support each other and then maybe we can come together to lift each other and prove that the American idea still works.
It’s the American way.
Follow Matt on Twitter @FlemingWords
