John Brown comes again.

 
Potawattomie John Brown.  The crazed eye, the self assured ignorance, the bus tour... Well maybe not that.  Jingoistic nationalism is the central theme of the darlings of the Republican Party just now.  Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, etc., etc., ad nauseam.  i suppose there are some Democrats of the same stripe lurking somewhere.  Maybe.  Nevertheless, the hyper nationalism of these Republicans is worrying.  I can only ask myself how anyone can think or say that the USA has never done anything mistaken or failed and call that opinion 'virtue.'  How does that help the country?   "American Exceptionalism?"  What does that mean?  Do people who talk about that believe that we, as a society, are really better or more worthy than others in the world?  Are we destined to rule all?  Should the elderly or the poor be sacrficed to provide the resources to fund empire?  Americans are quite religious.  So am I in my own way.  Nevertheless, I am compelled to ask if those who cry out for a leadership that believes itself to be in charge of "the last best hope,' think that is so because God Almighty made us his special project?  Should the Jews not worry about that attitude?  Would they not be expected to play a humbly subordinate role for 'the elect?'  Dominionism?  I read the wiki.  What could be more un-American?  My Puritan Massachusetts and Connecticut ancestors believed crap like thatat first and then they did not.  My people moved on west to get away from the Dominionists.  That was in 1802.  They hanged John Brown in Harper's Ferry?  I wish I had been there.  pl  

Comments

[Dongo]

This probably isn't going to win me any friends here, but I think John Brown was one of the greatest heroes in American history. Few, if any, people in our nation have been as dedicated to human liberty as that bold man.

Did he kill people? Yes. Does the military kill people? Yes. If you respect the latter, you cannot discount the former on that basis.

[Patrick Lang]

Dongo

your opinion is yours. the world is filled with self absorbeed heroes who will gladly sacrifice us all to John Brown's ideals. pl

[PirateLaddie]

Kinda torn on the Brown issue -- at least he had skin in the game (lost a son at Harper's, if I recall). More than can be said about the current crop of mouth-breathing and foaming religious fanatics -- even less so their well-funded sponsors.
Wish I could believe that "American Exceptionalism" would guarantee a safe landing....

[g. powell]

Is there that much of difference between Dominionism and al-Qaeda's aim for a new caliphate? Or Hindu nationalism in India?

The U.S. doesn't appear that exceptional at all right now.

[Phil Giraldi]

Time to stand up and be counted. These folks who are thumping their bibles and telling the rest of us how to live are the very antithesis of the vision of our Founding Fathers. They are not a majority and are only powerful because the rest of us let them get away with it. Rick and Michelle have already made clear that they will not hesitate to engage us in yet another war in the ME to smite the Persians and to speed us all on our way to be harrowed in the second coming. Theirs is not the Christianity that I was brought up with, which actually used to preach compassion and love.

[seydlitz89]

Thank you sir for this post.

Diversions imo, distractions to make the people think their prejudices just might be strengths. There has been much evil done in the name of "national interest" since 2001, and so, as not to confront that reality, they look forward to fresh abominations in the future. Whatever happened to the Christian believer not assuming to know the will of God? Praying, humbly for guidance, fervently hoping for a small indication that one was on the right track, more or less?

Instead these characters presume divine right upon themselves. Blasphemy! Corrupt Decadence! Cynical Betrayal!

[highlander]

Colonel,

The fact that more or less, we as a nation have lost our sense of being something special. Our elites no longer believe American, ideals and purpose, are indeed SUPERIOR to most of the other nations on this earth.

When a warrior chieftian, such as you, echoes this lack of confidence and purpose. Is it no wonder, that the old US of A, seems to have embarked on a terminal glide path of civilizational decline?

[steve]

Phil Giraldi,

I would put Gov. Perry more in the political opportunist camp with his rhetoric than Rep. Bachmann. Of course, it goes without saying that all are opportunists.

Still, like Obama the 2008 candidate, I think Perry will say anything to appease his base.

Keep in mind that Perry was the Texas state chairman for Al Gore's candidacy for president in 1988.

To me, Bachmann on the other hand is a true believer, firmly in the dominionism camp.

[Patrick Lang]

highlander

"to MOSt of..." I can buy that, but not a belief that we are better. Are we really better than the Brits, the French, the Kiwis, the Aussies or even the Canadians? Should we not stuggle to have a "more perfect union" and leave others alone?

Our true path was to lead by example not by subjugation.

We are free men. Do we subject others? DOL. pl

[Mike Martin, Yorktown, VA]

Too many times in the past nine years I've found Goering's quote too useful, "...the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

And it still does.

[James ben Goy]

Remember the tape that surfaced during the prior presidential election of Sarah Palin's pastor "speaking in tongues" & exorcising demons? That should give you a very good idea of the grip, or lack of, on reality, by the dominionists. Having seen both, I can say their services are very similar to voudou ceremonies in that the congregants strive for a trance-like state to open themselves up to 'spirit.' They are religious nuts who think anyone who disagrees with them is possessed & just needs to be 'healed' in one of their rituals. Those of us who don't believe "Christians" like them were appointed by God to rule everything will fall into that category.

[Bill H.]

It seems to me that the religionists are trying to create the very same society and government that the initial settlers came here to escape. So where do people go when they succeed?

[Redhand]

"Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, etc., etc., ad nauseam."

Elmer Gantry rather than John Brown is a better model for this brand of "American Exceptionalism" IMO, except that the fictional Gantry was more clever than these dolts.

They are charlatans first, last and always. I consider them "exceptional" only for the way in which they use religion to mask shocking intellectual vacuity and blind-dumb stupidity.

What is supremely depressing is that any segment of the American public takes them seriously.

[J]

Colonel, Phil, WRC,

The hyper-nationalism of the TSA's Pistole worries me, especially all his rhetoric of we're supposed to be sooo afraid very afraid nonsense. It's gotten to the point that Pistole is soo afraid of the shadows that he is 'importing' and using unscientific/unproven methods that even has Members of Congress who are part of the House Homeland Security Committee calling on him and his errant TSA to end his latest 'imported from Israel' nonsense. Take a look;
http://chsdemocrats.house.gov/SiteDocuments/20110815141527-35715.pdf

[Matthew]

Col: I think "Exceptionalism" is the belief that very ordinary people adopt en masse so that they individually feel exceptional.

The Republic is great. The Republic is enough.

Love of country does not require denigrating others. Apparently, that concept eludes the for the small-minded.

Is it any wonder that perennial "C-students" like Palin and Perry would chirp about "exceptionalism"?

[Farmer Don]

Then there is Ron Paul:
Keep out of wars, and concentrate on business.
Start talking and trading with Cuba.
Let Iran have the bomb, IF they are actually close to making one, and they feel they need it for protection.
Eliminate the Federal dept. of education and leave it to the states.
Return to a gold standard.
He certainly doesn't fit the mold.

[Nancy K]

Col Lang, thank you for this post. They are a scary bunch, hopefully the Republican party will pick a grown up as their leader.
I don't believe that looking at our faults, everyone and every country has them, and trying to improve equates a lack of confidence as highlander implies.
Palin, Perry and Bachman seem to have a brand of christianity minus Jesus. It is much more old testement than new.

[Fred]

J,

They are trying to grab all the gravy they can while the 9-11 bandwagon still has some wheels. Hopefully some of the chickens are coming home to roost, like this investigation at DARPA:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/08/pentagon-darpa-probe/
Let's not forget Jane Harmon, who was recently on a panel on CSPAN along with Chertoff and Zilikow, talking about 'terrorism'; remember her scandal:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/04/20

[Charles]

Are we better people? No. Do we have a better system which has resulted in the greatest good? Of course. That's what is meant by American Exceptionalism. No republican candidate has ever said that everything we do is right -- that's a strawman argument -- but we should not be apologizing as if every ill in the world is our fault. On balance the world is better off that America is here.

All this about Dominionism is balloon juice. So the American people might vote for someone who looks like them -- relatively religious, fiscally conservative, self-reliant, generous to those in need. That's a conspiracy? Anyone who thinks that can take comfort that all those church-going types really never listened to hate-filled, snake-handling sermons for the last 20 years. Why not? You believed it in 2008.

[Arun]

Since Hindu nationalism is mentioned: The founding father of Pakistan articulated the theory that the Hindus and Muslims of undivided India constitute two different nations, separated by religion, history, culture, etc., etc. That led to the partition of India. The Hindu Nationalists say if that is true, why do we have Muslims in India - in effect, they accept Jinnah's thesis, and argue for its logical conclusion. Most of India rejects Jinnah's thesis of two nations (while accepting the tragic historical fact of Partition), but this is perceived as an existential threat by Pakistan.

[J]

Fred,

Yeah, their Hollywood hype only carries them so far. I'm going to laugh so hard, when Heydar Moslehi's boys successfully implant a worm up Tamir Pardo's backsides, that he squeaks (look up their names to see who i'm referring to). Their time is coming, Tamir and his arrogant club forget who invented the game of chess.

[Lars]

Maybe we should try something that has become rather extinct: Pragmatism.

As it has been said, if you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.

Debate and discussion is fine. Destructive behavior is still destructive.

[J]

Nancy K,

I see Bachmann/Perry/Palin's 'religious brand' as having more to do with how they see themselves as their own gods in their minds eye. Which is really frightening. We do not need modern day Caesar complexes running amok. One Nero complex that is currently playing on the stage is enough, even too much.

[J]

Fred,

You got my 'drift' didn't you? What infestating worms that Prado's bunch may acquire, will 'shed' over into Pistole's system if Pistole and Napolitano aren't quarantined from their import binges.

[stanley e. henning]

About all I can say in looking at all this is that we may be headed for even worse times. We are in the zone of "rise and fall of nations" with a trajectory clearly in the direction of the fall. Both "liberals" and "conservatives" are responsible for starting the economic fall and the "conservatives" led the way into the bottomless pit of struggle in places not even worthy of the designation of "nation". Our entire Civil-Military leadership, filled with yes-men, appears to be bankrupt.