The Needed Revival of American Exceptionalism

I wish that there was a burning sense of American exceptionalism in our schools, in our courts, in our factories, in our laboratories, in our films, in our congress, in our hearts. America is an exceptional place. And this isn’t coming from a guy who has spent his whole life nurtured in the incubator of Utah County either. I have lived in three different countries outside of the United States for a total of almost three years.

Most of these people would give everything they have to get to America. Will they complain about US dominance, will they chant anti-American slogans? Sure they will, but most of the people I talked to, if you gave them a plane ticket and a green card they’d come and they’d stay. (Which is why in my view immigration laws should be loosed substantially, but that’s another issue.)

At the dawn of the 1980’s the USSR had just invaded Afghanistan and the cold war was at its peak. The US economy was stuck in stagflation and double digit unemployment, a statistic that unless you’re significantly older than I, neither of us can comprehend. There was an energy crisis, there was unrest in the Middle East and the image and prestige of the United States was falling.

However, Ronald Reagan came on the scene. A leader who was perhaps best known for his zealous belief in American exceptionalism. Reagan radiated the doctrine of American exceptionalism and Americans under that influence rose to the challenges which had previously seemed insurmountable. The iron curtain fell, the US economy grew to heights that no one in 1980 could have dreamed and US prestige and patriotism were regained.

This isn’t the only historical example; countless other examples are thick throughout the incredible narrative of America. I’ve already taken up too much space with this comment, so to be brief I’ll name just a few: The moon landing, defeating fascism in Europe and the Marshall plan, winning the civil war and emancipating the slaves, westward expansion, exploration, beating the greatest world power of the time, Great Brittan, to obtain independence, establishing a written constitution, a bill of rights, and being the first country in written history which based its government on the ideal that each individual was endowed with rights from God, and that governments are instituted to protect those rights.

And if you don’t believe in the utility of American exceptionalism, or manifest destiny, I can tell you that people outside of this county do. Why do you think there are so many immigrants in this county? (Despite our governments best efforts, oops, got off subject again.)
As I have lived abroad, and acquired many friends and acuanteces and discussed with them what they thought of America I found that usually the conversation would begin with some complaining about US policy somewhere in the world. However, when I would talk about the idea of them one day going to America, the dynamics of the conversation would change, as their eyes would light up with dreams of a land that they had always dreamed about. A land in which they would be free. Free to work hard and enjoy the fruits of their success. If America is just an ordinary place than why are there so many immigrants always coming here?

America is a shining city on a hill, and the world, since our founding, has always had its eyes fixed on us for better or for worse. No one that I am aware of has ever tried to argue that America has been, is and will forever be perfect. I will however state that America is exceptional.

Jason Bentley is currently a broadcast journalism major at BYU and a news junkie.