American Exceptionalism Gone Wrong

Exceptionalism Gone Wrong

by digby

The right wingers love to talk about American "exceptionalism." We're different than other countries, you see (we're good 'n they're evil) and so the normal rules don't apply. It's the price we pay for being so darned great.

Well ... there are exceptions to our exceptionalism. it seems that in some cases there are some very fine examples of proper national behavior that we would do well to emulate.

From my email box:

SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT!!!

IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER

ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.

IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER

ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.

IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER

ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.

IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER

ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER

ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.

IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER

ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY

YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.

IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET !!!

A JOB, A DRIVERS LICENSE,

SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, WELFARE,

FOOD STAMPS, CREDIT CARDS,

SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,

FREE EDUCATION, FREE HEALTH CARE,

A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE

THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU

PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT

AND, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOU CAN VOTE.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION!!!

All those links lead to fantastic lies and distortions, of course. But it is a matter of faith that undocumented workers aren't working and paying taxes, but are rather sponging off welfare and taking hard earned money out decent Americans' pockets.

They are also all believed to be primitive illiterates who can't speak English, so it's amazing how well they are able to traverse the government bureaucracy which all decent God fearing Americans complain is too complicated and unresponsive. Evidently, it only works for illegal immigrants, which is pretty amazing considering how much they live in the shadows. Millions of people hiding from the authorities walk into welfare offices and submit themselves to scrutiny every day, veritably begging to be exposed and deported. That's bold. No wonder these right wingers are so frightened of these people.

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