Howard Zinn Defines American Exceptionalism As The Belief

Howard Zinn defines American exceptionalism as the belief â€Å"...that the United States alone has the right, whether it be divine sanction or moral obligation, to bring civilization, or democracy, or liberty to the rest of the world, by violence if necessary.† The American exceptionalist ideology has domestic implications found in political rhetoric and within the founding of the United States. External implications of exceptionalism are evident in American foreign policy and militaristic interventions such as Vietnam and Iraq. A new definition of has arisen, highlighting the negative implications of exceptionalism, â€Å"Roast beef and apple pie explained exceptionalism but now we are back to moldy rye bread and water.† American politicians†¦show more content†¦When American politicians use exceptionalism and the exhausted phrase â€Å"city upon a hill† to justify their decisions, policies, and actions, it violates the establishment clause and is not a sufficient justification of governmental conduct. Spreading this type of religious nationalism is not proactive in building trust in the government either. The percentage of Americans who reported trusting the government has dropped from seventy five per cent to nineteen per cent in half a century (We The People Textbook). While it does gain support, it has no correlation with an increase in political efficacy to which it appeals. The United States portrays itself as the sole country with the notion that they have a unique mission to spread the ideals of liberty and democracy. However, many other countries have a very similar outlook. At a press conference in Strasbourg, France, President Barack Obama accentuates this point. He says, â€Å"I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism,† in response to a question regarding America s unique role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in terms of exceptionalism. Interestingly, Australian politics use a similar phrase â€Å"the light on the hill† introduced by Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, at an Association of Leadership Program Conference in 1949 (Speech by Ben Chifley). Chifley’s speech has resonated with Australians to justify the