Open Letter to America about American Exceptionalism

A Facebook friend writes:

Paul, I hope you can post this on your blog. It's my response to Rod Dreher's muted support for Vladimir Putin's op-ed in the New York Times about the Middle East and American Exceptionalism. No, I didn't write it but I'm getting sick of Dreher's poseurish tendencies, myself.

Here's the link he sent me. I'm not sure which post of Dreher's he is a responding to, but you guys might since you monitor his blog more. My friend might come over here and comment—he seems pretty incensed. It's very powerful and successful at conveying the truth. It is written by an Australian named Nick Adams, here's his website. Here's an excerpt:

Historically, you—the people of America—have been the most enterprising, market-oriented, individualistic, and averse to taxation and regulation. You have shown yourselves to be the least likely people in the world to look on the state as either the provider of benefits or the guarantor of equal outcomes.

Why is this? It’s simple. You fostered a state that allowed its citizens the widest latitude for creativity and innovation, where success gets rewarded without government approvals and bureaucratic interference. And where religious faith, aspiration and risk are embraced. You have your founders to thank.

When it is understood what America stands for, and the moral dimension to a smaller government is appreciated, it becomes not an economic question, but a moral question. For example, it’s why, per capita, you are the most charitable or philanthropic people on earth. The bigger the government, the worse the citizen.

You have a moral superiority. America is great because America is good.

See, you believe in equality of birth, but not equality of result. All humans are equal but all not nations and cultures are not. It’s why poor Mr. Putin is confused.

In sum, the American model has offered a greater chance for dignity, hope and happiness for more people than any other system of government has offered its own. But even its promise can be threatened by those that do not share these ideals, whether domestic or foreign sources. That’s why you have to be vigilant.

I'm sure a lot of the wordsmith intellectuals over at TAC are as much poseurs as Dreher on this topic even if his writing is ten times better. They think if America was a little more like Europe or Russia then they would be paid commensurately with their awesome brainpower rather than based on what they could actually produce. If I had my wish, all the people who thought this way would write for inconsequential web rags like TAC. Unfortunately many of them are teaching our kids in schools and universities—public AND private.