This may just be a return to traditional American diplomacy a.k.a American exceptionalism; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke of the importance of what he called "America's essential rightness".
That honestly has to be one of the most Orwellian things a Secretary of State has said in recent memory. While it may seem benign at first, if thought about for a moment, what he is saying is that Americans must believe that America is essentially always right.
Mike Pompeo said this when speaking to his state department staff, at a closed briefing, though the State Department released parts of his speech. Pompeo would like his staff to always carry their "swagger" with them, entrenched in the belief that America is always right. According to RT, Pompeo said:
"Swagger is not arrogance; it is not boastfulness, it is not ego," Pompeo said. "No, swagger is confidence; in one's self, in one's ideas. In our case, it is America's essential rightness."That is hardly any different from what Hitler taught Germans, the idea of a master race, or a supreme nation that is always right. Trump's America First, is not at this same level, because that simply suggests US interest should be the primary concern of the US Government.
It's actually always been that way. Most sensible countries put their own interests first; this is what Russia does.
America First, does not necessarily mean "America is always right.", though it's hard to view the perceived "essential rightness", as anything less. Taking the view that you are always right, is also bad for your own interests, because it blinds you the truth, that nothing beneath heaven is always right. Believing you are always right can make you dangerously self-confident, and such pride can lead to a fall. Knowing your own faults and sins, however, is the key to improving and becoming better.
RT reports:
Hammering home the point, Pompeo said that America's "aggressiveness" was simply "born of the righteous knowledge" that its cause was always just. As such, State Department staff should carry their "diplomatic swagger" to "the ends of the Earth," he said. In a somewhat contradictory fashion, Pompeo then added that all this should be done "humbly" rather than with boastfulness or ego - lest anyone think there was a hint of arrogance or sense of superiority attached to his remarks.As noted, this is nothing new, the idea of American exceptionalism, but its very alarming that this is coming from the Chief Diplomat of the US Government. Exceptionalism is not diplomacy, it's very frightening. In contrast, I think President Vladimir Putin said it best:
Pompeo's comments echo statements he made during his Senate confirmation hearing last month, when he called the US a "unique, exceptional country,"...
Pompeo is far from the first American official to express a belief in the essential rightness or "exceptionalism" of the US. In a comment that she was widely mocked for, failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said during her 2016 campaign that "America is great because America is good."
Clinton had made similar comments in the past, calling America the "last, best hope of Earth" and a "great, unselfish, compassionate country" with an "unparalleled" ability to be a force for peace in the world.
It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord's blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.Amin!
Reader Comments
People who always wondered what it would be like if the Nazis won world war two: This is it, right here and now.
So be proud. On the 4th of July burn meat and wave a flag and talk about freedom. When someone challenges you, tell them: "Freedom isin't free!! And show them the bumper sticker on the back of the SUV that says: "Support our troops" Swell with pride!!
R.C. RC
Sarcasm.
RC
I would qualify your point to mean only those bad things that governments might admit to when something might be doable to fix or better the government-caused situation. As it is at present, governments only admit to acts of malevolence long after it's far too late for anyone to do anything about, and can by then mean nothing to any meaningful group of good people who might have been able to do anything about it. That is what gave us the once common 50 year maximum on classified stuff, as anyone who wasn't a child would be presumably be too old to get out of bed and/or make a competent statement/testify. However, longer lifespans have changed that presumption, so we now see 75 year! permanent classifications, even where no one asks for them! (As I recall, the documents re Columbine shootings indicate how the FBI investigator's son was a member of that group who just happened to not join them that day - or something like that.) But I'd bet THAT FBI Dad's Role WAS EXACTLY WHY that Federal? Columbine Court, sua sponte , (on its own desire/motion - despite no such request from a party) "sealed" (judcially restricted as effectively classified') a huge portion - if not all - of the case's documents for a 25? 50? 75? year period of time beginning only after any particular case was closed. (Such case file documents were, as I recall, likewise 'sealed' throughout the proceeding, so that the public access to public matters is effectively stifled without request by anyone, (but as I recall, certain requests from both the US Press and private individuals.were made); meanwhile, while it was pending the entire matter was likewise 'closed' while it was pending, too.) Now why would that judge do that and who would benefit? Re that decision to 'sua sponte' seal?, well, 'who would benefit?/'Cui bono?'
First the FBI Columbine Investigator whose son attended the school and (I forget) may have personally been a part of that trench coat gang who coincidentally? couldn't join them that day.
(Unless a person is clueless on recent events, they should recognize that same situation in EVERY (claimed) 'Mass Killing' in the US since around 1950, and especially after 9/11 and its 'Patriosh*t Act, as it's since been the FBI's S.O.P.-M.O. on Every 'Terrorist' they've arrested; i.e.,they CREATED every single one of them. (R Re that decision, which would hide any FBI/Columbine connection, (e.g., prior knowledge), who would the decision to 'sua sponte' seal? benefit? /'Cui bono? Perhaps the FBI? Hmm.
And then one should likewise consider yet one more supposed 'coincidence' re the fact that supposed victim, and anti-gun nut/student "David Hogg" (Florida recent school shooting) that his Dad is an appropriately named FBI Agent of the same last name, and had some other dealings thereabouts that might be relevant; I forget.
R.C.