that fact that we are all created equal does not mean that we ARE equal..
otherwise why am i not 6'9??

you are not!!?? :-O
anyway, American exceptionalism has nothing to do with American people being equal to other nations or not..maybe people need to read Tocqueville to see what he saw in the 5o year old country based on completely new principles whereas the rest of the World was infected with ideas of socialism to improve people's lives, Ameirca пошла другим путем :-) and very successfully so..
Tocqueville tried to understand why America was so different from Europe in the last throes of aristocracy.America, in contrast to the aristocratic ethic, was a society wherehard work and money-making was the dominant ethic, where the common manenjoyed a level of dignity which was unprecedented, where commonersnever deferred to elites, and where what he described as crassindividualism and market capitalism had taken root to an extraordinary degree.

American exceptionalism has nothing to do with American people being equal to other nations or not
Ok, good! So then we have to come up with a definition of exceptionalism -- and if it not the same as entitlement why this particular word was chosen.
Now, you define it as a way of individualism and money-making as a cornerstone to build a country (to oversimplify the picture). How is that exceptional compared to other routs to build a country? Say, Australia (same route), Canada (ok, somewhat different), New Zealand or Singapore???

exceptional - different....
Americans are different in terms of being motivated, having little limits, pursuing American dream..
anyway, you can think about it away you want, but the idea that people are born to be free, have God-given rights, government should be for the people, by the people, etc. are unique for America..

I would only agree with "exceptionalism" in school curriculums is they will say is an equivalent of working your butt off exceptionally hard:-) . Otherwise all it is is pseudo-patriotic propaganda. Almost like "velikij i moguchij". Baloney. Kids should be taught to be proud of their country's history, but right now, please increase our math and science standards - it's a lot more important.

I also like this observation and comparison to Europeans and explanation of differences..
This rapidly democratizing society, as Tocqueville understood it, had apopulation devoted to "middling" values which wanted to amass, throughhard work, vast fortunes. In Tocqueville's mind, this explained whyAmerica was so different from Europe. In Europe, he claimed, nobodycared about making money. The lower classes had no hope of gaining morethan minimal wealth, while the upper classes found it crass, vulgar,and unbecoming of their sort to care about something as unseemly asmoney; many were virtually guaranteed wealth and took it for granted.At the same time in America workers would see people fashioned inexquisite attire and merely proclaim that through hard work they toowould soon possess the fortune necessary to enjoy such luxuries.

Americans are different in terms of being motivated, having little limits, pursuing American dream..
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Americans or immigrants?

Americans or immigrants? In my view
Americans = immigrants, which ix exactly what makes this country exceptional

you really don't see a difference between recent immigrants and americans whose families have lived here for several generations?

I would only agree with "exceptionalism" in school curriculums is they will say is an equivalent of working your butt off exceptionally hard
Hmm... as far as I know, Japanese think that Americans are lazy... :-)

if Japanese people think something it HAS to be true.. otherwise Godzilla will show up and punish everyone :)

I agree -we do have lazy Americans, the ones who expect healthcare, social services and other goodies from the government..unless they are disabled, they must be lazy if they can't get their necessities themselves through hard work..

So those are exceptions from the exceptional nation? :-)
Mike, I like you Godzilla argument. :-)

The reason I don't feel that American Exceptionalism should be flaunted around, is because it reminds me of parents telling everyone that their child is great, or, rather, children telling everyone that their parents are the best. Which may be true, but should not be paraded.
I agree with Alexey, if taught in schools, it could create sense of entitlement. As valid as it is, it should be limited to studying on scholastic level (in a true meaning of the word "scholastic").
As per Frenchman's observations of 200 years ago, it reminded me of the document that someone dug up in the Historical Archive of Kiev when I worked there 22 years ago. Another Frenchman visited Ukraine 250 years ago and described traditions, culture and even climate in completely sensationalistic, untruthful way. You can't take every Frenchman's impressions at token value.

"There is indeed a third-generation decline in educational attainment. The third-generation decline phenomenon among Asian students and adults is in part associated with what I call blind-assimiliation into the prevailing norm and value of educational achievement in America. That is, third- or higher-generation Asians often accept the American norm that as long as they try, it will be acceptable even if they do not reach a higher level of education, whereas many Asians who grow up in an immigrant family believe that if they try harder, they can do better."

********books.google.com/books?id=5PSYZMs8TzEC&pg=PA298&lpg=PA298&dq=%22thi rd+generation+decline%22&source=bl&ots=IZGyUTmNtg& sig=jeDBkZ0bCB-ieBmkZCQUP2MAf3U&hl=en&ei=s1OiS6zGH4X7lwfd_cyGCQ&s a=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBAQ6AE wAw#v=onepage&q=%22third%20generation%20decline%22 &f=true

hmm..pardon my ignorance but I missed the whole point on feeling entitled...entitled to what??
and the comparison to a child doesn't fly - than it's rather to a great grandpa...so now we are supposed to keep it a secret from a grandson that his ancestor was a hero and a pioneer because his friends' grandparents were not?? kinda like no one loses..(ch)
dunno who came to Ukraine and why, but to me that observation sounds about right..even explains the differences in mentalities among nations even today..so it's very education from my perspective..

"is because it reminds me of parents telling everyone that their childis great, or, rather, children telling everyone that their parents arethe best"
- or,in other words, like in Lake Wobegon - "where all women are strong, all men are good looking,and all children are above average" ( thank you, Garrison Keillor for enriching the American culture with this concept of illusory superiority!)

This is an excerpt from Richard Lowry and Ramesh Ponnuru's piece "An exceptional Debate"
What do we, as American conservatives, want to conserve? Theanswer is simple: the pillars of American exceptionalism. Our countryhas always been exceptional. It is freer, more individualistic, moredemocratic, and more open and dynamic than any other nation on earth.These qualities are the bequest of our Founding and of our culturalheritage. They have always marked America as special, with a uniquerole and mission in the world: as a model of ordered liberty andself-government and as an exemplar of freedom and a vindicator of it,through persuasion when possible and force of arms when absolutelynecessary.

Liberty is the most important element of the creed. To secure it, the Founders set about strictly limiting government within carefully specified bounds.Im*mediately upon the collapse of British government in America, thestates drew up written constitutions and neutered their executives.They went as far as they could possibly go to tame the government —indeed, they went farther, and had to start over to get a functioningstate. But even this second try produced a Constitution thatconcentrated as much on what government could not do as on what itcould.
The Founders knew what men were capable of, in the positive senseif their creative energies were unleashed and in the negative sense ifthey were given untrammeled power over others.

I guess that's why I strongly support our kids being educated in different districts..I want my kids to understand the unique and exceptional place America holds in the World, understand what exactly makes it unique, treasure it and try to conserve the foundations of freedom..
btw, another educational article..
********newledger.com/2009/05/american-exceptionalism-and-its-enemies/

“It may be a reflection on human nature,” Madison wrote in a famous passage in FederalistNo. 51 describing the checks in the Constitution, “that such devicesshould be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what isgovernment itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were togovern men, neither external nor internal controls on government wouldbe necessary.”
The Constitution’s negative character reflected its basic goal: toprotect people in their liberty. In starkcontrast, Europeanconstitutions, even prior to World War II, established positive rightsto government benefits. As Mary Ann Glendon notes, these differences“are legal manifestations of divergent, and deeply rooted, culturalattitudes toward the state and its functions.”
This framework of freedom made possible the flourishing of the greatest commercial republic in history.

In a telling coincidence, the publication of Adam Smith’s world-changing free-market classic, The Wealth of Nations,coincided with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Many of theFounders read the book. Without the medieval encumbrances and thepowerful, entrenched special interests that plagued other countries,the United States could make Smith’s ideas the basis of its economicdispensation. Gordon writes, “The United States has consistently comecloser to the Smithian ideal over a longer period of time than anyother major nation.”
In the latitude provided by this relatively light-handedgov*ernment, a commerce-loving, striving, and endlessly inventivepeople hustled its way to become the greatest economic power the worldhas ever known.
In America, there really hasn’t been a disaffected proletariat — because the proletariat has gotten rich.

These are just a few paragraphs from this wonderful article on American Exceptionalism.
Here is the rest
********tinyurl.com/ybpzkhp
(warning: for intelligent users only).

Маша, сорри - я влезла..we posted at the same time..:-D (v)
great article (Y) too bad people can't get it..*-)

They all can get it physically by opening the URL.
But not all of them can get it :-| (H)

"But not all of them can get it"
- it would be at least polite not to consider people who differ in opinions and platforms as total idiots.

People who differ in opinions and platforms


You mean people who want change this country?

They are may not be idiots. Just stupid.
But those who act on it - are pure evil enemies and should be ostracized.

"They are may not be idiots. Just stupid."
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- I hope moderators will respond to this appropriately.

Они будут строить в моей стране коммунизм , а я буду посыпать голову пеплом из-за политкорректности!
Where is John Gault!
Yeah! I am reading Atlas Shrugged and living it...

Julia, I think you better take a closer look in a group where you are a moderator :-) ..does this sound familiar огромное количество самовлюблённых идиотов?? when speaking about the people living in TX who changed the school curriculum ... and you laughed to it..
there is also tons of other insults of those you don't agree with..how is this for a topic - For the love of Glenn Beck and other right-wing nuts?? ;-)

... and Glenn Beck is not a right wing... he is pushing against republicans quite hard.
The only people who never watched him - can call him "right wing".

OK, when this group started to finally look like the place where people of different persuasions can have a normal discussion, the fight is brewing again. Julia, I don't think Maria was wrong to observe that some people might not get an article she liked. Gera, please, when using words like "stupid" & "idiot", please clarify the addressee.

why do we need to discuss persona's of those who discuss at all?
we need to discuss the issue, that''s it.
But Glen Beck we can call whatever we want.
And "the other side" can call Keith Olbermann names, too.
:-) :-) :-)

They are may not be idiots. Just stupid.

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I bow before your obviously superior intellect

... and Glenn Beck is not a right wing... he is pushing against republicans quite hard.
The only people who never watched him - can call him "right wing".
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I don't like labels, I just think he's off his rocker

Julia, please..I know you are a dem, but enough with the double standardс! ... weren't you the one who told me to stop criticizing Obama Fox News style in the good ol' group?? (ch) I was not discussing participants, but a politician..
давайте, как взрослые люди, смотреть за собой, а не за другими..будут лучше результаты..

Sveta, just for your information, I never belonged to any party.
And frequently voted Republican on the local level. Those are the facts.... feel free to interpret as you wish. As far as Fox news, I am afraid history might show how damaging this style of journalism is to this nation. Really wish I am wrong on this.(S)

btw. Julia! if you want to discuss the issue, why don't you read the article (that has a lot of historical information and facts) and we'll discuss it..because your discussing the issue with statements like - "delusional sense of superiority" - not very productive..

Illusory superiority, not delusional sense of superiority...
"Illusory superiority (also known as Superiority bias) is a cognitive bias in which people overestimate the degree to which they possess desirable qualities, relative to others, or underestimate their negative qualities relative to others. Whereas in optimism bias people overestimate the likelihood of favourable events happening "to" them, in illusory superiority people have inflated views of their own characteristics."
I would say there isn't a country in the world that doesn't consider itself exceptional... I'm certain that none see themselves as justaverage or mediocre...just like every mother considers their child to be the most beautiful, talented, intelligent... we all like to deem ourselves special and unique... if anything, this makes us more like everyone else rather than less.

"But not all of them can get it"
- it would be at least polite not to consider people who differ in opinions and platforms as total idiots.
Julia, you are the last person I had in mind when I was typing this(ch) . But there are a lot of very narrow minded people who refuse to get it. They would rather go to hateful radical leftist blogs, where idiot-bloggers argue like "Why don't f*cking republican just shut the f*ck up?" Come on, you can't consider these sort of trash as a worthy political opponent to intelligent and highly educated conservatives like Ramesh' Ponnuru, Richard Lowry, Jonah Gold, Mark Stein, Mark Levin ect.
And Keith Olberman is not a journalist'. He is so full of paritsan hate that he is going to eat himself one day.
(pl)