|
Measure |
U.S. World Rank
(For source, click rank) |
GRADE1 |
| 1 |
Income equality |
99th
out of 139 |
D |
| 2 |
Life expectancy |
42nd
out of 223 |
A |
| 3 |
Number of years lived after retirement |
56th
out of 68 |
F |
| 4 |
Educational achievement of 15 year-olds |
25th
out of 31 |
F |
| 5 |
Education spending vs. military spending |
98th2
out of 114 |
F |
| 6 |
Press freedom |
46th
out of 180 |
B |
| 7 |
Infant mortality |
56th
out of 224 |
B |
| 8 |
Health care efficiency |
44th
out of 51 |
F |
| 9 |
Alzheimer's or dementia related deaths |
190th
out of 192 |
F |
| 10 |
Pct. of population that is stressed |
106th
out of 122 |
F |
| 11 |
Pct. of population that is depressed |
65th
out of 122 |
C |
| 12 |
Access to water & sanitation |
35th
out of 122 |
B |
| 13 |
Asthma related deaths |
24th
out of 192 |
A |
| 14 |
Divorce rate |
34th
out of 34 |
F |
| 15 |
Gender education equality |
1st
out of 122 |
A |
| 16 |
Gender wage equality |
67th
out of 136 |
C |
| 17 |
Mandated paid maternity leave |
38th
out of 38 |
F |
| 18 |
Tax rate |
30th
out of 141 |
B |
| 19 |
GDP per capita |
10th
out of 211 |
A |
| 20 |
Cancer related deaths |
135th
out of 192 |
D |
| 21 |
Suicide rate |
130th
out of 192 |
D |
| 22 |
Autism rate |
105th
out of 120 |
F |
| 23 |
All-time, Winter Olympic medals |
2nd
out of 204 |
A |
| 24 |
All-time, Summer Olympic medals |
1st
out of 204 |
A |
| 25 |
Single parent households |
26th
out of 30 |
F |
|
AVERAGE GRADE |
|
C |
|
 |
“It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.” – George Carlin
“Peel
a few layers back and the rise of faith in American exceptionalism
doesn't evince superiority. It indicates fear.” – Terrance McCoy
|
|
A REALITY CHECK
Those
of us who were raised in the United States were taught that this
country is the most exceptional country in the world. We are "the best
and the brightest", have the world's greatest democracy and by far the
best standard of living. Except it's not true.
Greater international travel and the
sharing of world knowledge via the internet have made us aware that
other countries excel in areas in which we may have previously topped
the charts. This comes as a shocking reality to many.
A recent United Nations report
points out many of our serious flaws including civilian drone strikes,
targeted assassinations and the continued operation of GITMO. Domestic
violations include inhumane treatment of migrants, dragnet
surveillance, widespread use of solitary confinement, criminalization
of homelessness, racial profiling, etc., etc.
St. Pete for Peace has done
extensive research to compare the status of the United States to other
countries with some surprising results. By clicking on the blue
numerical links on the American Exceptionalism Report Card on the left,
you can review the source of the data and read more in detail about
each category.
This information is not intended to be a negative
reflection of America as much as it is a reality check. Our belief in
our international superiority is based on wishful thinking rather than
the truth. Instead of continuing to fall behind, we have an opportunity
to face our deficiencies and learn from other countries. Are America's
best days behind her? This may be true if we refuse to acknowledge our
true place in the world.
|
SELF-APPOINTED LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD
American exceptionalism, manifest destiny, and the notion that the U.S. is God's chosen country, has made a comeback.
In fact, in the context of the
current anti-Russia climate, the Washington establishment is whipping
people into a pro-America hysteria that much of the country has
seemingly bought into.
Started in 1929 by Soviet leader
Joseph Stalin -- ironically as a condemnation of the American working
class’ unwillingness to foment revolution -- the expression
“American exceptionalism” has only recently become the
rallying cry of cheerleaders for the U.S.
Used as a justification for the
U.S. to militarily intervene in foreign countries in order to 'bring
liberty and democracy to the rest of the world', the U.S.
neoconservative movement made the phrase go viral leading up to the
2012 presidential elections. Now, the expression, and the
sentiments behind it have become so prevalent that if you dare utter
doubt that the U.S. is exceptional you run the risk of being labeled
un-American.
In Sept. 2013, Barack Obama, speaking before the U.N. General Assembly,
said, "The idea of American empire may be useful propaganda, but it
isn't borne out by America's current policy or public opinion."
Obama continued, "Some may disagree, but I believe America is exceptional".
The statement stunned world leaders and the next day Russian President
Vladimir Putin, in an op-ed for the New York Times said "It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation."
In response
to the United States supporting the violent uprising in Ukraine, led by
anit-Semitic neo-Nazis, Putin said, “Our western partners,
led by the United States of America, prefer not to be guided by
international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the
gun. They
have come to believe in their exclusivity and exceptionalism, that they
can decide the destinies of the world, that only they can ever be right.
They act as they please: here and there, they use force against
sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle ‘If
you are not with us, you are against us.’"
But Obama has not
backed down from this position. On May 28, 2014 at the West Point
commencement speech, Obama put forward his foreign policy vision, which
he described as “might doing right,” declaring that “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being.” OK, Obama, now you are officially delusional.
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