American Exceptionalism: Castles Made of Sand

ISBN-13: 9781500107741 / Angielski / Miękka / 2014 / 234 str.

Rufus O. Jimerson; Dr Rufus O. Jimerson

Opis

The purpose of this book is to explain how our exceptionalism, the American Dream and "Manifest Des-tiny" was built on a hegemonically-driven myth. How the perpetuation of this distortion fosters racism, gun-led violence, vigilantism, militarism and imperialism that contradicts traditional Christian values. The distorted view of American exceptionalism has led to historic levels of incivility and the lack of consensus during the presidency of the nation's first African-American. Historic obstruction to programs serving the neediest Americans was pushed by conservatives and justified by Ayn Rand and Social Darwin philosophy and talking points given and funded by Republican mega-donors. The well-funded backlash goes beyond race and adversely affects the economic fairness accorded to most Americans at the expense of our democracy. The book goes on to explain how social mobility has eroded since its inception. It discusses how the Reagan revolution accelerated the erosion of social mobility in the American society. The book explains how measures were taken to subtly exclude blacks and browns from achieving the American Dream after legal barriers were ruled illegal by court decree and Civil Rights laws. Yet these measures have failed to stem the growth and suffrage of the minority-majority. The Koch brothers and mega-donors intervened to saturate Republican politicians and judges with money to obstruct justice. The concept of American exceptionalism presumes that America acts for the good. This book points out that this assumption is a myth rather than a reality for most members of the growing minority-majority both in the past and present. The uniqueness professed is common among superpowers in Western history. For example, the Greeks and Romans made the same claim of exceptionalism resulting from their conquest and hegemony. The argument is that this claim is based more on ideology, myths, temporal conquest and hegemony. Included in this book is an examination of the evolving roots of the racial wealth gap and why it matters today after emancipation, civil rights and expiration of Jim Crow. The economic injustice of the past-present and ensuing disparity is condemned by Pope Francis. He is cited as offering remedies to help close that gap and improve the outlook for the poor, disadvantaged and needy. Yet, Republicans following the donor-led Ayn Rand and Social Darwin philosophy are instead trying to widen this disparity and promoting greater injustices. They are analyzed as sustaining a climate of gun-led violence and racial vigilantism cloaked by purchased states' rights through political surrogates. Georgia's gun law and escalation of "Stand Your Ground" laws are examined in context to its implication and effects on peace and fraternity. Looking deeper into the roots of injustice perpetuated by American exceptionalism, the book examines Western hegemony and how conquest led to greater ethnocentrism and the thief of the origin of the world's religious traditions, particularly Christianity, out of Africa. Now that an African-American has been elected and re-elected by the rising minority-majority this ethnocentric foundation has brought racism to the forefront. In its wake, incivility and the lack of a public consensus has been replaced by Euro-American driven nativism. While the human fraternity declines, little consensus can be directed to stem climate changes and human activities that have driven it to its "tipping point" resulting in a future where the planet and its inhabitants face extinction.