Except........

American Exceptionalism.....it's been in the news quite a bit lately, thanks in no small part to Vladimir "I Am Spartacus" Putin and his NYT Op-Ed piece.  To be sure, the idea of Putin lecturing America on exceptionalism is a bit rich, at the same time, it struck a cord with many around the world.....and not in a good way.  You see, as much as Americans want the world to respect them, the truth is, more often than not, it fears them.  It may not be fair but it is how the U.S. today is perceived.  Ever since the Imperator, George W. Bush, manufactured a war through lies, much of the world no longer trusts the U.S. to be an honest broker.  Complicating matters more, the U.S. legalized state torture and, by doing so, revoked any semblance of moral authority.  Again, having Putin castigate the U.S. is beyond hubris, it reeks of opportunism; which it is.  But, the fact is, he hit a nerve with many around the world.  To Americans and many allies, it was an insulting Op-Ed, full of self-congratulatory boasting and tut-tutting from a man who perfected thug-rule. That said, it also spoke to the frustration of a world getting tired of what it perceives to be American arrogance and Imperial fiat.......and the truth, harsh though it is, is that America IS an Empire.....albeit less overt.  All of this brings us back to the Donald and his tweet.  In it, he correctly points out that the shooting in the Navy Yard yesterday does NOT go hand in hand with American Exceptionalism; but, it does go hand in hand with America's continued love, nay worship, of the gun.  NOTE: We are not against guns but we do believe in some reasonable gun regulations.  Sadly the NRA will never agree to any. Another painful truth.  As for the rest of the tweet, Trump laments that, GASP!, the world is mocking the U.S.  This surprises him? Really? The real tragedy here is that many of us love our American cousins, we just don't understand this desire to use war as a substitute for diplomacy.  As Bill Maher recently stated, "We bomb people for no legitimate reason and then wonder why they might hate us."  It's a fair comment, one that is constantly overlooked for the pablum that is jingoistic faux patriotism.  The reality is this: So long as Republicans bully Democrats into using force before any other option and, so long as the right in America continue to lie, obfuscate and pretty much make the country look backward and ignorant, the world will mock you.  So Donald, here's are some questions for you: Have you the humility to admit that you are not perfect? Have you the strength to admit you could learn from others? and, most importantly, do you understand that patriotism isn't the sole purview of the right in America?  Time will tell.

Original tweet:

Translation:

A bit of strong medicine.....but will it work?

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