We built this country on slavery and genocide. When our founders wrote the constitution, they calculated the number of representatives in each state based on the number of white people and each slave was counted as 3/5 of a human being.
When we killed the native Americans, drove them on to reservations, we told ourselves that it was our 'manifest destiny' to spread our farms and industries over this entire continent.
Bottom line is that we've made many, many people on this earth suffer for the sake of our greed.
There is an excellent book by a fellow named Howard Zinn, called 'A People's History of the United States.' It is outstanding, and true. After you read it, you will have far greater insight into the karmic burden we all share as Americans.
Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-History-United-Perennial-Classics-dp-0061965596/dp/0061965596/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1574829908.
And don't get me wrong - this republic could be a light on the hill. It really could be exceptional, but in order for it to be, I fear we will have to rethink capitalism in broad strokes. Oh, I know the Republicans are all solemnly intoning that they 'ain't never gonna let 'Murika go sosh-a-list,' but the reality is that for us as a species to avoid extinction, we need to start planning ahead as a species. We need to grow up, grow out of the two illusions that beset us - lust for power and lust for wealth - and begin organizing ourselves around human need instead of human greed.
Am I a unicorn? An idealistic snowflake?
You bet. I look at what IS and see what COULD BE. If only...
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