Mike Huckabee & Ted Nugent Celebrate American Exceptional Ignorance
Reported by Priscilla - March 7, 2011 -
Along with hatred of gays, love of guns, and hatred for Barack Obama, one of the main canons of the the American right wing is "American Exceptionalism." It is a "vision of America as God’s own special country, and free-market capitalism as crucial to the nation’s flourishing." This view of an "exceptional" America as ordained by God provides a rallying cry for those who feel persecuted by those who have a more global and inclusive view of life and politics as it underscores the "Us vs. Them," Good vs. Evil" dualism that is part of the fabric of the religious right. Thus, those who don't believe in an exceptional America are seen as evil commie-pinkos or worse, emissaries of the anti-Christ. (Think Glenn Beck). Much to the chagrin of educators, this idea of a mythic America has made its way into the school curriculum in Texas thanks, in part, to Glenn Beck's s pseudo-historian pal, David Barton. So it comes as no surprise that radical right wing Christian minister, Fox "News" show host, and possible GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee would discuss this on his February 19th show. Promoting this world view was aging rocker, hunting enthusiast, and defender of South African apartheid ("all men are not created equal") Ted Nugent who provided commentary about why we're just the most awesome country evah. But given Nugent's history of violent rhetoric, it's fitting that he talked about "American Exceptionalism" considering that recent data suggests that these nice, Christian folk support torture. But let me get this straight, an ignorant hateful American is lecturing Huckabee's audience on "American Exceptionalism." Excuse me? Why is Ted Nugent waxing poetic about patriotism when he has referred to some of our political figures in terms that are hardly patriotic but vulgar and sexist? We have truly arrived in an Orwellian land where up is down, white is black, and we all love America!
Nugent said "99% of the inventions that improve the quality of life came from America because we're free to reap the rewards of our efforts." (WTF?) Engaging in some great American French bashing xenophobia, Nugent wanted to know if Huckabee could name a cool rock and roll song from France. *Nugent forgets that the Beatles, not from America and infinitely more talented than Nugent, had a profound impact on music. And of course, "classical" music originated in Europe but I suspect that Nugent thinks that Bach is some kind of European beer. He claimed, "in the history of humankind no society has had a higher standard of living" - disputed by data which show Scandanaviuan countries and Canada above the US. He said that Americans are more generous. According to the Bill Gates foundation, aid as a percentage of GDP puts Scandanavia and the Netherlands at the top of the list. He continued that Americans are always first to be there in catastrophes. The UN criticized the US for being "stingy" in its first outlay of tsunami relief funds. He ended with the perfunctory solider worship so prevalent in the Christian right: "The American GI is a manifestation of God's perfect human being and they're fighting so we can be free." (And while we respect our military, the villagers at My Lai did not encounter a "manifestation of God's perfect human being.")
Comment: Nugent is misinformed about "American Exceptionalism" as reality has shown that America is way behind the rest of the world on so many matrices - especially education and female political representation. He has also quoted MLK to support the Tea Party and thinks Africa is a country. And as an example of "American Excepttionalism," Nugent is the classic "ugly American." During a 2007 concert , Nugent holds up what appear to be two assault rifles and and says this: “I was in Chicago last week I said—Hey Obama, you might want to suck on one of these you punk? Obama, he’s a piece of shit and I told him to suck on one of my machine guns… Let’s hear it for them. I was in NY and I said hey Hillary—you might want to ride one of these into the sunset you worthless bitch… Since I’m in California, I’m gonna find– she might wanna suck on my machine gun! Hey, Dianne Feinstein, ride one of these you worthless whore. Any questions? Freeeeedom!”Nugent is such a great American that he was court ordered to support his child born, as Huckabee would say, "out of wedlock." And he loves the military so much that he got a military deferment so he wouldn't have to fight in Vietnam. "Wang dang sweet poontang," indeed!
*Note - some of my "fans" think that I think that the Beatles were French. When I mentioned the Beatles, after Nugent's "France" slam, I referenced the Beatles as non-American (evil "European") music. And as far as France, does Nugent know that the Statue of Liberty came from France?
