Much has been said about the phrase "American exceptionalism." Few understand the real basis for that phrase and sadly, many 'patriots' do not get it, either.
The late Mgr. Fulton Sheen did understand it.
...The essence of Americanism is not revolution, but the recognition of the sacredness of human personality and the inherent inalienable rights which every man possesses independently of the State. That is why, when our country began, our Founding Fathers were most anxious to find some basis for human rights, some foundation for human liberties, some guarantee of human personality which would be above the encroachment of tyranny and abuse.
...Where find the source of the liberties and the rights of man? On what stable foundation are they to be reared? What is their source? The answer they gave was the right one. They sought the foundations of man’s rights and liberties in something so sacred and so inalienable that no State, no Parliament, no Dictator, no human power could ever take them away, and so they rooted them in God. Hence our Declaration of Independence reads: all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. . .among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”...
Therefore no power on earth may take them away. This is the essence of Americanism.
So how is it that 'many patriots do not understand' this?
...If human dignity and liberty come from God, then it follows that loss of faith in Him means loss of faith in those liberties which derive from Him. If we wish to have the light we must keep the sun; if we wish to keep our forests we must keep our trees; if we wish to keep our perfumes we must keep our flowers – and if we wish to keep our rights, then we must keep our God. It is just as vain to try to keep triangles without keeping three-sided figures, as to try to keep Liberty without the spirit which makes man independent of matter and therefore free....
Sheen's formulation is simple: forget God, then fuggedabout "America."
Want proof? Look at this year's Presidential candidates.
Q.E.D.
P.S.: Do I really have to explain why practicing Muslims do not 'get this'?
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