This morning I read another article, about another Republican who got himself in a bit of trouble questioning the legitimacy of the Obama Presidency. I have come to the conclusion that even a video of the birth in that Hawaii hospital would still be questioned, the retraction of the Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman troubled me more, than the original statement.
After receiving heat for stating that President Obama while he wasn't sure about Obama being a natural-born citizen, he was sure that the President of the United States just isn't quite an American in Mr. Coffman eyes:
I do know this, that in his heart, he's not an American. He's just not an American. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...)
Rep. Coffman would later apologize, claiming he misspoke. Yet, the devil was once again in the detail of the apology. Republicans have such a trouble with humility, and every time they must humble themselves and say "I'm sorry" they stick a bigger foot in their mouth. In the apology of the Colorado Congressman was the statement:
However, I don't believe the president shares my belief in American Exceptionalism. His policies reflect a philosophy that America is but one nation among many equals. As a Marine, I believe America is unique and based on a core set of principles that make it superior to other nations. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...)
That misguided belief in American exceptionalism, which is more of a Supremacist view on The Right, then a unique blessing of the American ideal. I couldn't more fervently disagree with the Congressman. I believe President Obama's ideal of American Exceptionalism is more in line with most Americans than Mr. Coffman.
I wholeheartedly believe President Obama believes in a nation where even with a racially divided country the President can come from an interracial family, the Senate Majority leader grew up without indoor plumbing and work as a Capitol Policeman to pay for law school and the Speaker of the House swept the floor of his families bar and was the first in his family to go to college. A nation where a Baptist, Mormon and Roman Catholic can rise to such prominence. Through education, determination you can overcome any obstacle placed in your path. Your status at birth might make things easier for you, but you must still determine your course.
Conservative Americanity does not come from a "unique...core set of principles that make it superior to other nations" this view comes from a nativist obsession with one people's vision for what everyone must follow. This vision is not based in freedom. Mr. Coffmans view more resembles George Orwell's character Napoleon than Snowball's which would be more in line with the promise of America.
The only discernible ideal I can make of comments like the Congressman's statement is, a group of Americans so desperate to hang on to a myth, a story they have been sold that in the grand scheme of things only who they view as Americans are entitled access to the American dream. And the irony of that dream is they long sold it off to the highest bidder.