Republican Rep. Mike Coffman at a Saturday afternoon fundraiser in Colorado.
I don’t know whether Barack Obama was born in the United States of America. I don’t know that. But I do know this, that in his heart, he’s not an American. He’s just not an American
A few hours later, after video and a transcript of his words appeared online, Coffman pulls back and issues a statement.
I misspoke and I apologize,” the statement began. “I have confidence in President Obama’s citizenship and legitimacy as President of the United States
Ah yes, I just love those fake apologies…especially when they come packaged with qualifiers.
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.
Two things. First of all, yes, America is unique…but so is Canada, Ireland and Madagascar with each having a role to play in the league of nations. Americans can definitely claim superiority in specific areas and endeavors but to claim a general superiority over all nations is a dangerous game. It gives a false sense of moral justification to do what they please on the world stage. It can lead, for example, to actions like invading other countries on trumped up charges and making the claim it was done for the betterment of mankind.
History has shown that claims of superiority over all others is a fool’s game. Romans and the Roman body politic thought itself to be a superior people with superior ideals long before the collapse of the empire.
Secondly, Coffman obviously did not misspeak in bringing up the President’s birthplace. The guy is an idiotic birther who was told to walk back his birther claims or risk coming off as a kook. Too late, damage is done.
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“Not American” is conservative codespeak for “he’s not white and he has a funny name so he can’t be one of us.”.’”
Coffman is reported as having said: “…But I do know this, that in his heart, he’s not an American. He’s just not an American…”
My response to that is: “Is this guy a confirmed psychic? I thought that only God could see inside the heart of a person and know what is in there.
Is this guy somehow a reincarnation of the Divine that he can be so absolute in his assessments of another individual?
The qualified apology with the qualifiers was too little too late in my opinion…the words were spoken and probably had their effect on someone somewhere. You know what this is like?
This is like if I were to say to an audience of people somewhere, “I do not know what a Conservative thinks or believes but in my heart I know that none of them are Christians. They are just not Christians!”
If someone were to say something like that, how long do you think they would get away with it before there was a firestorm of complaints and rebuttals?
Same stuff– different day!
Other historical figures who have claimed exceptionalism are; first that comes to mind is Adolf Hitler, followed by the leaders of the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy, including Hideki Tojo. I believe, judging from his actions, that Napoleon Bonaparte may have thought that he and his country were better than anyone else.
I would prefer to see things considered, when judging the greatness of a country, other than number of nuclear weapons and GDP. We are certainly not the most generous people in the world. Our altruism is outpaced by Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, and Switzerland. That leaves us in 6th place which is no mean position but it isn’t at the top.
Perhaps since our medical care is highly touted we lead the list in lowest rate of infant mortality, No, We dont?
My my, in this category we come in at number 7 and don’t even do as well as Cuba. Tsk, Tsk.
If a country’s greatness is judged by the number of its citizens it puts to death we are close to the top but need to sharpen those needles, get those electric chairs humming and lay in plenty of rope for neck stretching that we might surpass China in that category. The fact that some of the executed have been exonerated later by DNA evidence shouldn’t enter into the picture. After all the world’s top honors for most executions is at stake.
Our highly touted healthcare system is rated number 37 in the world by the WHO (World health Organization, not the rock group). I bet if we all demanded improvements from our national legislators under threat of voting them out of office we might move up a notch or two. Wouldn’t it be marvelous if we could make it up to…say…36th or, dare I dream a bit, 35th?
Too many Republican politicians are focused only on dissing and getting rid of Obama when their priorities should be doing things that benefit the citizens rather than dividing them.
One of my favorite quotes that pretty well covers what I have just said is;
“I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”
~James Baldwin
America is unique. Just like every other country.
These attacks on the/OUR president are glaring examples of the fact that the republicans have nothing. No fresh ideas, no plans to improve the economy, no reason to be in a position of leadership. So they fall back on old attacks that didn’t work the first time around. The only new things that I see from them are the attacks on women and the poor and their children and on preventing likely democrats from voting. All in all they look desperate and pathetic.
All in all, dinamic, they ARE desperate and pathetic — and sore losers!
I think when someone uses the word “exceptional” when they refer to America, it’s just another form of white supremacy – those who like to preach America exceptionalism only want credit for what white people have done.
Barack Obama is the most exceptional president since John F Kennedy. The problem with conservatives seeing that is the fact that he’s black, meaning he is excluded from America exceptionalism, same thing if a gay person or an Hispanic person does something great, or exceptional, that doesn’t count, not in America.
If America is exceptional, it’s in its people sense of independence and some times it’s just our vanity that makes us so exceptional. And, that old piece of wisdom should apply: Pride comes before a fall.