Having lived and worked in a number of other countries I think what  
makes the US different, and yes better, is that we recognize that all  
is not perfect in our society. We are still, after almost 200 years  
as a nation, a work in progress. While many other countries feel free  
to point out our warts, they seldom look at what needs improvement in  
their own societies. It is unlikely that any society will ever  
achieve "perfection", but as long as we keep plugging we are that  
much closer.

James Brothers, RPA
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On May 12, 2007, at 8:20, Henry Wiencek wrote:

> The issues with the Jamestown commemoration arise because we have  
> lived so
> long in a cocoon of myth.  The bedrock of our national myth has  
> been that we
> were born in a state of innocence.  It's the foundation of our  
> notion that
> we are a good people, uniquely virtuous and blessed.  It's the  
> concept of
> American exceptionalism.  This gives us our optimism and our sense of
> justice.  We are a funny people -- we want to be rich and powerful and
> perfectly innocent all at once.  I don't think anyone has managed that
> throughout human history.  Sustaining that core belief in American  
> innocence
> has required a good bit of denial, not just about slavery and what  
> was done
> to the Native Americans, but a lot of things. (Mormons are on the  
> hot seat
> at the moment because their innocent origins have been called into  
> question
> by the PBS documentary that brought up the Mountain Meadows  
> Massacre. You
> can find that discussion on H-SHEAR.)  Lots of new information  
> about our
> past is just now being recovered, and we're all still processing  
> it.  So
> there's controversy -- no surprise.  The big question is -- will  
> the weather
> be good this weekend at Jamestown?
>
> Henry Wiencek
> Charlottesville