"Does America Suffer From Low Self- Esteem?"

Last week Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote a New York Times op-ed denouncing the concept of American exceptionalism as 'dangerous'.

Fine and dandy. He's entitled to his opinion.

The real issue is not what Putin thinks of us, but what we think of ourselves. Lately, it seems America has lost her mojo, or at the very least suffered a drop in her national self-esteem. Suddenly, American exceptionalism is being mistaken for conceit or arrogance--especially by those who have not been taught American history.

Our exceptionalism is not rooted (as so many seem to believe) in our military might, our standard of living or our superpower status (with the implication that the rules don't apply to us and we are therefore entitled to be the world's bullies).

We are exceptional because:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."--United States Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

We are exceptional because we are free.

If our national self-esteem has taken a nose dive, it's because many Americans have traded freedom for free stuff.

According to a Fox News poll, 74% think Americans rely too heavily on the government and not enough on themselves. According to CNNMoney: more than one in three Americans lived in households that received Medicaid, food stamps, or housing assistance last year and that number is even higher today.

And is it any wonder when we have House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) saying in regards to Obamacare:

"We see it as an entrepreneurial bill, a bill that says to someone, if you want to be creative and be a musician or whatever, you can leave your work, focus on your talent, your skill, your passion, your aspirations, because you will have health care. You don't have to be job-locked."

Really? (Let's forget we just read that, and move on, shall we?)

Is Vladimir Putin correct? Should we denounce the concept of American exceptionalism as dangerous? Only if we no longer hold:

"...these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." 

This is the foundation of our exceptionalism. If we want to keep it, we must remember, recite, repeat (as necessary). The real danger lies in forgetting.

We are exceptional because we are free. Period. End of story.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."  -- Abraham Lincoln

"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires."  Psalm 37:3

News:

• Drudge Report: Dollar falls to 7 month low as Fed continues pumping money into the system.
• DEBKAfile: Obama softens on nuclear Iran: 'Keep components, just promise not to weaponize them.'
• FNC: US Post Office in "midst of disaster", expecting to lose an additional $6 billion this year after losing $16 billion last year.