Guns and American Exceptionalism
Ever since its founding, the United States has projected an image of being the epitome of freedom and liberty. This idea of American exceptionalism has shaped the world's perception of the United States, but more importantly, it has elevated our sense of self-importance and worth.
We are taught from day one that the United States is an exceptional nation because it espouses the values of liberty and justice for all. Yet, a simple look at American history shows how we have fallen short many times. We choose to ignore these dark spots and revel in the comfort of the self-deluding myth that is American exceptionalism. I am a proud American, but I refuse to believe that exceptionalism was solely reserved for the likes of me.
When we convince ourselves that we are so exceptional, we don’t introspect; we don’t think that we have any room to improve. This is detrimental to the American populace’s ability to fairly consider controversial matters, such as gun safety. The debate around gun availability and regulations extends far beyond the two sides of the political spectrum. For many of us, questioning the validity of guns is to question the Constitution and the Founding Fathers, and in turn, the ideal of American exceptionalism.
This past weekend, thousands of formidable students marched across the nation to protest gun violence. The echoes of their footsteps are strung together in a melody indicative of not only cultural change, but a growth in mindset.
From the Revolutionary War to the World Wars, many view guns as critical to establishing and maintaining the American ideal of liberty for all. This is further emphasized in the Second Amendment, which reads: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Therefore, guns have become more than just a physical object. For many, they are a cultural symbol of America’s most paramount values of patriotism and liberty.
The Second Amendment protects our right to self-defense and upholds personal liberty. The founders probably did not envision that the right to bear arms would one day be so grossly misused. They probably did not envision that one day, the intent of the Second Amendment would be used to peddle war machines in the hands of unstable juveniles, resulting in heartbreaking losses in schools around the nation.
Currently, we are 12 weeks into 2018, and there have already been 17 school shootings where dozens of children have perished. America has the least rigid gun laws out of all the developed countries and the highest gun-related death rates as a result. However, many of us refuse to see other nations as an example to learn from because we view ourselves as morally and culturally superior. American exceptionalism prevents us from seeing the flaws in our gun culture, although we are surrounded by liberated nations with stricter policies. How can we possibly be wrong if we are taught to view ourselves as the best?
Hence, giving up guns means more than just giving up the physical object — it entails giving up our delusion of moral and cultural superiority. It is acknowledging that our pride in being American doesn’t conflict with self-introspection and calls for improvements.
Reforming gun laws definitely isn’t the only way to acknowledge America’s shortcomings. We must also strive to depict historical events accurately in schools in order to enable the American youth to analyze our world with an unbiased eye and to make educated decisions. This past weekend, thousands of formidable students marched across the nation to protest gun violence. The echoes of their footsteps are strung together in a melody indicative of not only cultural change, but a growth in mindset. We understand that the Constitution is a living document, but the drafters intended it to reflect the adapting times. In light of that sentiment, it is now time to demand that the legislation takes away weapons of war from our streets and stops the carnage.