Embracing exceptionalism

Although Nick Adams originally hails from Australia, he is an outspoken champion for these United States of America. He is the executive director of the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness (FLAG), which focuses on putting American patriotism back into public schools by reinstituing civics courses. He wants Americans to recognize how lucky they are to be Americans, and he is dedicated to preserving our nation’s future.

“I love America, and I came here for the American dream,” he says. “And I want to make sure it doesn’t turn out like the country I left.”

So, in the eyes of this transplanted patriot, what is exceptional about America? “It’s the only country that’s not just a country,” Adams explains. “It’s an idea, an ideal, a value system.” In fact, the values and virtues of this country—historically and even presently—are different from any other nation or culture over the past 5000 years. “America is about individualism, not collectivism. God, not government. Faith, not secularism.”

America stands for equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. Every citizen has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—this is equality of opportunity. “Equality of outcome, however, denies opportunity and squelches innovation and incentive,” he says. “Sadly, this is the direction many in our nation are heading.”

In his book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville noted that the true genius of America is their ability to repair their faults. Our nation has an uncanny propensity to redirect and make corrections from the cultural propensity. Even Winston Churchill recognized that America always does the right thing…after exhausting every other option. Adams agrees. “Historically, America has wandered but always comes back—and with interest. Every time freedom has been shoved off in the corner of the room, we’ve emerged stronger than ever.”

There is no denying that we are in a significant culture war today, which is adversely affecting America’s ability to achieve our potential. Although still the greatest country in the world, America can be even better. So, how significant is the 2020 election?

“People need to understand the seminal moment we’re in,” Adams says. “We can embrace and revitalize the American dream, or we can devolve into what I call the European nightmare, where churches are transformed into nightclubs, moral clarity is absent, and Islam is in the ascendancy.” This is not the definite future of America, but it is possible if certain decisions are made this year at the voting booth.

“We have to understand the magnitude of this election year,” Adams stresses. “America is freedom’s colosseum—freedom is going live or perish on this soil, because the rest of the world is too far gone. The pages of the history books yet to be written will reflect the actions that we determine to take in 2020 and beyond.” //