Should Americans Believe in a Unique American 'Mission'?

Paper Type:  Argumentative essay
Pages:  3
Wordcount:  652 Words
Date:  2022-05-26

Wilfred M. McClay asserts that Americans should believe in the unique American "mission." He believes in the founding narrative of America myth that assists to hold together and to sustain diverse people living in the United States. On the other hand, Howard Zinn says no to believe in a unique American "mission." He argues that the American mission only claims about the country's exceptionalism that only justifies the imperialism, brutality, and lawlessness.

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The word mission refers to the job or task which someone is expected to do. American mission is much complicated and t is not only one individual who is assigned to attain the mission but everyone in America. American mission can be interpreted as being the American dream that can then be interpreted in several different ways . The primary argument by Zinn is that individuals utilize the mission as a way of justifying imperialism, lawlessness, and brutality. This statement is not true since there is nothing which may explain the actions of a person. Every individual has choices and what they prefer choosing whether wrong or right depends on the person. The belief that the America mission does not compel anyone to do anything changes what founding fathers had interpreted its meaning hence people should take responsibility.

Just like the belief by McClay, I believe that the Americans must believe in a unique American mission. The American mission can be compared to the American dream. The dream is seen to have a positive connotation of the word mission as it seems to be strict and adequately structured. People in America require having something that they believe hence remembering the mission of America may keep individuals on the right move. Believing in the American mission means the practice of upholding the dream by founders. The unique mission comprises of how America should be as well as making people understand that they have the responsibility of building the country to become that dream. Believing in a unique mission does not only make people maintain the right path that leads people in the building of America to become the reality of the dream of the founding fathers, but it also provides people with hope . The exceptionalism principle of America has been accepted by many countries in the world. Usually, hope makes people believe that there is still something right around the globe and people still have the chance of occupying that good thing. Therefore, believing in the unique mission of America means that people are willing to strive for better and greatness. Many people from various states across the world want to live in America. As a result of having a unique mission, people have been set up on the mighty and high pedestal of living in America. One of the reasons why America exceptionalism is viewed is that the American government normally consider it's exempt from moral and legal standards. To keep this kind of perception and attain other countries expectation across the world, Americans should stay true while believing in the country's unique mission.

Bibliography

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Campbell, Neil, and Alasdair Kean. American cultural studies: an introduction to American culture. Routledge, 2016.

Carter, A. "The Myth of American Exceptionalism." (2015).

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Levine, Peter. We are the ones we have been waiting for: The promise of civic renewal in America. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Spring, Joel. Political Agendas for Education: From Make America Great Again to Stronger Together. Taylor & Francis, 2017.

Tomes, Robert R. "American exceptionalism in the twenty-first century." Survival 56, no. 1 (2014): 27-50.

Wilde, Oscar. Impressions of America. BoD-Books on Demand, 2018.

Zinn, Howard. "The Power And The Glory: Myths Of American Exceptionalism." Boston Review. 2005.

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Should Americans Believe in a Unique American 'Mission'?. (2022, May 26). Retrieved from https://proessays.net/essays/should-americans-believe-in-a-unique-american-mission

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