GUESS OUR HISTORY TEACHERS WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG

On this 150th anniversary of our Civil War, one of the words that may come to mind is "exceptionalism." We hear it a lot these days. Especially about America. Some like the sound of it; others question it; and anyone who's not American will likely take exception to it.

There have always been exceptional children, exceptional adults, even exceptional nations like China, Persia, Greece and Rome. However, it seems in most cases these people and these nations simply and smugly took the idea for granted. America may be the first to strut the idea like a badge of honor.

There was an inkling of our exceptionalism from the very start, as immigrants from around the world came here to start something new and exceptional. The Founding Fathers certainly thought we were exceptional, and Lincoln eloquently spelled that out during the Civil War with his Gettysburg Address. Later, Woodrow Wilson did the same when he took us into WWI "to make the world safe for democracy" (especially our brand) .

But truth be known, most Americans simply and smugly took our exceptionalism for granted until WWII. We knew damn well it was true, but enjoyed keeping it to ourselves here safely behind our two ocean walls. Then came the glory and the burden of a stunning world victory.

By 1945 Americans found themselves the greatest super-power in history. King of the road, perched in the catbird seat. The ravaged planet lay before us for the taking. And take it we did. Not like other empires before us, we took it with the role of benefactors. We would be history's first benevolent empire whose role was to keep the peace, save the people, and incidentally do it all for the benefit of our very exceptional economy.

What American could argue? Living through the next 50 years was to enjoy the American Century. Oh, there was a Cold War, but our armies and cars and GNP were the biggest and best the world had ever seen. Why...? Well, because our American exceptionalism had ordained this day would come. After all, it was our national destiny ever since we sent the Red Coats packing back to London in 1783.

Now here's where historians get the last laugh with their favorite golden rule: "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Every exception in history has been met by honors to its face, but rivals at its back. To use one of our own exceptional illustrations: In every frontier town there is the "fastest gun;" feared and deferred to by everyone he meets, yet doomed to forever walk the dusty streets knowing some day there will be an even faster gun looking to take his place.

Some of our post-WWII presidents have loved the role of gunslinger. One or two have instead hoped for the day America could at last put away its gun belt. Spend more quality time with the gang at the corner saloon. But that hope calls for a courage few gunslingers have ever known....