We have also had a slavery based economy with unspeakable cruelty and concentration camps (though not death camps, to America's credit...) for Japanese Americans during WWII. In more modern times we have additional examples of atrocities, many of them ongoing. If you look outside of the boarders the picture becomes even worse.
Nevertheless, the myth of the benevolent American government persists. Somehow historical atrocities, (relatively) small scale modern domestic atrocities, and atrocities that do not take place within the borders do not count. Current American government being good seems to be axiomatic to a disturbing portion of American citizens. It is assumed that our government is good and from that assumption explanations for everything are developed.
A frightfully common misconception. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history#United_Sta...
We have also had a slavery based economy with unspeakable cruelty and concentration camps (though not death camps, to America's credit...) for Japanese Americans during WWII. In more modern times we have additional examples of atrocities, many of them ongoing. If you look outside of the boarders the picture becomes even worse.
Nevertheless, the myth of the benevolent American government persists. Somehow historical atrocities, (relatively) small scale modern domestic atrocities, and atrocities that do not take place within the borders do not count. Current American government being good seems to be axiomatic to a disturbing portion of American citizens. It is assumed that our government is good and from that assumption explanations for everything are developed.