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Newt 2012

"Callista Gingrich discusses the importance of American Exceptionalism" +
  2:43 web video from Jan. 16, 2012.

[Music] Callista Gingrich: American Exceptionalism has been at the heart of our nation's experience for nearly 400 years, but the term American Exceptionalism is often misunderstood.  We are currently in a great debate over whether America is an exceptional nation or whether we are just another country.  It's up to us to decide which version of America our children will learn about and believe in.  Our understanding and appreciation of what we are as a nation determines our policies, our values and whether or not we teach our children that we are a special nation.  But American Exceptionalism is not a matter of arrogance; it's a recognition that we are a unique nation based on individual liberty, dignity and personal responsibility.

As for me, everything I know about the history of our country and our core values has led me to believe that we are an exceptional nation and people.  Growing up in Whitehall, Wisconsin, an all-American midwestern town, it was impossible not to be instilled with a sense of patriotism.  As a young person, I was surrounded by people who believed in the greatness of America and were unapologetic about those beliefs.

The source of American Exceptionalism is displayed in a single document, the Declaration of Independence.  The key in this document is our Founding Fathers' assertion that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights, rights that no government can take away.  It is this assertion, that our rights come from God, that makes America truly exceptional.

When we know who we are as Americans the way forward to defending and advancing the cause of freedom becomes increasingly clear.  It is my prayer that together we may work to ensure that liberty and freedom prevail and that America remains an exceptional nation.

Notes: Lots and lots of stock imagery.