No True Scotsman

History proves that no civilization or culture gets away scot-free.

America is sliding toward something it has never been, of that there is no question, but America, as it exists as a concept, one sealed in the words of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and even as it exists in practice today, is still the world’s foremost bastion of freedom and individual liberty.

America made many mistakes along the way in getting here – but America is not alone in those mistakes. Slavery was common in the world until the industrial revolution in the new “First World” rendered it obsolete. Two hundred fifty years ago, oppression, tyranny and monarchy were the order of the day, the self-rule of democracy and republicanism were not.

It seems in order to try to execute America for its historical “crimes”, one must make the assumption that any other culture would have made the same progress as America, sans all the baggage of expunged institutions of slavery, systematic oppression, tyranny and dictatorship. At least that would seem to be the claim – America isn’t bad due to what it has become, America is bad because she is continually compared to some imaginary standard, unknown other than in myth.

Where is the evidence that any culture could have evolved into a Utopian America without error?

Where is the evidence that Native American, Aztec, Inca, African, Moorish, Asian or even European collectivists would have done better?

Just who are this legion of perfect souls who never stumbled on their way from past to present and where are they?

That race is part of culture I can do nothing about, so this is probably going to be seen as racist – but it is really just a commentary on civilizations and the cultures inhabiting them.

To pick an theoretical example, one could posit the #blacklivesmatter movement thinks America is bad because their culture (however that is defined – most of what blacks believe about African culture is myth) would have done better – but African tribes were the ones selling weaker tribes into slavery. As a matter of fact, slavery still exists on the African continent, as does systematic oppression, tyranny and dictatorship.

Today, Native American, Incan and Mayan cultures are viewed through the soft-focused lens of romantic primitivism - despite evidence of territorial wars, slavery, torture, kidnapping, rape, human sacrifice, cannibalism and even genocide (the Iroquois confederacy completely exterminated the Huron). The Comanche were recognized as the most violent and bloodthirsty of all American Indian tribes.

These tribes were overwhelmed by superior cultures.

In other parts of the world, other cultures were conquered by superior civilizations. It is not something that began in 1492.

The historical truth is there is no evidence any culture other than the one we have could have produced America. For all its faults, our civilization and culture is self-repairing, and within the limits of human nature, recognizing faults and finding ways within itself to remedy them.

History can only be witnessed in the rearview mirror. Most, if not all, protesters are viewing America through historical hindsight and the “No True Scotsman” fallacy.

While hindsight is always 20/20, history is never apparent to those currently making and moving through it – yet those who oppose American values will emphatically tell you that their culture would never make this or that mistake – not true Scotsman would ever do that.

One could comfortably state that, yes, they would make those mistakes – and as a matter of fact, did make them, and incidentally are still making them today.

Winston Churchill famously said:

“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…”

America is like that. America is the worst country in history, except for all the other countries that have existed from time to time.

And that is something of which we should be proud.

America is worth saving.