Hi jt,
Well this is certainly true: "only in America could the grandson of a cook for the British army in Africa grow up to be president of the United States."
On the other hand, I think it is a kind of mythology to claim that stories of this type don't happen in other countries: for instance, Margaret Thatcher, the UK's first woman PM, was the daughter of a humble shopkeeper; Sonia Gandhi is from a little village in Northern Italy and she was offered the Presidency of India on the death of her husband.
This isn't to say the US is a worse place than other ones. But I still don't understand the need to assert a kind of superior magic for this country. Indeed, I think it is the source of many of the mistakes the US has made in the recent past.
Be equal with others and celebrate yourselves without recourse to comparison. It's a good thing that Obama's story is what it is. But it is not a better thing. I love my country is fine. My country is better than yours is obnoxious.
Speaking of the UK - I am not convinced by the argument that the weakness which was exposed was about economics. I think it was about culture and values, or rather, the lack thereof. Many of these kids were simply opportunistic and lawless. The thing that was encouraging was the parents turning their children over - demanding they do the right thing and 'fess up to their moment of madness. And the local people who spontaneously cleaned up their own streets the next day. That way is the path back to order and civic virtue.
Just found this, which describes the response: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/david-lammy-prejudices-of-the-few-eclipsed-by-civic-pride-2337446.html
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