“America is not like this.”

“We’re not a third world country.”

This is just some of the language we have heard about the shocking scenes we saw at the US Capitol building.

But the truth is this. American exceptionalism is the issue. It fuels US imperialism, which is, in many ways foundational to white supremacy.

The US got a taste of the kind of disorder that their intervention fuels abroad.

Following the events on January 6 when white supremacists stormed the US Capitol building, many American journalists and political figures tweeted and attempted to rationalise the debacle.

The comparison of what took place in the US to ‘third world’ countries was nothing short of American exceptionalism in action.

By comparing the US to ‘third world countries’, mainstream media glossed over the terrorism that the US has exhibited throughout the world, under the guises of soft power and democracy. 

It’s also important to note that the label of ‘third world countries’ is demeaning.

If ‘third world’ means political instability and economic volatility, then America checks all of those boxes – with a dash of racial diversity.

What do they really mean when they say ‘third world’ ?

When political commentators and pundits say ‘third world,’ what they really should say is countries that have been ravaged by the ills of Western imperialist countries.

They overtake and they forcefully intervene. They do it abroad, and with a white supremacist for a leader, I expected nothing less than the sort of chaos we all bore witness to, though I must say they quite outdid themselves. Oh, and using “first world” countries as the barometer for decency is despicable.

Many of these Americans are aiming to convince the rest of the world that the US losing their influence leads to destruction, when in reality – this isn’t the case.

Let us consider for a moment, countries such as Yemen and Palestine that have been bombed for years. Let us consider how Western intevention contributed to Patrice Lumumba’s murder.

It is degrading to compare America’s domestic terrorism issue to ‘third world’ countries.

The attempt to rationalise these events is inherently violent and negates the impact that the US government has had on global affairs for centuries.

Slave trade? Western imperialism?

They should talk less of “functioning democracy” or “soft power” as they seek to rationalise the US government’s contribution to destruction overseas and the constant terrorism across the world.

President-elect Joe Biden expressed “how sickening and heartbreaking these events were.”

But what would he say about the invasion of Iraq, supported by the US and UK, which resulted in mass violence against civilians by their military.

The same country that spends $750bn on defence in order to have the most powerful military in the world allowed domestic terrorists to storm the Capitol.

Unfortunately, American exceptionalism is unfortunately thriving. The country will most likely maintain their soft power and cultural influence despite their poor international reputation.

But the multilateral nature of the world means American hegemony is crumbling.

This global power shift is liberating to watch, given how profoundly American terrorism has affected the world.

NOTE: We have to mention that Donald Trump had now condemned the Capitol attack, and conceded to President elect Joe Biden.