Cultural and ethnic studies. Dry-humping for the lord
The term American exceptionalism does not mean that the United States is unique. American exceptionalism is a belief that the US follows A path of history different from the norms and laws that govern other countries.[1] American exceptionalism is an ideology and a structural tendency of democracy in United States institutions and moral behaviours.
In the following day Dallas morning news, a close-in photo of A-bort appears on the front page. First, Billy notices a mistake in the name A-bort, he knows well that his fellow Bravos will adopt the name Brandon or bran-dunn on him forever. Furthermore, A-bort is addressing a quiver of microphones at a post-press-conference. A form of American exceptionalism appears when three cheerleaders surround him. Billy notices that A-borts close up photo is just a quarter of the image; the three cheerleaders smiley faces take over the remaining three-quarter of the picture. A-bort faces unseen people with microphones. Billy also notices how happy A-bort looks, Billy knows that A-bort looks older than him. Billy is anxious that A-bort manages an ecstatic smile despite the age difference portrayed by the image; he attributes the glamour as a blessing of being born in the United States at a certain point in time.
At the moment of taking the photo, Billy notices that he has his whole hands full, he knows that each cheerleader assigns three ladies to every soldier as soon as the Bravos step out of the stage. American exceptionalism is seen through the girls dressing; the author points out that The girls are genuinely beautiful with their pancakes makeup, Billy feels that even a man with a migraine would feel restored among the girls.
The girls’ bodies are firm as steel- betted radials; they have thickets of fragrant hair and palmable little butts and Alpine crevasses of dazzling cleavage into which a man could fall and never to be heard or seen again. The girls have tender feeling bodies that evoke Billy. Billy has an overwhelming feeling of saying how he loves the girls, needs them, and they should marry him (Fountain). Candace’s boobs are fake and seem like conventional warheads punching out from her chest, where else Lexis and Alicia boobs are soft, flexible and well-shaped.
Also, typical American exceptionalism appears when Billy asks how Candace feels about his speech up the stage. Candace notes that Billy’s address was precise and on to the point. However, Alicia points out the constant questions from reporters which she feels are rude to some extent. Besides, Lexis advises that one has to be careful around the media. Moreover, the cheerleader’s photographer dashes towards them, barking and showing no sensibility towards his subjects.
The girls also portray a sense of American exceptionalism. The girls tell Billy about their adventure during a USO tour in the Middle East with stops in Bagdad, Mosul, Kirkuk. They also talk about a volunteer foray in Ramadi where their black hawk almost catches fire. Alicia wonders how Billy and his team manage to play in the Middle East; she talks about how hard life is with dry sand and wind. Moreover, she talks about how dirty Iraqis huts are and even suggests that Jesus might have been living in the shelters.
American exceptionalism reveals on several occasions in this book; first, the use of cheerleaders in entertaining guests and their mode of dressing: the annoying media and the girls perspective towards life in the Middle East also indicate American exceptionalism.
Works Cited
Fountain, Ben. Lynns long Halftime Walk. New York: HarperCollins, 2012.
[1] Tyrell Ian, The Week, (2016).