I try to view the liberal "this isn't us" and "wow, this is just like [other country]" as a sign of progress because it means that not only do they acknowledge it's bad, they are trying to form a national identity that explicitly rejects these values.

It's far from perfect, but it's a lot better than condoning it.

Most? Well that's a nice claim. I wonder if it's true. Kinda think not. Kinda think passiveness was more common.

What's the argument here? Is it that America has always been that? YES, WE KNOW, WE WANT THAT TO CHANGE.