Enlightenment - and slavery. And the ethnic cleansing of the natives.
Americans from the very beginning started playing on words - "all men are equal, but women aren't men, natives aren't citizens, and negros aren't even humans"
Absolutely, but they reject those things now, by following the Enlightenment principles - except for the people attacking the Enlightenment institutions, who are embracing these old prejudices and hatred and oppression.
Americans from the very beginning started playing on words - "all men are equal, but women aren't men, natives aren't citizens, and negros aren't even humans"