Exceptionalism

Sometimes when I read about life in Saudi Arabia, I am struck by a parrallel with the U.S. Mixing of sexes or being allowed to see a woman's hair does not inevitably lead to rape. There are countless counter-examples to the conservative Saudi world view in the rest of the world. Likewise, there are countless examples of gun control working and government-funded health care providing better coverage at a lower cost in every other developed country. Yet, the people opposed to those policies just won't let themselves see it.