idea of indiidual rights that transcends the particnlarihes of allrncnltiircs. Since tliese rights are the same for all indi idnalsrnenerhere in the world, the United States is said to be the firstrniniixersalist nation in histor. A "univcrsalist nation" is, ofrncourse, an owmoron, as is its leftist connterpart, the "nuilticnlturalrnnation." Yet . . .