What does this idea of American Exceptionalism mean?

Americans should not be so in love with our idea of "American Exceptionalism" when justifying our role in interventions to the rest of the world's cultures and nations. Such belief aAmericans should not be so in love with our idea of "American Exceptionalism" when justifying our role in interventions to the rest of the world's cultures and nations. Such belief and thinking by some of our leaders does not empower us to take any and all actions to impose our idea of democracy and a free society. Americans have done a vast number of good and even great things, maybe because we benefited from freedom and were able to have the security of the two oceans between us and Europe and Asia. But our Nation's growth was built in no small part on the institution of slavery, Indian removal, exploitation of Chinese immigrant labor, anti-Semitism, and general anti-immigrant bias by a large segment of our society, monopolies, and oligarchs. The members of the American's successful, predominantly "white, anglo-saxon, Protestants" who fought their way to immense wealth, influence, and political and economic power, have been the men and women who have shaped what the world perceives as the world "last best hope for humanity." Ideally, America represents hope and opportunity for immigrants. If Americans believe want the right to be a force and presence for freedom and democracy, then our actions should always be to take the high road internationally, to use diplomacy to build coalitions, and build allies with our confidence and restraint. The amount of bombs and bullets/rockets/missiles that we have expended over Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Syria, is staggering over these thirty plus years starting with Desert Storm 1992-93. The regions have no viable governments or prospect to achieve any stability. The tragedy is compounded and magnified by the loss in American dead, wounded/maimed, and psychological injured that will be with us for generations.