"Bush sees the evil as out there in the wider world, residing in people who 'hate freedom'. Look at his immediate response to the pictures of prisoner abuse; this is not what Americans do, these are not our values"

In this quote, thinker Peter Singer critiques then-President George W. Bush's viewpoint on the nature of wicked and American identity, especially in the context of the early 2000s worldwide political climate. Singer addresses Bush's dichotomous worldview, where he views evil as an external force, residing outside the United States, in those who basically oppose American principles, especially flexibility. This perspective suggests a binary moral structure where the United States represents righteousness and virtue, while evil is embodied by external foes, often simplified as those who "dislike freedom."

Vocalist highlights this viewpoint through Bush's reaction to the notorious detainee abuse scandals, most likely describing incidents like those at Abu Ghraib prison. Bush's characterization of such abuses as un-American-- that they are alien to "our worths"-- serves to distance the U.S. from ethical failings by associating them to anomalies rather than systemic problems. This shows an objection to completely acknowledge or address domestic flaws, therefore maintaining an idealized national self-image that is uniformly aligned with justice and high ethical requirements.

By referencing Bush's instant termination of these abuses as unrepresentative, Singer indirectly critiques this simple attribution of ethical stopping working exclusively to foreign entities. It recommends a lack of introspection and accountability for actions by Americans that contradict stated worths. Singer suggests the requirement for a more nuanced understanding of ethical obligation that does not exclusively task misbehavior onto external forces however acknowledges and corrects failures within. This reflects broader philosophical debates about nationalism, ethical relativism, and universal values, challenging the audience to consider the complicated interplay of actions, identity, and morality on both personal and nationwide levels.

Overall, Singer's critique raises questions about the sustainability and sincerity of a worldview that absolves oneself from internal review by externalizing evil, pressing for a more reflective and morally constant approach to nationwide and worldwide conduct.