of America in my youth was very wrong. I kind of believed in American exceptionalism, that our belief in freedom made us a bit better. However, I now believe that all countries are more or less the same in composition of people - it is just that some countries are rich and poor, or powerful or weak, making them appear to be more or less civilized.

All countries have that element that wants to follow a demagogue and be told that their problems are someone else's fault, and if allowed to fester, can lead to bad things. I suspect your neighbor falls into that category. We are no better or worse than other countries.