America250 Celebrates And Inspires Our Strong Heart And The Enduring American Ideal

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America250America250 is approaching fast. Can you feel it—that pulse of pride beating louder throughout our nation? Are you ready?

This July 4, as you stand beneath the sky, oohing and aahing at the bombs bursting in the air above, you also stand on the cusp of a patriotic milestone. It’s one that you share with every other true American. It’s a strength that has carried our nation for nearly 250 years. All of us have it. Or should. Do you?

Remember your childhood years when you first experienced the anticipation, excitement, and ultimate joy of Independence Day? Sure, the food was great. The weather was (usually) great. But there was something greater gnawing at your soul. What made everyone so happy? Where did this universal spirit come from? How and when, you wondered, will your parents, teachers, or anyone else finally reveal this secret to you?

As you held the twinkling sparkler in your soft, young hands, you didn’t know the Founding Fathers lit a spark in 1776 that burns as brightly today as it did then.

It’s not about battles. It’s not about speeches. It’s about us. Fireworks are fun, but they don’t reveal the heart of America’s strength. It’s a flame deep inside, kindled long ago, that remains blazing within us all.

If only we are allowed to feel it, dream it, and live it.

America250 Celebrates the Founders’ Flame in Every Heart

It’s likely been a while since you opened your old elementary school textbooks, if you still have them. They might be old and musty, but the lessons within them shine as brightly as the new dawn. Indeed, they reveal that first light that birthed our nation.

Others (mostly those thoughtful thinkers who hung out at 18th-century European salons) would call it by various names. First, they snubbed “The American Experiment.” Then they contemplated “The American Ideal.” Finally, they conceded to “American Exceptionalism.”

In case you missed it, they were talking about you.

Sure, you weren’t around back then. Heck, there’s a good chance, like me, your family was still living in one of those snotty (yet poor) European countries. But you’re here now, so you’re part of a bigger family. You share a legacy that begins on a hot summer day in July 1776.

Imagine yourself sitting in the uncomfortably humid Philadelphia State House. The flickering candlelight glows softly in the dark hall. The voices within, however, are anything but soft. The air hums with defiance.

Steaming with tension, the delegates understand the risks they are about to take. Just being there puts their very lives in danger. So powerful, so merciless is the British Crown that Ben Franklin sums up the proceedings with his famous quip, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Still, these brave men argue and debate. Their tone oscillates between heated roars and speculative murmurs. Nonetheless, the quills scratched away until the Declaration of Independence took its final form: We hold these truths to be self-evident…

Here’s the thing about the Declaration of Independence and why we continue to cherish it nearly a quarter of a millennium since Thomas Jefferson applied that final ink to parchment. It never represented a war plan. The Founding Fathers didn’t intend it for that purpose. Instead, they saw it as a vision of self-governance.

The Declaration, though it emerged from a cauldron of intense pressure, wasn’t about fighting. It wasn’t about all those eloquent words, either. No, it memorialized a bold ideal, something never before expressed with such vigor.

Most importantly, the flame it lit wasn’t just for a single rebellion at that moment in time. Its fire has glowed in the hearts of all in a way that transcends time.

America250: True Power Comes from Ideals, Not Actions

After centuries of ‘modern,’ bloody revolutions, especially in the post-Marxist world, the American Revolution seems hardly revolutionary. And yet, it was. Perhaps a more radical revolution than we think. And one that has allowed us to reach heights never imagined by anyone living before 1776.

Why? But to truly understand why this Revolution remains so extraordinary, we turn to one of the nation’s leading historians. Gordon Wood, Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University, is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Radicalism of the American Revolution. He explains clearly what makes the American Revolution stand out and what makes it resonate with us today.

First, unlike what popular literature cites as the primary reason for revolution (and what you might remember about the root cause of the French Revolution), the American Revolution did not arise because of class disparity. Wood writes, “the social conditions that generally are supposed to lie behind all revolutions—poverty and economic deprivation—were not present in colonial America. …in destroying monarchy and establishing republics [the Founding Fathers] were changing their society as well as their governments, and they knew it.”

On its face, except for not having a king, the structure of the new American government contained many elements of the old colonial governments. Sure, there were popular elections, but the titles and duties were very similar. But something was different. And it was big. Wood observes, “One class did not overthrow another; the poor did not supplant the rich. But social relationships—the way people connected one to another—were changed, and decisively so. By the early years of the nineteenth century the Revolution had created a society fundamentally different from the colonial society of the eighteenth century. It was in fact a new society unlike any that had ever existed anywhere in the world.”

Okay. Sounds impressive, right? But Wood wants to remind you of the context under which this occurred. “[T]his astonishing transformation took place without industrialization, without urbanization, without railroads, without the aid of any of the great forces we usually involve to explain ‘modernization.’ It was that Revolution that was crucial to this transformation. It was the Revolution, more than any other single event, that made America into the most liberal, democratic, and modern nation in the world.”

There are some today who prefer to see only the imperfections of America. It’s as if they demand a god-like perfection from mankind. There was a time when these thoughts would have been heretical. Thanks to the consequences of the American Revolution, we can freely think these thoughts. It doesn’t mean they’re right. It just means we have the right to express them.

Wood, however, reminds us, “To focus, as we are today apt to do, on what the Revolution did not accomplish—highlighting and lamenting its failure to abolish slavery and change fundamentally the lot of women—is to miss the great significance of what it did accomplish; indeed, the Revolution made possible the anti-slavery and women’s rights movements of the nineteenth century and in fact all our current egalitarian thinking.”

Renewing Our Strength for the Next 250 Years

Funny how actions fade, but ideals last forever. That’s the sign of an enduring event. Sooner or later, we forget the significance of any action, whether it represents failure or heroism. Once sparked, ideals ignite generation after generation. We can look past any action, but our loyalty to the ideals of truth, justice, and the American Way strengthens with every passing year. Where actions stumble, ideals stand tall.

Wood says, “[The American Revolution] was one of the greatest revolutions the world has known, a momentous upheaval that not only fundamentally altered the character of American society but decisively affected the course of subsequent history.”

He concludes, “The Revolution did not merely create a political and legal environment conducive to economic expansion; it also released powerful popular entrepreneurial and commercial energies that few realized existed and transformed the economic landscape of the country. In short, the Revolution was the most radical and most far-reaching event in American history.”

And that history is there, inside you. The heart that beat for liberty in 1776 still beats within you today. Let it beat strong. Let it beat free. Let it carry America forward.

This is the story Gordon Wood tells brilliantly. Read his book The Radicalism of the American Revolution.

The Force of 1776 Enlightens Graduates Choosing New Paths

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1776 Enlightenment

This is a high-resolution image of the United States Declaration of Independence. This image is a version of the 1823 William Stone facsimile — Stone may well have used a wet pressing process (that removed ink from the original document onto a contact sheet for the purpose of making the engraving). via Wikimedia Commons

To the Class of 2025: Congratulations, you’ve just inherited the most powerful force in human history! As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, let us also honor your passage into self-determination. Like our Founding Fathers in 1776, Enlightenment principles guide you.

Of course, you might not think the Enlightenment is particularly relevant today, or to you personally. The dazzling philosophy that once sparked revolutions seems dated by today’s standards. However, your enlightenment is real, very personal, and no less profound.

Consider those graduating with you. The moment you share isn’t just about the diploma a school administrator hands you. It’s about the door that’s opening to reveal a brilliant light, beaming with a sudden surge of knowledge, freedom, and potential.

Sound familiar? It should.

The Light Side of 1776 Enlightenment

If you see why America’s 250th excites us, you’ll recognize the same ideals that powered our Continue Reading “The Force of 1776 Enlightens Graduates Choosing New Paths”

Media Literacy Will Destroy Civilization

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A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, the idea of bringing computers into classrooms emerged as a real possibility. More than a possibility, it presented a strong controversy. “The kids lack the media literacy to judge what is real and what is make believe,” cried concerned citizens.

This was back in the 1990s. I was on what was then called the HF-L Technology Committee because of my computer background (and also because, as Town Board school liaison, I had to be on some committee). Today, those complaints seem naïve. And they were. But not for reasons you think.

It turns out secondary school students aren’t the only perpetrators of media illiteracy. We all Continue Reading “Media Literacy Will Destroy Civilization”

Lafayette On The Folly Of Tolerance

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James Madison served as the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817, immediately preceding James Monroe. History textbooks refer to him as the “Father of the Constitution” as he acted as the driving force in drafting both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

A short three years prior to that seminal event, Madison traveled from Baltimore to Fort Stanwix to negotiate with the Iroquois Confederacy. Accompanying him was a young French general and a protégé of George Washington. That would be the Marquis de Lafayette.

This chance meeting formed what would become a lifelong bond between the two men. Very early on, Madison recognized Lafayette’s affinity with the American Indians, as well as Continue Reading “Lafayette On The Folly Of Tolerance”

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Overview Of His 1824-1825 American Visit (Part I)

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Previous: Why Lafayette?

“The spirits of the defenders of the American liberty are visiting him during his passage, the genu protectors of America drive away the storms,” Moreau and Dubouloz (1825). Source: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

When Lafayette arrived at the harbor in New York, he came with two traveling companions. They would remain with him for the entire journey. During this excursion, they would witness and experience the raw emotion of the reunion between old friends.

The most prominent of Lafayette’s party was his son, Georges Washington Louis Gilbert de La Fayette. Contemporary American newspaper accounts refer to him as “George Washington Lafayette.” This makes sense, given the patriotic zeal that enveloped the country.

Lafayette’s son was born on Christmas Eve 1779. This was the year Lafayette was Continue Reading “Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: Overview Of His 1824-1825 American Visit (Part I)”

‘How Do I Know I’m Truly Free?’ What’s Your Answer?

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The last glowing embers of July Fourth fireworks float gently down from soaring heights. Satisfied with your annual exhaustion of “oohs” and “aahs,” you lean back to relax comfortably in your chair. Friendly conversation renews and life goes on.

But do you ever wonder about what went into that independence you so enthusiastically celebrate? What are its vital elements? More importantly, how do you know those ingredients haven’t passed their expiration date?

It begins with freedom. Or does it begin with liberty?

Thomas Jefferson doesn’t even use the word “freedom” in his Declaration of Independence. He does refer to “Free and Independent States” twice and to “free people” once. Of course, the one time he uses the word “liberty,” Jefferson gives it top billing in his phrase “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

This latter triumvirate of terms goes back to classic times (see “How to Live the Good Life with No Regrets,” Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, August 25, 2022). Aristotle said the Continue Reading “‘How Do I Know I’m Truly Free?’ What’s Your Answer?”

How Far Do Private Property Rights Go?

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Photo by J. Amill Santiago on UnsplashMany see Thomas Jefferson’s iconic “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” as having derived directly from Aristotle’s “Life, Liberty, and Eudaimonia.” For those of you not familiar with Greek, eudaimonia literally translates to the state or condition of “good spirit.” It represents the combination of the eu (meaning good) with daimon (meaning spirit).

Aristotle used the term in his Nicomachean Ethics, his tome devoted to the “science of happiness.” As a result, we commonly equate eudaimonia with happiness. Aristotle was all about living the good life, and by “good life” Aristotle alludes to a morality of higher Continue Reading “How Far Do Private Property Rights Go?”

How To Declare Independence And Start Pursuing Your Happiness

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Many folks think Thomas Jefferson “borrowed” the phrase “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” from John Locke. The 17th Century British philosopher and physician famously wrote, in the unsigned Second Treatise Concerning Civil Government, that government exists to protect one’s life, liberty, and property. Sounds awfully similar to the words used by our Founding Father nearly ninety years later.

Significantly, Locke’s focus on personal “property” breaks from the sense of Thomas Hobbes. In his 1651 treatise Leviathan, Hobbes paints a sovereign-centric ideal. In this “social contract,” citizens cede personal freedoms to the ruler in exchange for protection. Without such protection, the contract is invalidated.

Bear in mind, Hobbes wrote this while in exile during the English Civil War between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. He rejected Aristotle’s premise that man is driven by Continue Reading “How To Declare Independence And Start Pursuing Your Happiness”

Condemned to Repeat It: This 200+ Year Old Concept Rises Again in 2020

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“Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
– George Santayana in his 1905 series, The Life of Reason: the Phases of Human Progress.

It’s not new. It’s been with us since George Washington ended his second term as President. You might have heard it ended once and for all during the nadir of the American experiment.

But it’s still here. And for all its association with evil, the worst of our proud heritage, people continue to embrace it like a badge of honor.

Yet, it began with such promise…

No one ever questioned George Washington. He’s our first and probably last Continue Reading “Condemned to Repeat It: This 200+ Year Old Concept Rises Again in 2020”

The Liberty of the Ad Lib

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Did you see what I did there?

“Liberty”…

“Ad Lib”…

Get it?

OK. I have to admit. It is a bit of a stretch. At least from a literal standpoint. The “lib” of “ad lib” doesn’t stand for “liberty.” It’s actually the short form of the Latin phrase ad libitum.

Ad libitum literally translates to “at one’s pleasure.” There’s no “liberty” in it at all. Our word “liberty” derives from the Latin word liber. In Latin, liber and libitum mean two different, albeit not wholly unrelated, things.

The Latin liber means “free” or “unrestricted.” You can easily see how we get “liberty” from Continue Reading “The Liberty of the Ad Lib”

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