George Washington referred to America as a great experiment, and today we might call this thing a mashup. We start the 4th of July with hamburgers and churros and kielbasa and end it with red, white, and blue fireworks launched to the tune of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture.
Our flag made from the colors of Britain, which we overthrew, with stars representing American states. Our system of law is an Enlightenment reformulation of British law, which was built on Roman law, plus 244 years of our own patches addressing inequities ancient and modern.
I’m very optimistic about the future of America. While the press has always profited from division which they themselves sow, there is a very long history of grievances and crises leading to lasting improvements.
I don’t believe that American exceptionalism is a lucky coincidence, but rather a result of an electoral democracy with the strongest freedoms and checks and balances that have ever existed and endured anywhere at scale.
* A lot of folks think Tchaikovsky’s overture has something to do with America’s War of 1812. Actually it commemorates the Czar Alexander’s defense of Russia against Napoleon!
Happy 4th of July!
Happy 4th of July!
