It goes without saying that the 1776 Commission doesn’t deal honestly or in depth about the causes of the American Revolution (see below).
But my view is most liberals don’t either. The genesis of the Revolution is mostly glossed over by both left and right.
But my view is most liberals don’t either. The genesis of the Revolution is mostly glossed over by both left and right.
Maybe at most you get something about taxes or the lack of representation in Parliament, but then you swiftly move on to ‘we’re now independent and drafting a constitution.’ But the Revolution’s roots bear looking at - because they can be pretty dark.
And for that darkness, you need look no further than the litany of complaints in the Declaration of Independence itself. To wit:
https://twitter.com/mcpli/status/1279408637732106245
The reality is that American colonists’ desire to drive Native tribes off reserved Crown lands and to ensure that Parliament never abolished or interfered with slavery were key drivers of independence.
Which is not to say ours is a bad country. Not at all. But a more honest telling of its origin story would help us move beyond a belief in its uniqueness that sometimes limits our ability to see and operate in the world.
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