1/ On today's episode of "History Matters (...and so does coffee!), I discussed how July 4th has ALWAYS been a day infused with celebration AND conflict, w/"declarations" about values met & unmet.
Even the original signing of the Declaration was infused with conflict & distrust.
Even the original signing of the Declaration was infused with conflict & distrust.
2/ In his old age, ex-President John Adams was asked repeatedly about the "glorious" Founding, & always replied that it wasn't so blindly glorious.
They made mistakes.
They made poor choices.
The Founders weren't a united band of like-minded heroes.
They made mistakes.
They made poor choices.
The Founders weren't a united band of like-minded heroes.
3/ Regarding the signing of the Declaration of Independence--signed OTD, July 2, 1776--Adams told one starry-eyed correspondent that he had watched members of the 2nd Continental Congress, one-by-one, sign the Declaration, & could see that many were unhappy to be signing it.
4/ I make this point on the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to make an important point re: how we understand our history.
Even the Founders didn't see the Founding as golden perfection.
As Adams said more than once, the struggles & mistakes matter.
Even the Founders didn't see the Founding as golden perfection.
As Adams said more than once, the struggles & mistakes matter.
5/ Attempts to mask or hide failures, failings, & crimes in our history do a dire injustice to our national history & nation
They ignore the struggles & failures of our very real past.
And in doing so, they mask & hide the many ways in which we can & must be better than we are.
They ignore the struggles & failures of our very real past.
And in doing so, they mask & hide the many ways in which we can & must be better than we are.
6/ A full, deep, and mature understanding of our history requires a full awareness of our mistakes and failures.
In the struggle is the striving.
In the striving is the chance for positive change.
In the chance for positive change is our future -- if we work for it.
In the struggle is the striving.
In the striving is the chance for positive change.
In the chance for positive change is our future -- if we work for it.
7/ Let us commemorate July 4th 2021 w/full awareness of our tangled, conflicted past--& present.
Let us truly SEE the contingency of the now.
Let us know that we're enmeshed in a dire struggle to save democracy.
Let us know that--as ever--we can & must work for positive change
Let us truly SEE the contingency of the now.
Let us know that we're enmeshed in a dire struggle to save democracy.
Let us know that--as ever--we can & must work for positive change
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
