As I think you know JA is also a big hero of mine.
I am currently reading Nathaniel Phillbrick's Bunker Hill which details the run up to that pivotal battle in MA.
What I find so interesting is the sheer level of political violence (including tarring and feathering) which happened. Burning flags is possibly better than pouring molten tar over suspected transgressors. But there are reasons why violent protest is unlawful as opposed to peaceful protest.
The American Revolution was not a sedate affair. It starts messy and gets even messier when you get to the Carolinas when the Wild Geese really start taking their revenge for being defeated in the Jacobite Rebellion.
The 1619 Project promised much but had many failings --including the failure to show tightening of the manumission laws (some of which were supposed to be protection i.e. you couldn't just free a slave who could not work -- the freedom to starve is not really freedom) and indeed the failure to consider the extent of the illegal importation of slaves after 1804 (a point which is often brushed under the carpet -- the last importation of illegally trafficked Africans was the Clothide in 1860 -- consider the growth in the enslaved population post 1804 when cotton growing really takes off and ask yourself where did all those people come from and if indeed certain Americans have always been willing to smuggle anything and everything to earn a buck)
America is not perfect but when you look around at other countries and their traditional way of doing business, you have to say that it is a huge beacon of hope. Its existence has changed and altered the world for the better.
Despite having lived in the UK since 1988 (and becoming a British citizen in 2018) I do at my core remain proudly an American.
The tears that filled my eyes by the end of your essay felt like a much-needed fresh rain. A baptismal inspired by a mosaic of reverence, hope, grief, loss, anguish, pride, gratitude, appreciation, and dismay. If you had a town square and a bullhorn, more of the succumbed middle would understand. Can you write it as a song?
Thank you Karen! I could barely write it as an essay!!! It took me over a month to gather it all into something somewhat coherent. I’m glad it resonated with you!!
Thoroughly enjoyable.
As I think you know JA is also a big hero of mine.
I am currently reading Nathaniel Phillbrick's Bunker Hill which details the run up to that pivotal battle in MA.
What I find so interesting is the sheer level of political violence (including tarring and feathering) which happened. Burning flags is possibly better than pouring molten tar over suspected transgressors. But there are reasons why violent protest is unlawful as opposed to peaceful protest.
The American Revolution was not a sedate affair. It starts messy and gets even messier when you get to the Carolinas when the Wild Geese really start taking their revenge for being defeated in the Jacobite Rebellion.
The 1619 Project promised much but had many failings --including the failure to show tightening of the manumission laws (some of which were supposed to be protection i.e. you couldn't just free a slave who could not work -- the freedom to starve is not really freedom) and indeed the failure to consider the extent of the illegal importation of slaves after 1804 (a point which is often brushed under the carpet -- the last importation of illegally trafficked Africans was the Clothide in 1860 -- consider the growth in the enslaved population post 1804 when cotton growing really takes off and ask yourself where did all those people come from and if indeed certain Americans have always been willing to smuggle anything and everything to earn a buck)
America is not perfect but when you look around at other countries and their traditional way of doing business, you have to say that it is a huge beacon of hope. Its existence has changed and altered the world for the better.
Despite having lived in the UK since 1988 (and becoming a British citizen in 2018) I do at my core remain proudly an American.
I reblogged you on my stack Jaime!
This piece was excellent and captures the moment really well…
https://open.substack.com/pub/jennyhatch/p/james-beaman-on-being-an-american?r=87fg5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Cheers!
Jen
Thank you dear Jen!
Once again I shared a bit from this post on my Stack yesterday!
https://open.substack.com/pub/healthyfamilies/p/the-music-is-beckoning?r=p6qrn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thanks for being such a sterling example of role prep!
Cheers!
Jen
You sound wonderful!
Excellent and very moving Essay. You should publish! Bravo.
Passionate - brilliant!
The tears that filled my eyes by the end of your essay felt like a much-needed fresh rain. A baptismal inspired by a mosaic of reverence, hope, grief, loss, anguish, pride, gratitude, appreciation, and dismay. If you had a town square and a bullhorn, more of the succumbed middle would understand. Can you write it as a song?
Thank you Karen! I could barely write it as an essay!!! It took me over a month to gather it all into something somewhat coherent. I’m glad it resonated with you!!
Beautiful post, Jamie!!