John Adams and Patriotism

I just finished watching the first two episodes of HBO's excellent miniseries, John Adams. From what I've seen so far, I would definitely recommend it. The second episode includes a number of scenes of debates during the Continental Congresses in Philadelphia. It was a strong reminder of just what an astonishing thing it is that the United States exists at all. That the thirteen colonies were able to keep their somewhat fragile alliance together, beat back the British, and eventually forge a unified country is amazing.

There is an episode of the television comedy Sports Night in which the character Dana, who adopts a sophisticate's contempt for Broadway musicals, takes her niece to see The Lion King on Broadway. She loves it. When she returns to her work and tells her boss how wonderful it was, her eyes are shining and she says, "It was like church. I didn't know we could do that. Did you know we could do that?"

I have had moments where I am awestruck by the capacity of individuals and of mankind to do great things. The feeling I get always makes me think of Dana saying, "I didn't know we could do that."

The United States of America is an incredible country. I am lucky and grateful to have been born here. I am sharply critical of a great many things about America, but I still believe that I live in the greatest country that is or ever has been, and I love America fiercely.

John Adams reminds me of what a chancy enterprise the founders were engaged in, and the great risks they took to try, however imperfectly, to build a free republic nearly from scratch. I didn't know we could do that.