In the middle of the night last night, the thunder waked me and I began to think of the cannons of the American Revolution. The cannons came to mind because Mike and I have just finished watching an HBO rental, John Adams starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney. It was a wonderful love story that depicted John and Abigail Adams, a loving couple who combined their gifting for 54 years. The series of seven sessions was rich in portraying not only Adams, but the other framers of our Constitution, Jefferson, Washington and a delightful Franklin played by Tom Wilkinson. It was wonderful to see the passion that those men had as they were given a vision for our country. Most people know that they soberly signed their names on the Declaration of Independence because it was to be a death sentence if the war had not been won.
When I started dating Mike (and making my mind up about him) back in the late 60's, he had blue eyes and black hair and a yellow Delmont Oldsmobile. And on the front of that car was a license plate that embarrassed me. It said "America the Beautiful, Love it or Leave It". It wasn't that I disagreed philosophically with the statement, but it seemed to me that there was something show-off about being an uber-patriot. Boy, that plate would put a bullseye on the old Delmont now, wouldn't it?
What makes a patriot? As we watched John Adams, that thought was on my mind a lot. I loved how honestly these framers were shown in all their human frailty. Adams was completely convinced of his beliefs to the point of being socially abrasive. Washington's humility defined him. Benjamin Franklin was saucy as he deftly "worked" his image with the French. It was neat that although Jefferson and Adams were patriots with differing political party expressions of their love of country...they clashed politically and hurt one another deeply...but came back together in reconciliation toward the end of their lives because of their deep admiration for one another. You may remember that when our nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of her birth on July 4th, 1826, the last surviving signers, Jefferson and Adams, passed away within hours of one another.
I wish everyone could see such living history about the beginnings of our country. Do people have a full appreciation for what has been given us if they do not know about it? I learned a lot about how those early patriots shed blood for what has been handed to you and I. And now we have come full circle. Forrest Gump would say our liberty is biting us in the buttocks. America began as a sparkling jewel that shined throughout the world brighter than anything man could dream before or since...but now has been pulled and pushed and gouged by men's ambition for power and position and greed until freedom has morphed into a disfiguration of our blessing.
Mike and I are big movie people. Last week we stood in line to buy tickets to the new Russell Crowe flick. I struck up a conversation with two ladies in line in front of us and asked what they were going to see. "Obsessed", they replied. That was a new one to me! Now I find that it is a black Fatal Attraction-type movie starring Beyonce. That made me wonder if the ladies would ever go to see John Adams and where their view of patriotism had been formed. Had they dismissed the founding fathers because they were from another culture? Doesn't appreciation develop after understanding? Our country is increasingly divided on parallel tracks today into two Americas. Was that the original intent? Think with me of the last verse of "America the Beautiful"...
Oh, beautiful, for patriot dream that sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God mend thine every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law.
Yes, Lord, and start with ME!
"I will refine them and test them." Jeremiah 9:6
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