We are giving our staff the day off to celebrate America’s independence with their families and loved ones.
What does the Fourth of July mean to our friends across the pond?
Tomorrow morning, popular humorist Drew Gallagher puts that question to a Brit visiting Fredericksburg for Traitors Day (otherwise known here as Independence Day).
It’s a light-hearted way to begin your Fourth.
Once the giggle die down, we encourage our readers to take in the following extraordinary piece that appeared recently in the Washington Post.
Penned by one of America’s pre-eminent historians, Gordon S. Wood, the column asks: What explains the genius of the American Founders?
In part, he answers the question thus:
America’s revolutionary leaders — by English standards, minor gentry at best — worked hard to adopt the new liberal characteristics that had come to define what it meant to be truly civilized — politeness, taste, sociability, learning, compassion and benevolence — and also what it meant to be good political leaders: an aversion to corruption and courtier-like behavior.
Good food for thought this Independence Day, as we head into a fall that is going to test how much we today value politeness, taste, sociability, learning, compassion, and benevolence.
Happy Fourth from everyone at the Advance. Enjoy Drew’s Thursday morning column, reflect on what has made America what it is, and enjoy a Fourth with those you most love. That’s what we’ll be doing.
We’ll be back on Friday with the high-quality, hard-hitting journalism you’ve come to expect from FXBG Advance.
Sincerely,
Marty
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