I finally finished watching 'The American Revolution'. It is quite long at 12 hours. A few days ago I thought I could say I finished it but I actually fell asleep throught most of the last part which is where everything comes together. So I watched it again the last couple of days. You have to go through an intellectual marathon to really watch it, but a good Ken Burn's documentary narrarated by Peter Coyote makes it a bearable and mostly a pleasant experience.
The War and it's sad events becomes a backdrop to the writing of the Constitution. The real Genius is the writing of that U.S. Constitution and the ensuing Bill of Rights. The founding fathers redefined Government. Gov comes by consent of the people. And then we go into the so-called 'American Experiment' which asks the question of if a people can be governed of themselves without Kings and Queens. That's the big thing that I learned and the narration on the different battles and the imperfections of the American Revolution and the imperfections of its leaders lent a backdrop to the yearnings of this American Experiment.
I'm descended from the loyalists on my Grandfather's side and about 30 minutes to the end the documentary mentions loyalists escaping to Jamaica and the Bahamas. And then a little later mention is also given in the same context for the Bahamas. But though I'm descended from them, I'm on America's side.
George Washington also stood out for me. He was a slave-owner along with Jefferson and imperfect, but at the same time there was a definite greatness to him even in his facial appearance. The King of England finally hailed him as being the great man of his age.
There was really not much politics as some claim. There was a Warning of a tyrant who could mess up the U.S. Constitution, but to be fair they could have put that into the documentary even if Trump wasn't around.
Yes, parts of it were boring, but they were also true. 'America Magazine' had a critical view of the documentary saying they forgot to mention the Catholic stories. But I see now a Catholic spin on the whole Church because why is that Jesuit magazine called 'America Magazine' if not to try and bring the 'American Experiment' into the Catholic Church?
And yet isn't that what Synodality is all about? The Synodal path is indeed very much in line with "the American Experiment", but not in a radical fashion where there are no leaders, but rather that the power does indeed come from the bottom and rises to the top. I guess it's how you interpret it because some interpretations are not conducive to Catholic doctrine.
Of course every American should watch this documentary. It's perhaps a reminder or maybe a revelation or a realization to know where they even are. What America even is. And since America is a Signpost and Vanguard of Liberty and Freedom, yes, everyone around the world should watch the Documentary, which makes clear that this call for Liberty and Freedom is only the beginning. Imagine that.
The French Revolution I believe is contrasted to the American Revolution. The French Revolution was a disaster. They threw God out of modern society. They did away with Kings, but also the past and all privileges. And it was a disaster. The American Revolution birthed a Stable and Strong Republic. Neither really did away with Kings, but the American Experiment sharply subdues the concept for the sake of the conglomerate of the people who always in the end have the real power.
Saint Joseph Seen with his Flowering Staff, which is Held by the Christ Child, Guercino (1591–1666) My Patron for 2025 was St. Jude, who is...
