Author’s Note: This excerpt is from my weekly “Top of Mind” email, which goes out to subscribers every Thursday. This particular edition was sent on September 19, 2024. It is crossposted here in observance of Presidents Day, honoring George Washington’s pivotal role in securing American independence. For more content like this and to receive the full newsletter each week, sign up on the Minding the Campus homepage. Simply go to the right side of the page, look for “SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, ‘TOP OF MIND,’” and enter your name and email.
I write to you from across the pond, where I’ve taken a moment to chill out and embrace my alter ego—a British journalist.
I’ve just indulged in the latest installment of Minding the Campus’s American Revolution series, and naturally, I found myself reflecting on how our beloved colonies—er, former colonies—decided to take a rather cheeky turn with their Suffolk Resolves back in the late 18th century. For those not up on their colonial history, it was essentially Massachusetts’ first formal break-up letter to the Crown.
Now, our American friends like to boast about how they came out on top, but over here, we might see things a bit differently. After all, dissent and unruly speech are handled with care these days. The Crown Prosecution Service has issued stern warnings about promoting hate speech, while the government kindly reminds us to “think before [we] post” online. Law enforcement is keeping a sharp eye on social media for anything that could offend someone or incite an unpleasant row. After all, what sort of civil society allows people to openly hurt each other’s feelings by saying precisely what’s on their minds? No, no. We’re far too polite for that over here.
[RELATED: The American Revolution Series]
Perhaps the colonists should have thought twice before tossing our tea into the harbor and drafting those lofty unalienable rights. Did they truly expect the world’s most powerful empire to sit idly by while they brazenly thumbed their noses at it?
Still, I must hand it to the writers of this rather engaging series—Keith Whitaker, Peter Wood, David Randall, and that Jared Gould fellow—they sure know how to spin a tale. Their recounting of the fight for independence makes it hard to not want to be an American. And, fine, yes, they did win the whole thing. Good thing, too, I suppose—seeing as we needed their help against that pesky authoritarian in the 1940s. Hitler, was it? Yes, that’s the one.
So, maybe it is cool to be American after all, but that’s all I’ll say about the matter—I don’t want to be arrested by the Crown.
However, I’ll be keeping up with the series I suppose. I’m told more essays are in the pipeline, and naturally, I’ve signed up for their American Revolution emails. Wouldn’t want to miss a single edition.
Cheerio!
Art by Beck & Stone
