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THEY AIN’T SAINTS

Radio and television talk-show host Glenn Beck and his ilk forever are attempting to confer sainthood upon those gentlemen who were foremost in the founding of the United States of America. Of course, they were judicious, sagacious, learned, intelligent and visionary. The fact that they possessed these qualities generally is accepted as an article of faith. What irks me is the fact that other identifiers possessed by these gentlemen so frequently (and conveniently) go unmentioned. The pity is that it is mainly these sotto voce characteristics that have caused dissension, travail, death and destruction in our national life – from the time of John Hancock’s flourish up to the present day! Let us review them:

·       Racism - From the time the Europeans began to settle these newly discovered lands, they had no intention of sharing them fairly with the people who already occupied them. In the case of our Founders, the man they selected to be the first chief executive had gained much of his military reputation by slaughtering the inhabitants of the lands we now claim as our own. They either bought, sold and held in permanent bondage people torn from another continent and cruelly transported to these shores or lent tacit approval thereto. It is significant that all of these put-upon people were denigrated because of the  difference in epidermis.

·       Elitism -  Although this supposedly was one of the things which irked them about the British, even among their own race, the Founders restricted participation on government to those who owned property. They also practiced bonded servitude with those of their own kind.

·       Male Domination – Not only were women prohibited from engaging in politics, in all other public pursuits they were non-persons. Abigail Adams, who was a constant adviser and confident of  her husband John, always (and futilely) exhorted him to do what he could “for the ladies.”

·       Hypocrisy – It is notable that, in the beautiful poetry used in the document  which separated us from the British Crown, the portion that alludes to equality and freedom among the human creatures of this earth was rendered moot before the ink dried upon the parchment.

So, I say to Mr. Beck and those of like mind, while singing the praises of the Founders on one hand, do not forget the other hand. It is that other hand which has caused us most of our grief.

Yes, the Founders were terrific, but they ain’t no saints!