Anyone reading the Bridge for the last few weeks might conclude that the 250th anniversary is about DEI, LGBTQ+, or BIPOC issues. Whatever happened to the American Revolution? Instead of focusing on what makes us all different, we should try to understand the legacy we all share: the revolution which spawned a form of government that has long remained a beacon, while other governments fall into chaos — causing their citizens to flee toward us. We should remind ourselves of the founders, and how they compromised and joined together based on their common identity as Americans.
While we increasingly de-emphasize our identity as Americans and focus instead on putting physical or cultural identities first, we are increasingly losing our ability to sustain the government we inherited; instead, we are squandering it. At the 250th we have a special opportunity as caretakers of Concord history to bring people together to learn about, and have renewed pride for, the beginning of the civil society that we share as Americans. I hope this is our priority.
The 250th is an opportunity for Concordians to take the time to gain appreciation for the fragile society which we must work together to maintain. As you prepare for the 250th, consider refreshing your understanding of the legacy of the revolution by taking the time to read books such as “The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams,” “The Minutemen and their World,” and “Democracy in America.”
Neil Rasmussen
Estabrook Road