On Sunday, November 16, the latest Ken Burns documentary, “The American Revolution” will premiere on PBS. After 9 years in production, Burns considers this his most consequential public-spirited program ever. It’s vision of America is an ongoing moral experiment, defined by Enlightenment ideas and values that inspired the Revolution: reason, civic duty, truth and shared humanity. These ideals contrast with the Trump brand values of dominance, loyalty to the leader and his view of democracy as transactional and populist. For Trump, power is validated by personal loyalty and electoral victory, not civic virtue; he conflates democracy with his own authority and sees checks and balances as obstacles.
What will Trump think of this new documentary that portrays the American Revolution as a moral awakening about freedom and equality? Will Trump criticize it as “woke” and full of “divisive narratives”, since Burns does identify some flaws of our founders. Or maybe he will recognize how deeply patriotic and inspiring it is. However, for Burns patriotism means “critical love” (e.g. facing hard truths about America to make it better) and dissent is a core Revolutionary principle, whereas Trump believes patriotism means “unquestioned loyalty” (e.g. defending America’s greatness against critics) and dissent is disloyal and un-American.
Washington and Trump on Civility
When George Washington was 12, he copied by hand segments of “The Rules of Civility…” The first rule stated, “Every action done in company ought to be done with some sign of respect…”, and the second rule said, “Speak not injurious words, neither in jest nor earnest…”. These are examples of the early lessons which contributed to Washington’s strength of character and leadership that made him so indispensable. Contrast this with Trump’s leadership principles and lack of self-control, where he often threatens the press and demeans immigrants, religious groups, military heroes and political opponents with reckless abandon (e.g. calling Kamala Harris “mentally impaired” and his shameful treatment of President Zelensky last February).
Trump’s vulgarity and dishonesty provide permission for his team to conduct similar behavior. Recently the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told Fox News that “the Democratic Party’s main constituency is made up Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals”. Imagine the impression left on the younger Gen Z generation, who are growing up during the Trump era, including the January 6 insurrection, political violence and the unending vitriol on social media.
Noteworthy Reactions
In the Trumpian framework, doubt is weakness; for Burns, doubt is wisdom. Trump’s disdain for institutional constraints and his cult-of-personality style has not gone unnoticed by respected leaders.
- Ken Burns is aware of the current divisiveness in America and how this epic documentary might contradict the authoritarian style of Trump. Recently Burns said “I hope ‘The American Revolution’ can help us remember where we came from and put us back together again, regardless of the politics.”
- Former Supreme Court justice, Anthony Kennedy laments this “indecency” of public discourse, writing: “It is degrading to see elected officials shout epithets on national television. Perhaps those who bring vulgarity to our nation may not have a true psychosis of narcissism, but by their conduct they display the same elements as those with that affliction.”
- The recent Veteran’s Day inspired stories about the gratitude around the world for American commitment to ensure the cause of liberty around the world. There are 14 permanent overseas military cemeteries set aside for World War II dead, an emotional reminder of shared sacrifice. Locals visit, bringing flowers to say “thanks, U.S.A.”, remembering how America was an essential force for good. But the pervasive optimism about the American experiment is no longer certain with Trump’s “America First” stance and his threats to leave NATO.
“The American Revolution” is about the birth of self-governance and moral responsibility, not just national power, and will emphasize the very democratic ideals that Trump’s political style has consistently eroded. His brand thrives on emotion over reason, loyalty over law, and spectacle over substance.
