The country, Longfellow believed, was worth saving, and retelling the story of Revere’s epic ride was his way of connecting the heroism of America’s founding to the perilous times of the present. “In Boston Harbor, these big sailing ships come in, and what comes off them is soldiers with bayonets clanking, and a writ that says, ‘We get to stay in the barracks of your militia, and if that won’t hold us, we get to stay in your public houses, and if that won’t hold us, we get to stay in your homes,’” Arnn said. As Americans continue our centuries-old struggle over the meaning of self-governance under law—with a large percentage of the belief that our federal government is the remote power trying to overwhelm our private society—Prescott and Arnn’s words are worth keeping in our hearts and minds as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of Patriots’ Day.
Author: Lee Habeeb
Published at: 2025-04-16 21:47:28
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