Happy 250th Independence Day

July 4, 2026

I do believe you’ve laid a curse on
North America
A curse that we here now rehearse in
Philadelphia
A second flood, a simple famine
Plagues of locusts everywhere
Or a cataclysmic earthquake
I’d accept with some despair

But no, you sent us Congress
Good God, sir, was that fair?

Happy 250th Independence Day

I’ve always loved this musical. The book and lyrics are woven out of letters and diaries, the real words of the real people who birthed our American project.

We lived for a while in Leesburg, Virginia, which gained its name in the mid-1700s for the Lees of Virginia in general, and Henry Lee III, cousin of this singing Richard Lee. Henry would go on to military fame during the Revolutionary War as Light-Horse Harry Lee.

One of the great things about this piece is that these founders are no solemn statues. No, these are really people, petty, bickering, exasperated…and yet somehow always moving forward anyway. Benjamin Franklin and John Adams are allies trying to move Congress to vote for the Declaration of Independence, but Adams doesn’t even try to hide his exasperation with Franklin’s tricks and shenanigans and even greater exasperation with everyone loving and admiring Franklin anyway: Franklin smote the ground and out sprang—George Washington. Fully grown, and on his horse. Franklin then electrified them with his magnificent lightning rod and the three of them—Franklin, Washington, and the horse—conducted the entire Revolution all by themselves.

Doesn’t sound like statue guys, does it?

Here’s our hope that you have a wonderful, happy Independence Day. We are blessed to live in this place at this time.