The Greatest American Hero

It would give me great pleasure to reintroduce you all to a man that, typically, would need no reintroduction. Though you may know his name as well as your own you might be surprised at his modest nature if you ever had the pleasure of knowing him. So I've read. You may have carried around his likeness for years (although a little less these days, huh?) as his image has been virtually burned into our memory with little or no knowledge of who he truly was as a man. We do know his titles. Farmer. Soldier. General. And, of course, President.

George Washington, despite his notoriety and fame even in his day, was considered even more dynamic because of his intellect, his experience and the reverence with which he carried those merits around with him.

By all accounts, in his later years, when Washington entered a room, there was an immediate buzz followed by venerable silence as he made his way through the hushed crowds towards his seat or table. One can only imagine the difference it would be today as his arrival might be met with screaming hysterics, rock star adulation and frantic chases to snap a cellphone picture or grab an autograph to upload on the latest Facebook page to show the world how they just rubbed elbows with greatness. All, really, to assume they look great, too.

So much noise. So much celebrity. Such wasted moments.

Is it even possible to imagine what an experience that would be if you were able to thrust yourself back in time and witness not just our most adored Founding Father walking into the room…but rather the atmosphere of respect he was met with…in all it’s quietude. What a lesson in humility we all could learn.

But this image we see on the dollar bill nearly every day, the same one we saw in our history books as schoolchildren, is not the image we would have seen walking into that room. Before the advent of photography, before we could count on exacting images, the world relied on the accuracy of artists. But as most of us know by know…art is very subjective. Often crafted and displayed with exaggerated “licenses” allowing for so many different renditions of the same person, place or thing. And since the winners typically write the history books it is also the winners who choose how that history is portrayed. You see, air brushing is not a new phenomena, it just existed in other forms. Paintings portraying subjects in a much better light and form were commonplace while those who lost were demonized even further in their grotesque characterizations. Although these results were achieved through art we can’t fool ourselves into believing these tactics don’t exist today…they do. Just in different forms. And they come in rapid fire images, sound bites and false accusations. A far cry from the original town hall meetings, which bear little resemblance to John McCain’s preferred forum.

In 1785 George Washington allowed the only clay mask to be taken of his face by French artist Jean Antoine Houdon and it is from that mask (shown at left when Washington was 53) as well as hundreds of descriptions written about him from those days that modern sculptors were able to craft perhaps the most accurate likeness ever created of our most prestigious Founder and first President of the United States. This newly crafted piece of art (shown at right) is on display in the museum in Mt. Vernon, VA, the longtime home of the Greatest American.

We can only take the symbolism at face value here (pun intended). The face we’ve known all our life turns out to be quite different from the original. The man we thought we knew we would not even notice walking down the street and thus it comes to light that the America we thought we knew suffers a similar mistaken identity.

Excusing the obvious advancements in industry and technology over 200+ years does anyone think that Washington would recognize our modern America? Would he be proud? For a man who was unanimously hand-picked by every leading and civic-minded colonial dignitary, despite having some contradictory views from their own as well as Washington's own voiced reservations, he came out of retirement to honor the wishes of his countrymen and answer what he saw was his calling - to lead this newly formed union. So, if he were able to travel that same time bending bolt, would he be able to stomach the current political atmosphere of character assassinations and the win-at-all-costs mentality that are today’s electoral campaigns?

This country stands for so many great things. I have no doubt there would be much for President Washington to be proud of when assessing this modern America. While the Constitution, a document he helped to craft, remains an integral part of our governing institution he would likely be overwhelmed with the sheer size and magnitude of this nation and its population. How his heart would swell that this republic still retains its core principals of local government and how his hard fought struggle in enforcing a separation of powers has protected that Constitution for over 200 years. He would marvel at the unequivocal generosity of the American people whose charitable donations are double that of any other industrialized nation.

But...

I do not stand alone in my assumption that there would be much for this man to be appalled at, as well. I envision him taking us to task at how we’ve allowed so much integrity to vanish from nearly every facet of our lives. How much of a breakdown has occurred from a sociological standpoint that was once this country’s greatest asset. From oppression to freedom, Washington understood the responsibilities that come with new found liberty. And there are many responsibilities. But we’ve become that spoiled child that every one of us chastises, as we’re so quick to point out what is wrong with other peoples houses before tending to our own. We are a nation of excuse makers. It may very well be what our founding father feared when he said, “Mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government.”

As our nation observes this 7th anniversary of 9/11/2001, a day that would have scarred even a founding father as it did us, a presidential election looms with such vitriol and petty grievances flying through the air that it’s no wonder the average American would rather turn a blind eye to the politics of the day. But despite the mudslinging from both sides, regardless of how we feel about either candidate, the truth is that one of them will be elected president in less than two months. It is our civic duty to understand as much as we can so that the electoral process, this nations most valuable freedom, can emanate to show the world that a nation founded on liberty can work. Washington and his fellow colonists fought, bled and many died for the freedom we enjoy today. I won't pretend to know everything about the issues, nor will I proclaim that I've done everything I can to be a good citizen. I am, after all, human. A man, a husband and a father with modern problems, pains and joys. I couldn't begin to imagine what the stakes were like in Washington's day...when the ante was either "join or die". But, I've learned enough to know that I do have a say. As a nation we've become accustomed to so many modes of immediate gratification. But progress and change on a societal level is slow and measured...and we don't know how to deal with that anymore.

In colonial days, only a white male, owning 50 acres of unimproved land, or 25 acres of improved land, belonging to the established Christian church, could vote. That was it. No minorities, Catholics, Baptists, Quakers or women. He usually traveled several days by horse or foot to the states central polling city to cast his ballot and a majority of those eligible showed up…on every election day. Today you simply need three things: Established citizenship, be 18 years of age or older and be legally registered to vote. You can belong to any church, be any color and any gender, male, female or both. For the last 40 years only 54% of eligible voters show up for a presidential election. A PRESIDENTIAL election! I picture a very dignified Washington sitting old and silent, suppressing the lump in his throat.

You want to spread democracy around the world? You don’t need to conquer it. Simply show the world how a democracy works. Vote.