Historian Ken Burns used the July Fourth holiday weekend to deliver an unexpectedly optimistic message
He argued that America’s current political divisions are neither unique nor insurmountable despite the nation’s deeply polarized climate
Speaking with MS NOW’s Jonathan Capehart during a special marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Burns urged Americans to view today’s challenges through the broader sweep of U.S. history and warned against what he called “narcissistic Chicken Little” thinking about the country’s future.When asked what gives him the greatest hope for America’s future, Burns looked to the nation’s past, arguing that some of its darkest and most divisive chapters ultimately demonstrate its resilience.
“We were way more divided during the Revolution, way more divided during the Civil War, way more divided in the period after the Civil War, Reconstruction, way more divided during Vietnam,” Burns said.
He argued that Americans too often view the present as the nation’s darkest period, overlooking the far deeper crises the country has endured throughout its history.
“I think we have to stop the kind of narcissistic Chicken Little, ‘Oh, this is the worst time ever,'” Burns said.
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