Oceans of ink are being spilt as the nation (and the world) collectively pats itself on the back. It is fitting and proper that we do, of course, but Americans being Americans, we’ll manage to carry it too far in about 48 hours, I fear.

I have nothing profound or zippy, or anything to compete with all those clever writers, and I won’t try. But I do have this asterisk, this one small piece of history rattling around in the back of my head. Continue reading


























