Unite or Die

Been watching the HBO miniseries on our second president -- it's interesting stuff for sure. The rivalries and contentions between the different state delegates, Jefferson and Hamilton and other countries aplenty.

Paul Giamatti does a pretty good job of portraying Adams, if we are to believe that Adams was a hangdog wine aficionado promoter of liberty.

Watching these men who are now known as 'founding fathers' struggle with the questions of independence is pretty compelling. In the most recent installment, the French Revolution is a source of some trepidation for President George Washington and his advisors. Jefferson sees all revolutions as one and the same -- that a fledgling America is brothers in arms with the French (plus he loves that sweet French ass). But Alexander Hamilton, that anglocentric bastard, thinks the US should remain neutral so as not to piss off the Brits.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -Jefferson

Adams is kind of a mediator. Level-headed and straightforward, carefully considering everything when it comes to America. Unfortunately this devotion does not extend to his family, which mostly gets left behind and neglected while he's off building a new country. Isn't that always the way.

Laura Linney is really good too as Adams' wife Abigail. She serves as his moral compass with progressively more elaborate hairstyles. It's interesting to see how different gender roles were back then. At one point Abigail even says she would be out in front of the revolution if she were a man.

All in all, kudos to this miniseries for allowing us to look back at a time when America was just beginning. Gives some interesting perspective on life today. Like how we don't have to worry about smallpox and interstate travel is cheap and fast.