The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

by Andrew L. Seidel

The Weemsian myth is disrespectful, particularly when one understands how Washington worked ceaselessly to perfect his own character, because the fable reflects Weems’s character, not Washington’s. As W. W. Abbot, another editor of Washington’s papers, explains, “More than most, Washington’s biography is the story of a man constructing himself.”28 Washington worked tirelessly to better himself. He woke early, studied etiquette and sought to improve his own manners, deliberately mastered elegant penmanship, fastidiously attended to his personal appearance, and carefully weighed options before deciding. He personified measured self-control, silence, and thoughtful deliberation, though he was apparently a sight to behold when he lost his temper. The character Weems portrays is a shade. Those who would honor Washington ought to condemn these myths and remember what Abigail Adams said on his death: “Simple truth is his best, his greatest eulogy.”29