American exceptionalism was noted as far back as Alexis de Tocqueville in the early 19th Century. It was often assumed that it meant that America was better than other countries but it really meant that America was different. For many years I made the argument that we were exceptional, and better, because we tended to have self selected to come here. So by definition, in the margin, we were more adventurous and less risk adverse than the people who stayed at home. I still think that that is true but being on the Grand Jury has made me add a caveat.

It might be that we also have the other extreme. Perhaps a significant portion of our population is made up of the misfits, the bull headed, the ones who want to cause trouble and the ones who had more passion and less good sense. I am speculating but it might have been more common than we want to admit that getting young Noah out of Brighton ahead of the constable was important. And the best available option might have been for Uncle Steve to pay for his passage to America.

Its Saturday so I’m thinking out loud.