Actor Kelsey Grammer has issued a strong warning regarding the state of American education, asserting that citizens who neglect the nation's founding history are vulnerable to manipulation. Speaking on the podcast "Planet Tyrus," Grammer advocated for a significant reform of the educational system and pushed back against those who he feels dismiss the Founding Fathers.
"If you don't know where you come from, you don't know who you are. If you don't know who you are, you can be controlled," Grammer stated, underscoring the need to re-evaluate current educational practices. He recently starred in "Young Washington," a film exploring the life of the first U.S. president before his inauguration, and hosted the Fox Nation series "The Patriot War," which covered key moments of the American Revolution.
Grammer views the nation's past as a foundational blueprint for its future, a perspective he believes is being increasingly disregarded by younger generations. He challenged the notion of dismissing historical figures as merely "old White guys in wigs," highlighting Thomas Jefferson's pivotal role at a young age. "I mean Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote what is arguably the most important political document in the history of man," Grammer noted.
He argued that the American Revolution was driven by radical ideas and a shared vision, rather than identity politics. "It had everything to do with the way you thought and the way you dreamed, and that's all America," he said. Grammer also pointed out that the Founding Fathers did not present America as a perfect entity, but rather as an evolving pursuit of a more perfect union.
Recounting the sacrifices made by the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, Grammer noted that many faced ruin, with some losing family members. He stated that their spirit of resilience in the face of adversity is a quality that still resonates. "They paid the ultimate sacrifice, the ultimate one. And they would probably do it again. And I think that sort of character is what still is in most of us. I believe in America that way," Grammer concluded.