"American Character" Review: Keeping the American Spirit Alive

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while know exactly who I’m referring to when I say “my rock.”

If you’re new to my blog, my rock is the man who got me through September 11th and any number of other tragedies this country has faced. The one and only Tom Brokaw.

So when Brokaw speaks I listen. And next week he has something to say about the American character during our current economic crisis in his new special, “American Character Along Highway 50.” Brokaw visits with everyday people along the highway, which stretches 3000 miles from Maryland to California, to see how they’re coping in today’s tough times.

Though the overall message of the special is that the American spirit endures no matter what, not every story is an uplifting one. In fact, most of them aren’t. There are stories that will make you angry, ones that will make you cry, and ones that will make you want to pick up the phone and scream at your Congressman.

But that’s the point of the special—to show the real effect of these difficult times. Watching a young Ohio mother of a child with cerebral palsy dealing with the prospect of losing her health insurance is tough to watch. But it’s something we all need to see.

The special is beautifully produced with great use of music (including Green Day, Moby and Black Eyed Peas). And you can’t ever go wrong on any journey with the strong and steady voice of Brokaw leading your way. My only complaint is that the special isn’t long enough.

As I said, the special is hard to watch at times. But in the end, when you see these struggling people still fighting the good fight, you can’t help but feel better about our country.

I wouldn’t expect anything less from my rock…

“Tom Brokaw Presents: American Character Along Highway 50” premieres Monday, January 18th at 8 p.m. on USA…

Photo Credit: Whitney Curtis/USA