Here’s what the historical record shows, documented several times over, but for some reason forgotten by Hollywood. First the context: Jefferson was responding to the Militant Islam Barbary Pirates, and by what decree or justification the Barbary nations had in waging war on American merchant ships in the Mediterranean and throughout the oceans of the world. On March 28, 1786, Jefferson wrote a letter to John Jay and the U.S. Congress, articulating what had happened during the meeting between Jefferson and the Ambassador:

The Ambassador [from Tripoli] answered us that it was founded on the Laws of the Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have answered their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners.

That this discussion between the Tripoli Ambassador and Adams, Jefferson and his contemporaries, including Dr. Ben Franklin and Thomas Paine (where the hell is he in the series?), was left out seems a bit problematic. America’s first interface with Islam Militant is some how unimportant to McCullough and Hanks? Otherwise a great series.

Seth Rogen looks like a giant Canadian chia pet. Sorry, just my opinion. Oh, and Crystal, Paul Giamatti is ALWAYS awesome, even when he’s in movies that aren’t. He was “Pig Vomit” in that Howard Stern movie and was awesome and he was in “Singles” as the guy who’s making out with his girlfriend in a cafe…also an awesome, uncredited role. I’m waiting for him to finally give in and play Bill Hicks in a movie. That’d be mega-awesome.