Jefferson in Benghazi

For 40 years, under Muammar Qaddafi's dictatorship, it was dangerous for Libyans even to have a conversation about what kind of country they wanted to live in. Now, in the eastern cities that have freed themselves from Qaddafi's grip, specifically Benghazi, something important is happening. An entire society is trying to define its political identity. Here, Malinowski emphasizes that this process could still end tragically--but it has begun mostly well, and it deserves greater attention. He also shares here his eight-hour drive to this rebels' de facto capital of Benghazi, where he denotes the metaphoric existence of Thomas Jefferson in the upheaval scenery of the place.