—I learned in American History to associate the Founding Fathers with the most basic political values. Democracy. A free country. Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Religion. Freedom of the Press. Tolerance. Fair trials. Due process. Prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.—
But these weren’t the values that were applied to loyalists. Indeed, the Revolution wasn’t even democratic: almost as many Americans fought for the British as against them, and only about a third of the population actually affirmatively supported the Revolution. After it was over, the repercussions for loyalists were brutal. The American Revolution actually resulted in more emigres than the French Revolution.
So, basically, you learned revisionist history.
I don’t think OBL is justified, or even quite sane. But I agree that he draws his strength from the appeal of a people who are affected by a force (the U.S.) over which they have no democratic control. Of course, given that OBL isn’t much a democrat, he sort of undercuts his own arguments.
These political values which fortunately exist in the USA today were put in place by the Founders, as you well know. So, it’s proper and normal to associate these values with the Founders.
That’s your opinion of OBL’s appeal, but where’s your evidence? It sounds like your starting point might be that the US is wrong.