History is History
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Sunday Paper - January 4th, 2009
Thomas Jefferson once said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and what never will be.” And thus it is here, where we have arrived as a nation, as the result of so many Americans expecting what never was and what never will be and casting their vote for President accordingly. Jefferson was wise enough to know that an autocratic government can bridle its citizens and relinquish their liberties only if ignorance abounds.
“History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” These are the words of David McCullough, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian. The importance of knowing our nation’s history cannot be overstated. We rely on our public school system to communicate America’s rich history and instill the values of democracy and freedom into society. Unfortunately, the public school system is far from fulfilling this objective.
In a paper entitled, “The Failure to Teach U.S. History - A Threat to the Future of Our Free Society,” author Allan C. Brownfeld illustrates just how profound this failure is. He cites a recent survey conducted by Common Core wherein over 50% of American teens were clueless as to when the Civil War was fought and just 75% knew that Christopher Columbus discovered America prior to 1750. Mr. Brownfeld also informs us that the Organization of American Historians has uncovered a trend that began almost 35 years ago. History classes in high schools were being forgotten in favor of such courses as consumer affairs, current events, ethnic studies, and ecology. Also noted, was the dramatic drop in the teaching of congruent coursework in civics and government.
In 2006, the book The New Americans: How the Melting Pot Can Work Again, written by U.S. News and World Report senior writer Michael Barone was published. In the book Barone indicts America’s elitists, contending that in our nation’s schools, American history, culture, and values have been swept under the rug. Barone states:
“Elite Americans … have tended to regard ‘Americanization’ as an uncouth expression of nationalistic pride or a form of bigotry…. Elites came to see Americanization as the unfair subjection of members of other races and cultures. They came to celebrate … an America that would be made up of separate and disparate ‘multicultural’ groups, fenced off in their own communities, entitled to make demands on the larger society, but without any responsibility to assimilate to American mores.”
When American history is being taught, it is done so from such a far left ideology that American students and America as a whole are receiving a disservice. In his new book 48 Liberal Lies About American History, author Larry Schweikart, a historian and Dayton University professor, examined the most popular history textbooks currently being utilized in our colleges and universities. What he found was nothing short of disgraceful. To begin with, time and again America is portrayed as a racist nation. Authors have suggested that President Lincoln’s only motivation for freeing slaves was to strengthen the Union Army troops. Furthermore, in many texts, the Ku Klux Klan seems to be the focal point of study of 20th century America.
In some of the books, the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima is coined as “atomic diplomacy,” clearly implying that the true purpose was not to expedite the surrender of Japan, but rather to intimidate the Soviet Union. Most of the textbooks credit Mikhail Gorbachev, not President Ronald Reagan for ending the Cold War. In addition, instead of pointing out America’s economic success under Reagan (interest rates dropping from double digits to under 1%, increased incomes, and a net of 14 million new jobs) the authors focus more so on the deficits.
Further evidence of this breakdown is depicted most recently in a feature currently running in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The publication is publishing letters written to Barack Obama from area students. From the content of the letters it is quite clear what the children have been taught. The letters ask for more government spending, an end to that “evil” war in Iraq, a cure for “global warming,” and an ushering in of alternative fuels. It is obvious the children have never heard of the separation of powers nor are they aware of the fact that to date there has not been one alternate fuel source more cost effective than oil and fossil fuels. Yet apparently, those at the Post-Gazette are proud of their little, localally indoctrinated sheep.
If government having complete control over our lives is the product of our own ignorance, as Jefferson astutely observed, why then are we depending on and trusting our public schools (which for all intents and purposes are government) to educate us on matters so important as our own history and the values of freedom and democracy. As our government hungers for more size and strength, they prey on the ignorant. We must take it upon ourselves to know the history and values of the United States of America and pass this critical information on to our children and grandchildren. America as we know it and our freedoms hang in the balance. Reading A Patriot’s History of the United States, (another of Larry Schweikart’s books) and loyal reading of RightReborn.com are two steps in the right direction.
Video of Larry Schweikart interview on FOXNews
For Further Reading:
This from NewsBusters.org - December 26th, 2008
This from FrontPageMagazine.com - September 12th, 2008
http://www.frontpagemag.com/ARticles/Read.aspx?GUID=5E907DF1-DC38-4776-920A-B7AED7040889
This from the Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation - April 2nd, 2008
http://www.fgfbooks.com/AllanBrownfeld/Brownfeld40208.html
Jason Watach
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Reader Comments
It is the peragative of the victors to write the history books. In this case we have surrendered our education system to Liberals for two generations, and here is the fruit of that failure.
It is the prerogative of the victors to write the history books. In this case we have surrendered our education system to Liberals for two generations, and here is the fruit of that failure.
It is the duty of parents to monitor/participate in the education of our children. My children come home on a regular basis complaining about “those dang liberal teachers!!” Why? Because we have a dialog, we discuss things, and they know where I stand on most issues, AND why. Then common sense takes over from that point on.
Excellent point made Spencer. Parents need to know what’s being taught and what’s not being taught. Think about it, if the government’s goal is power and control, ignorance on the part of the people will cause more to rely on government, i.e. the cradle-to-grave handholding. In this process, the government’s influence looms ever larger.
Last I recall, parents do not write textbooks, including history books.
In the science books, there are “facts” about evolution that were debunked by evolutionary scientists 50 years ago. In the history books mentioned above, the distortion of the truth is beyond belief to anyone older than 35.
Who will your children believe? The smart man that agrees with the book from which he teaches, and is supported by the media and even the other kids at school? Or his parents who lied to him about the tooth fairy, Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, god and that “jesus” dude?