I do think we all need to realize and focus on how far we have come as a country as we chart our course into a more perfect Union. It should give us hope as well as some self-acceptance and pride as a country.
And another thought, I like the idea that those who complain about the truth being taught in schools are snowflakes.
I don’t recall when feeling pain makes me a victim. Of course I cringe as I learn the unvarnished histories of our nation. A fuller understanding of our predecessors hopefully leads us to offer a more complete picture of ourselves- triumphs, conflicted choices, and failings, to our descendants.
Thank you, Dan, for writing about this. I am a 63-year-old white gay man, with a Florida Cherokee great-great-grandfather on my father's side. I was born in Orlando about a mile from where I live now, and have lived here all but seven years of my life, when my mother remarried and we moved to Texas.
I am deeply alarmed by the actions of our governor, who paraded children holding "No CRT" signs behind him while he claimed his support for this dangerous legislation. (Warning: this video may be difficult to watch.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWUgjZrBkNY
With a Republican majority state legislature in lock step with this movement, we stand little chance of defeating this bill (HB 7), nor the Texas-style abortion ban bill (HB 5), nor the "Don't Say Gay" bill (HB 1557). The attack on women, children and minorities is sickening! I hope this political pandering for his presidential aspirations backfires on him, but that hope is slim.
Lying about or minimizing what really happened in our history is dangerous to us all.
I am the daughter of an Armenian mother, who came to America in the arms of her own Armenian mother in 1920, fleeing the Armenian Genocide. I grew up hearing stories from my mother and uncles about all the relatives I would never meet – because they had been killed during this period. History was my favorite school subject in America – but this topic was never covered.
In 1985, the UN recognized that the Genocide happened. When President Joe Biden acknowledged this fact in 2021, I felt happy - and also appalled. For over 100 years, Turkey was “uncomfortable” with the truth of what they had done. “Discomfort” is not a valid reason to lie, excise, or obfuscate about atrocities that killed more than 1 million Armenians.
In 1939, Hitler said, "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" That verbal shrug of indifference is being heard again today, with respect to Jewish folks, PoC, Native Americans and more. “Discomfort” cannot be a shield against the truth.
I wonder if someone had spoken the truth about Armenia back then, might the Holocaust have been avoided?
Don't people see how cyclical this is? Contending that kids are two easily bruised and offended when hearing about slavery, racism other unpleasant realities will only make kids more easily bruised and offended (and invariably - weak).
I was your CBS Radio engineer for 20 years. Your column is so true. I remember in the summer of 1960 when my parents checked into a motel in Bucks County Pa. Plenty of rooms available. I changed into my bathing suit and went back to the office to get a bucket of ice. There was a black family at the front desk. No vacancies, they were told. I returned to our room and told my mother. She confronted the manager. But they would make everyone at the pool "uncomfortable" he replied. Back in our room, my mom said to my dad "pack up the bags, Artie. We're checking out". Then she called the district attorney's office in Harrisburg. A lesson for this 10 year old that I will never forget.
I think about how children in our country must be so thoroughly confused by the disconnect between the truth they can see and the history their asked to overlook, and then accept. I shook like a scared child on January 6th as I watched in horror a historical event I never dreamed possible, and I'm in my 60's. That the insurrection did not cause a "reset" for those under the spell of lies and extremism leads me to wonder if adult Americans are able to think deeply and thoughtfully reflect on obvious consequences of our choices and behaviors. Our children are watching. I had decided that most of what we're experiencing may be explained by acknowledging that we are suffering from a serious lack of education. And then, I read what Kelly, the history teacher who posted below shared, and my faith is renewed. All is not lost. If anything good has come from this horrific, deadly pandemic, it's that no one can deny how vital those who educate our children are to a thriving democracy and world. Thank you Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner and to all the Kelly's who are guiding our children to think, and analyze, and most importantly, to question.
You are wonderful. Our children need more teachers like you. History is not about memorizing dates, which is what I did in school many moons ago. I believe what & how you teach needs to be shared with all students, not just AP or dual credit. Often I see a very different curriculum or method of teaching average or otherwise “disadvantaged “ students
So much untruth..I remember history in class. I was 8..and the teacher was telling us who had discovered Canada..all that time our Indigenous people were living there..and had their home taken from them..I hope they re-write the history books and tell the truth on Indigenous and Black people...I never believed the teacher..
I want it to be taught in school about all of it..the Holocaust...
The KKK movement is still alive and kicking to my great dismay....and still so much to be told!!
When so-called lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene refer to Hitler's secret police as the Gazpacho, it is easy to see why children need the truth of world history taught. When children's ancestors fought and died for civil rights or in wars, it is easy to see why they need the truths of world history taught.
The history of America did not start at the beginning of the Spanish coming to America, But that seems to be the story that’s told and the building of the powers of today. This leaves out the stories of the experiences of Native American, African American, Latin America, Jewish American, Japanese American and all other groups that participated in American history by choice or force. There is the saying about whose telling History (known as His Story) depending on who has the power to tell it. By shutting down the experiences of the experiences of many groups in schools limits the stories being told. The excuse of not wanting young white Americans to feel guilty is a crock of crap. Guilt is not inherited. Telling the stories today will promote understanding, empathy and inclusiveness.
There was some progress over the years by changing laws to empower the groups that some art attempting to not let their stories be told. We now see strategic plans including blocking voters rights, blocking some history from being taught in schools and changing government policies to legalize rights to prevent change. Is this what “Let’s make America great again” really means. Great for whom? The holocaust was not great for the Jews or Jewish Americans. Slavery was not great for Africans or African Americans. Immigrants came to America for a better life, but operation “ Wet Back” became a block in our history as so many other known tactics to empower the “White American.” The tactics and new laws being pushed today is Not the voice of most people in our country. But, when the people who are strategically placed in power can change the laws again to return to a specific time in our history and limit the full landscape of America, we cannot make a peaceful America. We cannot pledge allegiance to America nor have Justice for all, just some. It pledges to the republic for which it stands. We are all part of this America.
History is funny. It’s often told by people who has a perception of what it was like for others. I’ve heard people say “slave owners treated their slaves very good.” I would ask them “Did they treat them like one of their own,” or “did their slaves have the same opportunities as their families.” Never really get answers to those questions. I also hear “that was so long ago.” YES, but the impact still effects us today. Knowing our history helps change our future. Here’s to a better future.
I do think we all need to realize and focus on how far we have come as a country as we chart our course into a more perfect Union. It should give us hope as well as some self-acceptance and pride as a country.
And another thought, I like the idea that those who complain about the truth being taught in schools are snowflakes.
Idiots are bred
I don’t recall when feeling pain makes me a victim. Of course I cringe as I learn the unvarnished histories of our nation. A fuller understanding of our predecessors hopefully leads us to offer a more complete picture of ourselves- triumphs, conflicted choices, and failings, to our descendants.
Your article brings to mind Aldous Huxley's Brave New World where those in power suppress knowledge and truth to maintain their power.
Thank you, Dan, for writing about this. I am a 63-year-old white gay man, with a Florida Cherokee great-great-grandfather on my father's side. I was born in Orlando about a mile from where I live now, and have lived here all but seven years of my life, when my mother remarried and we moved to Texas.
I am deeply alarmed by the actions of our governor, who paraded children holding "No CRT" signs behind him while he claimed his support for this dangerous legislation. (Warning: this video may be difficult to watch.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWUgjZrBkNY
With a Republican majority state legislature in lock step with this movement, we stand little chance of defeating this bill (HB 7), nor the Texas-style abortion ban bill (HB 5), nor the "Don't Say Gay" bill (HB 1557). The attack on women, children and minorities is sickening! I hope this political pandering for his presidential aspirations backfires on him, but that hope is slim.
Lying about or minimizing what really happened in our history is dangerous to us all.
I am the daughter of an Armenian mother, who came to America in the arms of her own Armenian mother in 1920, fleeing the Armenian Genocide. I grew up hearing stories from my mother and uncles about all the relatives I would never meet – because they had been killed during this period. History was my favorite school subject in America – but this topic was never covered.
In 1985, the UN recognized that the Genocide happened. When President Joe Biden acknowledged this fact in 2021, I felt happy - and also appalled. For over 100 years, Turkey was “uncomfortable” with the truth of what they had done. “Discomfort” is not a valid reason to lie, excise, or obfuscate about atrocities that killed more than 1 million Armenians.
In 1939, Hitler said, "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" That verbal shrug of indifference is being heard again today, with respect to Jewish folks, PoC, Native Americans and more. “Discomfort” cannot be a shield against the truth.
I wonder if someone had spoken the truth about Armenia back then, might the Holocaust have been avoided?
The truth matters, even if it's "uncomfortable."
Don't people see how cyclical this is? Contending that kids are two easily bruised and offended when hearing about slavery, racism other unpleasant realities will only make kids more easily bruised and offended (and invariably - weak).
I was your CBS Radio engineer for 20 years. Your column is so true. I remember in the summer of 1960 when my parents checked into a motel in Bucks County Pa. Plenty of rooms available. I changed into my bathing suit and went back to the office to get a bucket of ice. There was a black family at the front desk. No vacancies, they were told. I returned to our room and told my mother. She confronted the manager. But they would make everyone at the pool "uncomfortable" he replied. Back in our room, my mom said to my dad "pack up the bags, Artie. We're checking out". Then she called the district attorney's office in Harrisburg. A lesson for this 10 year old that I will never forget.
I think about how children in our country must be so thoroughly confused by the disconnect between the truth they can see and the history their asked to overlook, and then accept. I shook like a scared child on January 6th as I watched in horror a historical event I never dreamed possible, and I'm in my 60's. That the insurrection did not cause a "reset" for those under the spell of lies and extremism leads me to wonder if adult Americans are able to think deeply and thoughtfully reflect on obvious consequences of our choices and behaviors. Our children are watching. I had decided that most of what we're experiencing may be explained by acknowledging that we are suffering from a serious lack of education. And then, I read what Kelly, the history teacher who posted below shared, and my faith is renewed. All is not lost. If anything good has come from this horrific, deadly pandemic, it's that no one can deny how vital those who educate our children are to a thriving democracy and world. Thank you Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner and to all the Kelly's who are guiding our children to think, and analyze, and most importantly, to question.
So often I'm reminded of the Firesign Theater's album title, "Everything You Know Is Wrong."
You are wonderful. Our children need more teachers like you. History is not about memorizing dates, which is what I did in school many moons ago. I believe what & how you teach needs to be shared with all students, not just AP or dual credit. Often I see a very different curriculum or method of teaching average or otherwise “disadvantaged “ students
So much untruth..I remember history in class. I was 8..and the teacher was telling us who had discovered Canada..all that time our Indigenous people were living there..and had their home taken from them..I hope they re-write the history books and tell the truth on Indigenous and Black people...I never believed the teacher..
I want it to be taught in school about all of it..the Holocaust...
The KKK movement is still alive and kicking to my great dismay....and still so much to be told!!
When so-called lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene refer to Hitler's secret police as the Gazpacho, it is easy to see why children need the truth of world history taught. When children's ancestors fought and died for civil rights or in wars, it is easy to see why they need the truths of world history taught.
As long as uncomfortable elements of history are suppressed we will be doomed to repeat them.
The history of America did not start at the beginning of the Spanish coming to America, But that seems to be the story that’s told and the building of the powers of today. This leaves out the stories of the experiences of Native American, African American, Latin America, Jewish American, Japanese American and all other groups that participated in American history by choice or force. There is the saying about whose telling History (known as His Story) depending on who has the power to tell it. By shutting down the experiences of the experiences of many groups in schools limits the stories being told. The excuse of not wanting young white Americans to feel guilty is a crock of crap. Guilt is not inherited. Telling the stories today will promote understanding, empathy and inclusiveness.
There was some progress over the years by changing laws to empower the groups that some art attempting to not let their stories be told. We now see strategic plans including blocking voters rights, blocking some history from being taught in schools and changing government policies to legalize rights to prevent change. Is this what “Let’s make America great again” really means. Great for whom? The holocaust was not great for the Jews or Jewish Americans. Slavery was not great for Africans or African Americans. Immigrants came to America for a better life, but operation “ Wet Back” became a block in our history as so many other known tactics to empower the “White American.” The tactics and new laws being pushed today is Not the voice of most people in our country. But, when the people who are strategically placed in power can change the laws again to return to a specific time in our history and limit the full landscape of America, we cannot make a peaceful America. We cannot pledge allegiance to America nor have Justice for all, just some. It pledges to the republic for which it stands. We are all part of this America.
History is funny. It’s often told by people who has a perception of what it was like for others. I’ve heard people say “slave owners treated their slaves very good.” I would ask them “Did they treat them like one of their own,” or “did their slaves have the same opportunities as their families.” Never really get answers to those questions. I also hear “that was so long ago.” YES, but the impact still effects us today. Knowing our history helps change our future. Here’s to a better future.
VAIN ,MAN appeals to lowest denominator in people , their own vanity,