I believe it was a Winston Churchill who said “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I fear that by ignoring history, it will lead to even more dire consequences than the past. Thank you for your words of love and hope, Dr. Lovely. I pray that we do not dismiss them.
This was so well written; I appreciate your words on this topic, one that is vitally significant as Oklahoma’s education department writes its own version of history.
As a Northerner who has lived in the South for 25 years now, I see this as especially resonant. A quarter-century ago, I could not understand why people wanted to commemorate a war they lost. As things began to change, there were strange holidays like Robert E. Lee/Stonewall Jackson/Martin Luther King Day. Today the Confederate flag is rarely seen and all the "Heritage, not Hate" bumper stickers have disappeared.
I think you are absolutely correct that people want to think they and their ancestors are the good guys. Whereas in the North most people are descendants of immigrants, in the South everyone knows, whether they can name their ancestors or not, that they are the descendants of Civil War soldiers, slaveholders, or slaves. So yes, people want to think their ancestors were products of their time or had good intentions, and yes, part of people's identity will die to think that their ancestors were traitors.
But in reality, resistance against an unjust government is best done in groups. Quakers, for instance, had peer groups to help escaped slaves together. Resistors like Elizabeth Van Lew had to give up their families, livelihoods, and communities when they fought slavery. I think almost all of us, if we had to do it alone, would choose to do the best we could within the system rather than sacrifice everything to fight it.
I remember being quite moved and impressed by a Trail of Tears memorial in Chattanooga, TN. Historical markers, stones that allowed you to tread where indigenous people had, recovered names and stories. I hope it is still there and not a victim of our current "anti-woke" madness. It was a sincere attempt to face a terrible stain in our history. To educate others and own it. To give faces and lives and humanity to those forced to leave their homeland.
As an old guy who's ancestors settled the central Maine town I live in, I think about our history often. Other than a generic memorial honoring the military service branches, there's nothing to tell the stories of the settlers who came and scratched a living from the forest and poor soils.
The community of today is blissfully unaware of any violence that may have (probably) took place in those early days. Slavery was never common here and is viewed as something other people did. We are largely ignorant of the horrors visited on the slaves and, as one of the 'whitest' states in the country, are oblivious to subsequent laws and regulations promulgated to nullify the ending of slavery as a legitimate enterprise.
Lynching and racial violence persists to this day. Many of the children, grandchildren and generations of privileged white people tracing their roots to the slave owners of the past are like petulant, stubborn, willful children insisting they have a God given right to subjugate others through force if necessary.
Today they have found powerful wealthy allies to confirm their narrative and give voice to their grievances. Allies whose main goal is to create a new subservient economic slavery system.
I think this is a natural human trait within a segment of our genetic makeup and impossible to eradicate or overcome. Some people are predisposed to believe the system is rigged against them. Others strive to subjugate their neighbors and force them to support their pursuit of wealth and power.
Thank you for this stirring reminder of the power of symbols and how we can make change and a difference. I wrote about just that today. 🖖
https://open.substack.com/pub/albellenchia/p/dedicated?r=7wk5d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Will check it out! Thanks for reading, Al!
Fantastic article ☮️💙✊🏻
Thank you for reading, Julie!
I believe it was a Winston Churchill who said “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I fear that by ignoring history, it will lead to even more dire consequences than the past. Thank you for your words of love and hope, Dr. Lovely. I pray that we do not dismiss them.
So true. Thank you for reading, Barbara!
Great article.❤️👍
Thanks for reading, Sal!
This was so well written; I appreciate your words on this topic, one that is vitally significant as Oklahoma’s education department writes its own version of history.
As a Northerner who has lived in the South for 25 years now, I see this as especially resonant. A quarter-century ago, I could not understand why people wanted to commemorate a war they lost. As things began to change, there were strange holidays like Robert E. Lee/Stonewall Jackson/Martin Luther King Day. Today the Confederate flag is rarely seen and all the "Heritage, not Hate" bumper stickers have disappeared.
I think you are absolutely correct that people want to think they and their ancestors are the good guys. Whereas in the North most people are descendants of immigrants, in the South everyone knows, whether they can name their ancestors or not, that they are the descendants of Civil War soldiers, slaveholders, or slaves. So yes, people want to think their ancestors were products of their time or had good intentions, and yes, part of people's identity will die to think that their ancestors were traitors.
But in reality, resistance against an unjust government is best done in groups. Quakers, for instance, had peer groups to help escaped slaves together. Resistors like Elizabeth Van Lew had to give up their families, livelihoods, and communities when they fought slavery. I think almost all of us, if we had to do it alone, would choose to do the best we could within the system rather than sacrifice everything to fight it.
I remember being quite moved and impressed by a Trail of Tears memorial in Chattanooga, TN. Historical markers, stones that allowed you to tread where indigenous people had, recovered names and stories. I hope it is still there and not a victim of our current "anti-woke" madness. It was a sincere attempt to face a terrible stain in our history. To educate others and own it. To give faces and lives and humanity to those forced to leave their homeland.
As an old guy who's ancestors settled the central Maine town I live in, I think about our history often. Other than a generic memorial honoring the military service branches, there's nothing to tell the stories of the settlers who came and scratched a living from the forest and poor soils.
The community of today is blissfully unaware of any violence that may have (probably) took place in those early days. Slavery was never common here and is viewed as something other people did. We are largely ignorant of the horrors visited on the slaves and, as one of the 'whitest' states in the country, are oblivious to subsequent laws and regulations promulgated to nullify the ending of slavery as a legitimate enterprise.
Lynching and racial violence persists to this day. Many of the children, grandchildren and generations of privileged white people tracing their roots to the slave owners of the past are like petulant, stubborn, willful children insisting they have a God given right to subjugate others through force if necessary.
Today they have found powerful wealthy allies to confirm their narrative and give voice to their grievances. Allies whose main goal is to create a new subservient economic slavery system.
I think this is a natural human trait within a segment of our genetic makeup and impossible to eradicate or overcome. Some people are predisposed to believe the system is rigged against them. Others strive to subjugate their neighbors and force them to support their pursuit of wealth and power.
have called on Iran for regime change. They can help us. Trump needs to go. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/iran-2-weeks?r=3m1bs