What's the value of remembering events like the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? What's the value in exploring history?
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| Remember Drawn by Dawnielle Rowe, age 11 c.1993 |
"History" has been debated, edited, summarized, rewritten, exaggerated by the victors, discarded as irrelevant by educators, etc. etc. etc. In spite of all the limitations involved in understanding history, I still believe exploring history is very valuable in developing character. I present this picture as evidence that even a child can understand the value of "history". I recently found it when going through some boxes long packed away. It was drawn by my daughter when she was 11 years old in 1993. This picture she drew years ago reflects an attitude she was learning about "those who came before": respect and honor them. I still marvel at her integration of the two perspectives of "the THEN of burying the dead" with "the NOW of remembering them". I wonder how much of an inspiration for her picture was the Civil War reenacting we were doing and how much of it was the fact that in the small church cemetery there in Pennsylvania were a few headstones of soldiers who had been killed in the war and brought back home to be buried. She has not grown up to be an 'official historian'. Yet even today as an adult she has an honest respect for the courage and sacrifice of those who have gone before.
In our "instant" culture we are being lulled into thinking history doesn't really matter anymore. Some say we have replaced valuing "honor and courage" with "cool & edgy". That history is still important is shown everyday by how hard progressive elites in our educational system work at editing out old story lines about honor and courage in American History and replacing them with story lines that disparage our nation. These progressive elites understand that what "perspective" on history is taught to our children will affect their outlook on our nation. I've heard that it took Hitler about ten years of editing history to convince the German people that killing the Jews was a good idea. History still matters. Not just recent history, but history of the generations who struggled in building our great nation. Should we let Abraham Lincoln's hope that 'those who fought at Gettysburg would always be remembered' be casually thrown away by our children and grandchildren?
Yes there are events and actions that we cannot be proud of in our national history. Yes there were thieves and scoundrels who wielded political and economic power that fostered pain and disgrace. But I still believe that we have been a exceptional nation overall. I still believe that the courage and dedication of the generations who came before us is worthy of remembering.
Knowing history does not easily solve today's problems, but maybe it gives us some understanding of what options might be wise to avoid.
Knowing history does not mean total understanding of how we "got here", but it often provides clues needed to better wrestle with the challenges looming before us.
Knowing history does humble us a bit, making us pause before we presume that we are unstoppable.
In our "instant" culture we are being lulled into thinking history doesn't really matter anymore. Some say we have replaced valuing "honor and courage" with "cool & edgy". That history is still important is shown everyday by how hard progressive elites in our educational system work at editing out old story lines about honor and courage in American History and replacing them with story lines that disparage our nation. These progressive elites understand that what "perspective" on history is taught to our children will affect their outlook on our nation. I've heard that it took Hitler about ten years of editing history to convince the German people that killing the Jews was a good idea. History still matters. Not just recent history, but history of the generations who struggled in building our great nation. Should we let Abraham Lincoln's hope that 'those who fought at Gettysburg would always be remembered' be casually thrown away by our children and grandchildren?
Yes there are events and actions that we cannot be proud of in our national history. Yes there were thieves and scoundrels who wielded political and economic power that fostered pain and disgrace. But I still believe that we have been a exceptional nation overall. I still believe that the courage and dedication of the generations who came before us is worthy of remembering.
Knowing history does not easily solve today's problems, but maybe it gives us some understanding of what options might be wise to avoid.
Knowing history does not mean total understanding of how we "got here", but it often provides clues needed to better wrestle with the challenges looming before us.
Knowing history does humble us a bit, making us pause before we presume that we are unstoppable.
"Remember" . . . Do you think it's worth the effort to pass on to our children and grand children the attitude that its proper to value the courage and sacrifice of those who have gone before? Or should we just "Forget It"? Let me know what you think. Pass along ways you have found helpful in encouraging the next generation to "Remember".
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