The Cost of Historical Ignorance!

[Bonnie]

By Doug Hagin (06/28/05)

What is the price, the cost, of ignorance? How much does it steal from all of us when ignorant people are allowed to not only foist their mental shortcomings upon us, but also enact changes in standards and laws?

In particular, how much cost to out great nation, and collective American culture, does ignorance exact? How much has America lost over the past few generations because of how we teach history? How many Americans today have no clue as to what America’s history is?

A couple of very recent examples might help to illustrate the extreme cost of historical ignorance in America. A recent poll conducted by America On Line sought to see which America was considered the greatest of all. Well, a truly great American, Ronald Reagan did in fact win. In addition, two other true greats George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were fourth and fifth respectively.

That is the good news, now the bad. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, made the Louisiana Purchase, and was the third President, failed to make the top ten! Now before you let that upset you too much consider that James Monroe failed to make the top 100. Most galling, however is the exclusion of perhaps the most influential Founding Father, James Madison. He was not included in the top 100 either!

How, how, how can this be the case? There is no America without the United States Constitution is there? Moreover, who is rightfully called the Father of the Constitution? James Madison! Let’s be crystal clear here, to exclude Madison from this list is like excluding Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, or Willie Mays from the top 100 baseball players list.

There is absolutely zero justification for such historical stupidity. When some of the folks who did make the list instead of Madison are considered, it becomes even more sickening. Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Mohammed Ali, and Elvis Presley all made it, but NOT James Madison. What else, other than historical cluelessness can be blamed for such an omission?

Are we even teaching about the Founding Fathers anymore? If we are then how can the millions of Americans who voted in this poll NOT have placed Madison at or near the very top? Clearly too many of us are not educated about the beginnings of America. For Thomas Jefferson not to make the top ten is frankly disgusting, for Madison to be excluded altogether is beyond belief.

As disturbing, as the omission of Madison from the greatest American list is there is an equally disturbing and troubling story out of Palm Beach County, Florida. There, a middle school is soon going to be changing their name. Why is that a troubling example of historical ignorance? Well the soon-to-be changed name is Jefferson Davis Middle School. Yep, that is correct; the school is named for a great man who politically correct historians have effectively blacklisted.

Consider the description of Davis by the incredibly intellectually deficient Debra Robinson, a school-board member. “I don’t think we should name a school after Adolf Hitler. It is really that level with Jefferson Davis. I don’t think we should name schools for anyone that represents intolerance or straight-up hatred.”

So why, some of you may be asking, should any public school honor the President of the Confederate States of America? After all, doesn’t history teach that he was an evil White Southern slaveholder? Doesn’t history teach us that he led the attempted destruction of the Union to defend slavery in the South?

Well let me assure y’all if you have been taught such history, it is time you learned the truth about Jefferson Davis! First of all, yes, Davis did own slaves. He was quite different from many slave owners though. He educated his slaves, allowed them to have their own court system, to earn money, to marry. In fact, his deeply held belief was one-day slavery would thankfully end. He felt it the duty of the White Southerner to prepare the slaves for freedom. Unlike Lincoln who considered Blacks inherently inferior, and saw shipping them out of America as a solution, Davis saw a day when the races would be equal. Got that? Equal! He was possibly the most progressive thinker of his day in regards to slavery and the conditions of the races.

link
http://www.americandaily.com/article/7971

 

[USViking]

I agree it is ludicrous to compare Jefferson Davis to Hitler, and I agree Davis was a model slave owner.

However, he who owns but one slave is a tyrant, if not necessarliy to the degree Hitler was.

I also seriously doubt Davis ever accorded full natural equality to Africans. Can you provide documentation in the form of correspondence, speeches, or the like?

 

[Bonnie]

I agree it is ludicrous to compare Jefferson Davis to Hitler, and I agree Davis was a model slave owner.

However, he who owns but one slave is a tyrant, if not necessarliy to the degree Hitler was.

I also seriously doubt Davis ever accorded full natural equality to Africans. Can you provide documentation in the form of correspondence, speeches, or the like?

Davis was certainly no saint, he believed that salves were incapable of taking care of themselves and like many of that time thought of slaves as property sadly... Davis was one who believed it was important or even a duty to treat slaves with respect. Certainly all of that is no consilation and a shameful way to think then as now. This article however is not about solely praising or defending Davis's honor but rather to attempt to put some perspective on those writers who are willing to color history to suit their political agenda. History is not supposed to be only about interpretation and reflection but about the facts as they actually happened. Rewriting history benefits no one.

 

[USViking]

Davis was certainly no saint, he believed that salves were incapable of taking care of themselves and like many of that time thought of slaves as property sadly... Davis was one who believed it was important or even a duty to treat slaves with respect. Certainly all of that is no consilation and a shameful way to think then as now. This article however is not about solely praising or defending Davis's honor but rather to attempt to put some perspective on those writers who are willing to color history to suit their political agenda. History is not supposed to be only about interpretation and reflection but about the facts as they actually happened. Rewriting history benefits no one.

I think you are right to point out the grave intellectual errors, and worse, the dishonesty of the class of revisionist historians who are misleading the public so badly now.

 

[dilloduck]

I think you are right to point out the grave intellectual errors, and worse, the dishonesty of the class of revisionist historians who are misleading the public so badly now.

I agree--admirable--however who IS gonna lay some reality on people??---seriously! I don't see anyone interested in listening to it anyway.

 

[freeandfun1]

uhhhhh..... Jefferson owned slaves....

We can't forget that Davis was the head of a confederacy that was MAINLY fighting over STATE's RIGHTS!

 

[Bonnie]

uhhhhh..... Jefferson owned slaves....

We can't forget that Davis was the head of a confederacy that was MAINLY fighting over STATE's RIGHTS!

That is very true and one of the good things he did in his life. Whether people agreed with him or not he showed tremendous leadership in fighting for what he thought was right.

 

[Bonnie]

I agree--admirable--however who IS gonna lay some reality on people??---seriously! I don't see anyone interested in listening to it anyway.

I think it starts with articles like this one, but really parents who actually sit down and look at the school books their kids are learning from they would be shocked in many cases. If they were to attend PTA meetings unified and hold the school systems accountable for biased or incorrect curriculums there would be less of this revisionism taking root. And liberals wonder and poke fun at the large increase in home schooling???? :huh:

 

[dilloduck]

I think it starts with articles like this one, but really parents who actually sit down and look at the school books their kids are learning from they would be shocked in many cases. If they were to attend PTA meetings unified and hold the school systems accountable for biased or incorrect curriculums there would be less of this revisionism taking root. And liberals wonder and poke fun at the large increase in home schooling???? :huh:

Sorry--just pessimistic these days-- all the apathy about everything everywhere has got me a bit defeatist. Not sure what kind of wake up call will cause someone somewhere to lead at the same that someone is willing to follow.

 

[Bonnie]

Sorry--just pessimistic these days-- all the apathy about everything everywhere has got me a bit defeatist. Not sure what kind of wake up call will cause someone somewhere to lead at the same that someone is willing to follow.

Your right it does take time and interest, and most people who are working class, or middle class spend all their time working and in the daily grind of life which doens't leave much energy for anything but apathy sadly. Another reason why liberals steam roll over the rest of society. If this last decision on eminant domain hasn't woken people up I don't know what would, maybe the idea of Hillary as president........

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSXXXXXX42US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_6_218v.gif' alt='Nervous 2' border=0></a>

 

[Unkotare]

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