Just a thought that popped in my head today during class...
Throughout your formal learning experience, did you ever have a teacher that attempted to not have an American bias?
I may have touched on it before in conversation when I was enrolled in an American History class in Spring '07. That teacher, and my Philosophy of Ethics professor, were the first to actually tell it how it was and is. For example, we've always been told facts about slavery and the horrible conditions these people were put in. But there was always this background of "American Greatness" through it all... like it wasn't that bad.
In my Philosophy class we mostly discussed the treatment of Native Americans and how reparations are in order. People were claiming land that did not belong to them. Yet our textbooks from elementary school on glorify this period of escaping the oppressive hands of Europe. The process of escaping that oppression hurt, killed, and still affects the Native American community today. Why isn't that emphasized in our textbooks? When learning about history, teachers have always said something similar to, "We learn about the past to prevent future mistakes." If that is the case, I would like to learn the truth as we know it to make my community more humane. America may look like a big bully, but it's what we have to learn from.
Thoughts..?
3 comments:
One of my high school teachers said about the history that we learned about WWII, "winners write the textbooks". I think that may be part of what you are experiencing. I also think that you would find a similar cultural bias in the textbooks of every country. Who really wants to talk about the bad acts of their country?
All people groups have done some pretty horrific things to other people. It used to drive me crazy that some of my professors so idealized Native Americans that they wouldn't talk about how the tribes warred with each other. I know that doesn't justify how our own country has treated people, but such is the fallen world. We can't depend on our nation, government, etc to do the right thing at all times. We have to be the ones to try to see through the propaganda as to what that might be and act as individuals in accordance with how God has commanded us to live.
Rebecca
In the surprisingly relevant words of Jimmy Eat World via their song Futures:
"Hey now, the past is told by those who win,
My darling, what matters is what hasn't been.
Hey now, we're wide awake and we're thinking,
My darling, believe your votes can mean something."
America can be a big bully. And so here we have this opportunity to vote for people we feel will lead us in the right direction.
Time to look to the future and vote... although I am still unsure of who to vote for.
thanks for feedback!
as for voting James... looks like there is less to choose from. People are backing out...
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