Preach it, brotha! Yes. This is dead on point. So true. We can ‘walk and chew gum’ as Dems like to say, at the same time. America is profoundly flawed and imperfect, yet it is simultaneously a wondrous beacon of democratic glory. The far-right view that criticizing our nation is unpatriotic is ridiculous; that said, so is CRT. The idea t…
Preach it, brotha! Yes. This is dead on point. So true. We can ‘walk and chew gum’ as Dems like to say, at the same time. America is profoundly flawed and imperfect, yet it is simultaneously a wondrous beacon of democratic glory. The far-right view that criticizing our nation is unpatriotic is ridiculous; that said, so is CRT. The idea that CRT is the antidote to far-right historical extremism is patently absurd. Consider the so-called 1619 Project. Prominent historians have pointed out the obvious historical holes in this ideology. I think we have, can and should teach American history from all sides in all its glorious, nasty complexity. Slavery, for example, historically-speaking, was horrific yet incredibly common; Africa itself was doing it (Africans enslaving other Africans) before, during and after the West ended the disgusting institution. We fought a brutally bloody civil war to end it. Much has changed for the better. We aren’t perfect. In some ways we can still improve. But c’mon. Middle ground, people; between the two extremes is the solution. And that’s where most Americans stand. Gordon Wood’s ‘Power and Liberty’ and James M. McPherson’s ‘Battle Cry for Freedom; The Civil War Era’ are recommended reading in this vein. Honest, in-depth, not extreme or ideological, and from the center-left POV.
The far-right view that criticizing our nation is unpatriotic is ridiculous. America is profoundly flawed and imperfect, yet it is simultaneously a wondrous beacon of democratic glory. I think we have, can and should teach American history from all sides in all its glorious, nasty complexity.
yep agreed in doing so people understand others with more nuance - nobody is a paragon, but a mixture of good and bad. Nuance is missing these days. Realizing this shows how easily freedom can be lost, as everyone we admire has a dark side.
Also, if famous historical figures were perfect they would not be inspirational to us imperfect folk. We flawed humans cannot emulate perfect beings and, frankly, their superhuman feats of heroism would be no big deal!
A colleague had a cartoon on his office wall showing two kids looking up at a statue of a war hero complete with extended sword and rearing horse. The caption at the base of the statue translates to: Tireless, Fearless, Never Gave Up!
One kid says to the other: That is nice but the trick is not giving up when you are exhausted and afraid!
I think of heroes as being just as flawed as us, but not giving quitting when exhausted and afraid, It's kind of encouraging that with training and time we could all improve to exceed our own expectations - maybe even some becoming heroes too.
I remember looking at a castle wall in my husband's town 3 meters thick all made by hand... People really underestimate what they can do and achieve together, and very rarely have a chance to see their true potential! Every one of us can be so much more.
Me, too. I think the true beauty of heroism - and why humanity across most cultures is fascinated by it - is that ordinary, flawed & weak people are capable of such great things. I collect stories of heroes like "The Man In That Water" - an Essay by Roger Rosenblatt for Time magazine.
Looking at American History and its social struggles - often bloody & devastating - I think of NASA's Apollo 13 mission, in which an oxygen tank blew and thwarted the Mission and jeopardized the Astronauts' lives Many see that event as a horrible embarrassment for NASA - but many engineers and astronauts call it "One of NASA's finest hours ." (BTW: the Hollywood movie does not do it justice)
The USA was 'born' into a world with slavery, racism, classism & xenophobia and hence had these "original sins" from the beginning. You cannot judge a baby by the circumstances of its birth - but you can tell a lot about a young person's character by how they respond to the discovery of great wrongs - especially those in which it is complicit. The USA almost destroyed itself in a devastating war to resolve an intractable problem: how can a nation founded on liberty allow slavery? (Certainly there is much more to the Civil War than that, but in the end, 1 Union soldier died for every 10 slaves that were freed - a high price in anyone's book). How many nations in history have almost torn themselves apart to resolve such a moral dilemma? That is not the sole example: there are many examples of America realizing that it is not 'living up to' its ideals correcting course - even if that correction comes with great pain.
Winston Churchill said:
"You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else."
What more can you ask of a bunch of flawed humans? (And these critics with their oafish way of addressing social injustice are an obstacle to improving without much pain!)
Preach it, brotha! Yes. This is dead on point. So true. We can ‘walk and chew gum’ as Dems like to say, at the same time. America is profoundly flawed and imperfect, yet it is simultaneously a wondrous beacon of democratic glory. The far-right view that criticizing our nation is unpatriotic is ridiculous; that said, so is CRT. The idea that CRT is the antidote to far-right historical extremism is patently absurd. Consider the so-called 1619 Project. Prominent historians have pointed out the obvious historical holes in this ideology. I think we have, can and should teach American history from all sides in all its glorious, nasty complexity. Slavery, for example, historically-speaking, was horrific yet incredibly common; Africa itself was doing it (Africans enslaving other Africans) before, during and after the West ended the disgusting institution. We fought a brutally bloody civil war to end it. Much has changed for the better. We aren’t perfect. In some ways we can still improve. But c’mon. Middle ground, people; between the two extremes is the solution. And that’s where most Americans stand. Gordon Wood’s ‘Power and Liberty’ and James M. McPherson’s ‘Battle Cry for Freedom; The Civil War Era’ are recommended reading in this vein. Honest, in-depth, not extreme or ideological, and from the center-left POV.
Michael Mohr
Sincere American Writing
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
The far-right view that criticizing our nation is unpatriotic is ridiculous. America is profoundly flawed and imperfect, yet it is simultaneously a wondrous beacon of democratic glory. I think we have, can and should teach American history from all sides in all its glorious, nasty complexity.
yep agreed in doing so people understand others with more nuance - nobody is a paragon, but a mixture of good and bad. Nuance is missing these days. Realizing this shows how easily freedom can be lost, as everyone we admire has a dark side.
Well said, NC.
Also, if famous historical figures were perfect they would not be inspirational to us imperfect folk. We flawed humans cannot emulate perfect beings and, frankly, their superhuman feats of heroism would be no big deal!
A colleague had a cartoon on his office wall showing two kids looking up at a statue of a war hero complete with extended sword and rearing horse. The caption at the base of the statue translates to: Tireless, Fearless, Never Gave Up!
One kid says to the other: That is nice but the trick is not giving up when you are exhausted and afraid!
I think of heroes as being just as flawed as us, but not giving quitting when exhausted and afraid, It's kind of encouraging that with training and time we could all improve to exceed our own expectations - maybe even some becoming heroes too.
I remember looking at a castle wall in my husband's town 3 meters thick all made by hand... People really underestimate what they can do and achieve together, and very rarely have a chance to see their true potential! Every one of us can be so much more.
Me, too. I think the true beauty of heroism - and why humanity across most cultures is fascinated by it - is that ordinary, flawed & weak people are capable of such great things. I collect stories of heroes like "The Man In That Water" - an Essay by Roger Rosenblatt for Time magazine.
Looking at American History and its social struggles - often bloody & devastating - I think of NASA's Apollo 13 mission, in which an oxygen tank blew and thwarted the Mission and jeopardized the Astronauts' lives Many see that event as a horrible embarrassment for NASA - but many engineers and astronauts call it "One of NASA's finest hours ." (BTW: the Hollywood movie does not do it justice)
The USA was 'born' into a world with slavery, racism, classism & xenophobia and hence had these "original sins" from the beginning. You cannot judge a baby by the circumstances of its birth - but you can tell a lot about a young person's character by how they respond to the discovery of great wrongs - especially those in which it is complicit. The USA almost destroyed itself in a devastating war to resolve an intractable problem: how can a nation founded on liberty allow slavery? (Certainly there is much more to the Civil War than that, but in the end, 1 Union soldier died for every 10 slaves that were freed - a high price in anyone's book). How many nations in history have almost torn themselves apart to resolve such a moral dilemma? That is not the sole example: there are many examples of America realizing that it is not 'living up to' its ideals correcting course - even if that correction comes with great pain.
Winston Churchill said:
"You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else."
What more can you ask of a bunch of flawed humans? (And these critics with their oafish way of addressing social injustice are an obstacle to improving without much pain!)
100% agree NC!