Some thoughts about honest history

To begin my post I’d like to consider one of my favorite quotes from these readings: “the history we teach [must be] a candid appraisal of our own society’s strengths and weaknesses, not simply an exercise in self-celebration – a conversation with the entire world, not a complacent dialogue with ourselves.”  This quote is from the last page of Foner’s article.  This quote goes right to the heart of what is wrong with the Florida law that is apparently meant to prohibit the interpretation of history (something which I agree with Becker, is impossible not to do anyway).  Only learning the history of one’s own greatness seriously handicaps the development of the society that teaches history that way.  Not only will it be impossible for that society to understand events such as terrorist attacks, but it deprives that society of intellectual richness.  Learning that there is only one perspective limits the ability to think hypothetically and develop the ability to come up with innovative solutions. 

Teaching history that is “a candid appraisal of our own society’s strengths and weaknesses” can be likened to teaching a child about a parent’s qualities.  Of course a parent wants their child to think well of them.  Every parent wants a child who believes that they are wise, insightful, loving, and just.  And it would be wonderful if every child had a parent who did embody these characteristics.  But it is not to the child’s determinant if the parent has not always perfectly possessed these qualities; indeed no person ever does.  And while some parents try to hide the fact that they are imperfect from their children, children seem to benefit from knowing the truth about their parents, especially as they grow.  Knowing that a beloved parent who one respects has made mistakes does not make the parent a bad person in the eyes of the child.  Knowing that the parent has grown and improved will make the child respect the parent.  This is the view that should be adopted about teaching history.  Knowing that the history of our nation and society is full of errors, miscalculations, and injustices does not make students lose all respect for the history of our country.  Instead it gives us a fuller understanding.  History students will learn more from that type of history than a self serving history.  Knowing the faults in our history is what will allow us to enter the dialogue with the rest of the world, hopefully allowing for more peaceful relations and respect of our own homeland, and isn’t that a patriotic goal?