Fill those gaps in U.S. history with other views [Penn State Diseducation & Brainwashing]

The Penn State Daily Collegian ^ | Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 | Corinne Thatcher

[StopGlobalWhining]

Corinne Thatcher is a junior majoring in Latin American studies and a Collegian columnist. Her e-mail address is cet131@psu.edu.

It seems as if President Bush has found a new cause to distract television viewers from the heated political commentary that has besieged the issue of Iraq. In a speech Tuesday, Dubya spoke with incredulity about the lack of knowledge U.S. students have about their nation's history. He expressed amazement, for example, at the fact that the average student doesn't know that James Madison was instrumental in drafting the U.S. Constitution -- though I cannot help but wonder whether he knew this fact before his morning briefing.

But you know what? For the first time since President Bush expressed his support for the legalization of undocumented Mexicans working in the U.S. (we'll save commentary on that issue for another day), I actually find myself in agreement with the president of my country. Bush is absolutely right: Americans, in general, know far too little about the history of our country. However, I have a feeling that Bush and I differ on what we mean when we say Americans should know more about this country's past.

Bush has made it quite clear that the version of America's past he is referring to is the version that portrays America as the world's triumphant moral leader, existing as a beacon of hope to the undemocratic, undeveloped nations of the world. His version of our nation's past would glorify the merits of statesmen such as George Washington; it would remind us of how America single-handedly pulled Europe out of the shambles left by World War II; and it would have us all learn how America saved Latin America from the evils of communism during the Cold War by instating leaders committed to democratic principle.

I, on the other hand, would have Americans learn both sides of the story. I would have us learn that George Washington, among others, also owned slaves and purportedly had numerous affairs with his female servants; I would remind us that one of the primary reasons the U.S. passed the Marshall Plan was because our own economy hinged on the well-being of Europe's (hardly altruistic); and I would call into question our government's practice of protecting democracy by overthrowing popularly elected leaders in order to replace them with military dictators.

Believe it or not, I would do all this out of patriotism. I love my country and what it is supposed to stand for, and I am thankful for the rights that Americans enjoy. But Americans are being duped out of those rights by being told that our leaders are helping to uphold the American values of democracy, freedom and human rights around the world, when they are often doing the opposite. The education most of us receive in school and from the media has lulled Americans into complacency: Why exercise our rights to peacefully protest, to question our government, and, in a growing number of cases, even to vote when things seem to be going along just fine?

The truth is, though, that things are not going along just fine. In the eyes of the rest of the world, America is no longer the model nation it once was -- and I can say this with a significant level of confidence. I happened to be among the small number of Americans, including 13 of your other Penn State classmates, who showed up in Johannesburg, South Africa, for history's largest-ever summit, despite the fact that our president decided to take the time to vacation. And friends, the world is not happy with us. "What are we going to do about the United States?" were the bold letters tattooed across the shirt of a workshop facilitator at the parallel Civil Society Summit on Sustainable Development, where reps from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had come together to hold their own forum on the issues compromising our collective future. In Johannesburg, the outlaw country was not Iraq, North Korea or Libya; it was the U.S., the country that wants to break inveterate just-war doctrine with pre-emptive strikes against Iraq; the country that demands support in its war against terrorism, but refuses to support other countries in eradicating the conditions that breed terrorists.

Is this the view that we want the world to take of our country? Are we as Americans prepared to be the outlaws? I hope the answer is no; and if it is, that means it's time for us to seek out the facts, because if the past is any indication of the future, our government, media and schools aren't going to provide them for us. It is time for us as Americans to rise out of our complacency and to exercise our rights, which have lain dormant for so long: our rights to question, criticize, and communicate to our leaders the policies we want on the national and international agenda.

We as Americans have a lot more power than we think to effect change in this world because we live in a country that controls a very large portion of the world's resources, and we have the right, as citizens of a democracy, to dictate how those resources are used and shared. Let us not forsake our responsibility to the world to ensure that the leaders of our country are playing by the rules.

[StopGlobalWhining]

In a recent column titled Phony Diversity, George Mason scholar, Dr. Walter Williams pointed out the lack of diversity among faculty at American universities. The overwhelming majority are registered to vote as Democrats, Greens, or Working Party members. In other words, the far left. In some college departments there were no registered Republicans or Libertarians.

The good news for Penn State is they had the highest percentage of conservative faculty, 17%, than any other college mentioned in Professor Williams column.

The sorry article above by a naive Penn State junior is a sorry reminder of the results of such a policy.

[Billthedrill]

She's twenty. Her brain isn't fully formed yet. If she really does study, in about twenty more years she'll cringe at the arrogance and the incredible superficiality of what she considers deep learning that comes out in the letter. Or she may never learn and become a Democrat.

[Paul Atreides]

I imagine she cannot speak without using the words "like" and "you know" every other breath.

[groanup]

This amazing diatribe, laced with emotional facts and devoid of things concrete, could be compared with statements such as "I did not have sexual relations with that woman". I will digress: it is not unusual to encounter a twenty year old college student that knows everything. I think we have one here.

[mrsmith]

"we have the right, as citizens of a democracy, to dictate how those resources are used and shared"

Ah, Corinne Thatcher, Mr Madison knew you would say that!

TUESDAY. JUNE 26. IN CONVENTION

"Mr Madison: ...In framing a system which we wish to last for ages, we shd. not lose sight of the changes which ages will produce. An increase of population will of necessity increase the proportion of those who will labour under all the hardships of life, & secretly sigh for a more equal distribution of its blessings. These may in time outnumber those who are placed above the feelings of indigence. According to the equal laws of suffrage, the power will slide into the hands of the former. No agrarian attempts have yet been made in in this Country, but symtoms, of a leveling spirit, as we have understood, have sufficiently appeared in a certain quarters to give notice of the future danger. How is this danger to be guarded agst. on republican principles? How is the danger in all cases of interested coalitions to oppress the minority to be guarded agst.? "

[Skip Ripley]

I'm sorry, I cannot take the views of a person majoring in Latin American Studies.

What type of career does one hope to fashion based on that degree?

[let freedom sing]

it was the U.S., the country that wants to break inveterate just-war doctrine with pre-emptive strikes against Iraq; the country that demands support in its war against terrorism, but refuses to support other countries in eradicating the conditions that breed terrorists.

It's too bad the author didn't share at the world conference the following part about what she believes our rights are:

We as Americans have a lot more power than we think to effect change in this world because we live in a country that controls a very large portion of the world's resources, and we have the right, as citizens of a democracy, to dictate how those resources are used and shared.

Thud.

[brewcrew]

it is not unusual to encounter a twenty year old college student that knows everything.

I was one once. In fact, when I was 18, my parents were completely and utterly screwed up. By the time I was 21 and got married myself, it was amazing what they had learned in just three short years.

[j271]

A+ for Corinne in Liberal Dogma 101! Hopefully she can re-use this for senior-level Left-Wing Groupthink.

[stainlessbanner]

The education most of us receive in school and from the media has lulled Americans into complacency:

Ok, I agree with this, but I think the author is lulled to sleep, too. Since she is such a civil rights, diversity advocate, perhaps she should read up on the founder of her university - Penn owned slaves.

[jackbill]

I imagine she cannot speak without using the words "like" and "you know" every other breath.

You forgot "I mean".

[HighWheeler]

"I'm sorry, I cannot take the views of a person majoring in Latin American Studies.

What type of career does one hope to fashion based on that degree?

"You want fries with that?"

[Paul Atreides]

Note that the first thing she wants people to know is that George Washington ALLEDGEDLY had affairs. I think we know what sort of career, and with whom, she wants.

[Paul Atreides]

Aren't you impressed by her head-rag?

[StopGlobalWhining]

I'm sorry, I cannot take the views of a person majoring in Latin American Studies.

What type of career does one hope to fashion based on that degree?

Several possible careers immediately come to mind:

1. College professor.
2. State Department employee.
3. Political hack.
4. Journalist.

Or perhaps if she wants to prove her leftist commitment to the cause of global justice, she can lead a rescue mission to Peru to liberate fellow naive dunce, Lori Berenson, currently freezing in a jail in the Andes.

These naive, ignorant do-gooders think they can get away in other countries with the same nonsense we tolerate in America.

[dark_lord]

Give her a break. She's a 20 year old college student. How much experience do you think she has had? Compared to a lot of kids her she can write and think fairly clearly.

Piling on her is like kicking kittens for gosh sakes.

[Paul Atreides]

She's just regurgitating what some professor told her in class. I'm sorry, but just because she states her opinions in a clear manner doesn't mean they are right, or have to be liked.

[Verginius Rufus]

Since George Washington had no legitimate descendants, it's time to hunt for descendants of any relatives of his who might have carried the Washington "Y" chromosome, then find some black Americans who maintain that their family has preserved a tradition of being descended from a son of George Washington by one of his slave women, just as was done in the case of Thomas Jefferson. It's obviously more important that future students be taught that "George Washington had children by his slaves" than that they learn anything about his accomplishments or that we were extremely fortunate to have him as the Father of our country.

In earlier generations children were taught that George Washington chopped down his father's cherry tree. That was also a lie, but at least the story taught an important lesson: don't chop down someone else's tree.

[stainlessbanner]

She's just regurgitating what some professor told her in class.

Paul - see my post #10

[American Soldier]

Yeah...And shame on that mean old U.S. Attorney in Northern Virginia for picking on poor old Johnny Walker... I mean, he's just a 20-yr old kid, he didn't know any better than to join the Taliban. Piling on him is unfair!

[Actually I think you were partly right, I'm just testing the limits of your argument :) ]...