By Destroying History, Liberals Make an Example of Themselves

American Thinker.com ^ | June 29, 2020 | Rosamina Lowry

[Kaslin]

The current mania for pulling down statues of so-called morally corrupt historical figures is a classic case of presentism: "reading modern notions of morality" onto the past. It seems that those driven to do so may be honestly trying to rectify the "sins" of the past — whether it be colonial conquest, slavery, genocide, or whatever else. How corrupt were these historical figures? Were they indeed much more reprehensible than anyone in the present day? What did these people actually think in the awful before times when our Western European ancestors discovered the "New World" and practiced conquest and slavery? We are not able to read their minds — only to speculate upon their intent by examining historical documents: the writings, recollections, and stories of those who experienced those days. Indeed, how many of these activists so intent on destroying these representations of the past are fully knowledgeable of these documents that underpin the respect once given to these historical figures resulting in their statuary honors?

David Wootton, in his book The Invention of Science, explores the development of modern thinking through the investigation of historical artifacts such as writings, literature, and recollections. He notes that in the 1600s, even the notion of history itself did not exist as we understand it today. Wootton describes the intellectual culture of a typical well educated European in the 1600s. Such a person believed that witches could turn people into pigs, for instance, and that magic could be used to retrieve stolen goods. Alchemists could turn base metal into gold, and murdered bodies would bleed in the presence of the murderer. Slavery was understood to be just one way of the world. Europeans at that time were familiar with the writings of the Romans and the Greeks and how they lived.

[cba123]

Huh? :)

[Red Badger]

Okay, that is the most cryptic headline of the month.................

[Biggirl]

What?

[kanawa]

By Destroying History, Liberals Make an Example of Themselves

[unread]

"The statue-destroying activists are unwittingly displaying themselves as arrogant in the highest degree, for instead of acknowledging history and the lessons that could be learned therefrom to build a more compassionate and understanding present and future, they practice the same destructive behaviors that they are purportedly erasing from the past."

Hmmm... I'm thinking Mr. David Wootton is giving the fools way to much credit for their deep thinking, well thought out knowledge and plans about history, the present, future or any damned thing else... Those people couldn't care less about history, black lives, or what ever else the media tries to convince is going on...

If you CAN'T see whats going on, JUST ASK GEORGE SOROS..!! And believe me, it doesn't have ANYTHING to do with history...

[M-cubed]

When history is destroyed..... there never was any Slavery!..stop the damn whining and get back to work...