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MARXIST INFLUENCE IN AMERICA'S MUSEUMS Smithsonian Museum Blasted for Stressing America's Failures
CNSNews.com ^ | February 19, 2003 | By Marc Morano

Posted on 02/20/2003 3:37:10 PM PST by rimmont

Washington (CNSNews.com) - A tour of America's premier federal historical museum in Washington D.C., reveals an unflattering historical portrait of America oppressing minorities. Some tourists and cultural critics say the Smithsonian curators have "washed out" the nation's European ancestry in favor of 'diversity' history.

The Smithsonian's American History museum currently features a series of exhibits detailing America's repression of minorities, ranging from the treatment of the Pueblo people in New Mexico to the forced Japanese-American internment camps of World War II and discrimination against Hispanics and African-Americans.

The museum receives approximately two-thirds of its funding from the federal government and the rest from corporate and private donations.

One of the exhibits casts early European settlers of North America as "invaders" launching "assaults." Another exhibit links modern day left-of-center causes such as nuclear disarmament and the Equal Rights Amendment to woman's suffrage. While the ERA has always been a popular issue for liberals, several of the nation's original suffragists had conservative views, especially regarding abortion.

At the same time, the Lincoln Memorial is featuring a video in the Lincoln Legacy room that many visitors believe implies Lincoln would have supported abortion and homosexual "rights," as well as the modern feminist agenda. The video is currently under formal review by the National Park Service, following a series of CNSNews.com reports.

Cultural critic David Horowitz, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Center for the Study of the Popular Culture and a former 1960s radical, was not surprised by the content of the Smithsonian exhibits, which he feels represent an attempt to make Americans feel guilty about their past.

"The Smithsonian is being run by America-haters. This goes back a long time," Horowitz told CNSNews.com.

"The whole museum field has been taken over by the left-wing Gestapo," Horowitz said.

But a Smithsonian curator defended the museum, saying its officials "are always interested in telling diverse stories." Jim Gardner, associate director of Curatorial Affairs, said the museum is also receiving "criticism on the left that we do very conservative history."

Gardner told CNSNews.com, "We would like the museum to be as diverse as the American people, but we don't have quotas or anything like that."

'We Were Stunned'

Becky Thompson, a tourist from Chicago, visited the Smithsonian, and the historical displays she found left a lasting impression.

"Our family visited Washington D.C., two years ago, and we intentionally wanted to view the history of our ancestors - the Irish and other Europeans and how they impacted our land, she explained.

"Instead, we found more of the American History museum dedicated to women's rights and slavery issues, and we left disgusted and outraged," Thompson said.

"We were stunned, I mean stunned. We actually thought we wandered into the wrong display," she told CNSNews.com.

"There was literally nothing about European history and yet, I found tons of things on women's rights... It was overkill. It was everywhere I looked," Thompson said. "European history was washed out."

'American Encounters'

When arriving at the main entrance of the Smithsonian's American History Museum from the mall side, visitors are faced with an exhibition called "American Encounters: The Arrival of Columbus in the Americas in 1492."

The exhibits detail how the Kha p'o people of Santa Clara, N.M., "have endured assaults on their lives, land, economy [and] religions for almost five centuries, first by Spaniards and then by Anglo Americans" and "been subject to invasive forms of Christianity."

The display calls the Pueblo revolt of 1680 "the first American Revolution for freedom" and chided Anglos for "the many assaults by "armed men and missionary priests."

Horowitz dismissed the idea that the revolt of 1680 was "the first American Revolution for freedom."

"It wasn't part of America in 1680," Horowitz charged. "What the hell are they talking about?"

'Clearly Revisionist History'

On the first floor of the Smithsonian, an agricultural display features farm equipment and a prominent glass-encased panel in honor of migrant farmer rights leader Cesar Chavez. The exhibit praises Chavez for helping California Latino migrant workers unionize to achieve "better working conditions for the most downtrodden of American workers."

The exhibit refers to Chavez' cause as the "liberation of farm workers" and features the Spanish phrase "viva la causa."

But a critic of the labor movement scoffed at the Smithsonian's promotion of Chavez, calling the display "clearly revisionist history."

"Chavez oppressed the farm workers by putting them under compulsory unionism. You have to join the union to get a job," said Stephan Gleason of the National Right to Work Foundation, a group that opposes compulsory unionism.

"[Chavez] was a bully and an extreme leftist, and he worked hard to impose unions on thousands of employees who wanted nothing to do with it," Gleason added.

He called Chavez a Marxist whose "goal was to seize control of means of production."

Women's Suffrage and Modern Feminism?

Another exhibit, called "From Parlor to Politics: Women and Reform in America 1890-1925," links the struggle for suffrage to modern feminist causes.

Becky Thompson remembers this exhibit more than the others.

"It made me sick - 'Parlor to Politics,' - it stood out in my mind. That is not the celebration of women I know," she said.

Another exhibit at the Smithsonian concentrates on submarines used during the Cold War. The third-floor exhibit features a video with former CBS newsman Walter Cronkite describing the U.S.-Soviet Union feud as "a time of mutual fear and distrust."

Other exhibits include one on Japanese American interment during World War II, Hispanic discrimination and America's repression of African-Americans' civil rights.

'Different Ethnic Areas'

Some of the visitors to the museum were disappointed by the portrayal of America's history, while others felt the Smithsonian did not go far enough in showing the past failings of the nation.

Gary Gillespie of Springfield, Va., told CNSNews.com, "I would say that probably not enough space is devoted to just American history, just American total history. It is all divided up into different ethnic areas and things like that."

South Dakota resident Wayne Stark was not happy with the museum. "I was disappointed. I was expecting more. I was just kind of disappointed," Stark said.

Christin Engelhardt of St. Louis, Mo., said her seven-year-old grandson Steven thought the museum portrayed an image of America that was too negative. But Engelhardt defended the museum's historical perspective, saying, "Negative things are part of history. You can't gloss over it."

High school student Will Hubbard of Chicago, Ill., thought the museum did a fine job presenting American history. "It was cool how it was all organized," Hubbard said.

Asked if he thought the Smithsonian presented American history fairly, Hubbard responded, "It was pretty accurate. I think from what I learned in school, it seemed pretty real."

Chris Muth, a D.C. resident, chided the Smithsonian for not exposing more of America's "failings."

"I don't think it really gave you a cross-section of what this country has really done. I think they omit a lot, a lot of failings of this country," Muth said.

He took particular exception to the Cold War exhibit. "I didn't particularly care for the Cold War exhibit because I don't believe the Soviet Union was ever a threat. I think that it was largely to just prop up the war machine, as it is now," he explained.

"I have learned so much more about true American history since I got out of high school than I did when I was in school," Muth lamented.

'Disgrace to the Nation'

Horowitz said the exhibits at the Museum of American History present a viewpoint typical of the way children are informed in their classrooms all across America.

"In our schools and in our cultural institutions, there is an anti-American left that is working hard to undermine and destroy America's sense of itself as a city on a hill and a beacon of freedom in the world," he told CNSNews.com.

"The Smithsonian curators are a disgrace to the nation, and they all ought to be sacked," Horowitz said.

When told that student Will Hubbard had found the museum to be "pretty accurate" based upon what he had "learned in school," Horowitz had a quick reply.

"Of course. It's the same thing they get in their history books because the left writes the school curriculums," Horowitz noted.

'Complexity and Richness'

Gardner defended many of the exhibits: "I don't think anyone would call those left-wing or American-hating or anything else.

"We want exhibits that really reflect the complexity and richness of American history and that involve people other than Caucasians. It involves the diverse people of America," he explained.

Gardner insisted, "We get as many critics from the left as we do from the right."

"There are no quotas or mandates or guidelines or anything like that. It's what historians do - explore complexity and richness," he added.

Gardner pointed to other exhibits currently at the Smithsonian, focused on The American Presidency, First Ladies, September 11th and West Point, to refute any criticism.

He maintains that the Smithsonian does not receive many complaints about the historical exhibits. According to Gardner, "millions of visitors every year" visit the museum, and they mostly give "glowing comments."

"We have a pretty low volume of complaints," Gardner said.

But Thompson is upset that the museum never responded to her complaints. After her visit to the Smithsonian, she determined the "history was so sadly lacking" that she decided to contact the curators.

"I tried to contact the director of the museum. I called numerous numbers trying to ask honestly what happened to the museum. I thought if people cared, maybe they would look into it and try to be more accurate," Thompson said.

After repeated attempts and messages, she said, "no one ever called back."

'Redressing Past Omissions'

Gary Perkins, who coordinates exhibits at the Sweetwater Historical Museum in Green River, Wyo., and who has written about the difficulty our national museums face when presenting historical materials, said: "Museums are shifting from telling the story from the brave pioneer frontiersman to a lot of other guys who were not frontiersmen."

"Our awareness, our consciousness of history has been changing," Perkins said.

He believes the Smithsonian's current exhibits are "probably correct and true history, not very pretty, but probably correct."

"It's a redressing of past omissions, not affirmative action. They are trying to develop a whole picture of the past," Perkins explained.

"[The exhibits] are unpleasant... The purpose of a museum is not to be a chamber of commerce to make us feel good, but to try to tell what really happened," he added.

'Push for Diversity'

But Thompson believes the Smithsonian is supporting "the push for diversity at the expense of telling the factual truth."

She did not have a problem including the non-European history but felt it was presented in a disproportionate manner.

"It is worth mentioning America's European ancestry. Sometimes, truth doesn't include diversity. Truth is what it is," Thompson said.

"Where is the museum that celebrates what was done right, like the hard work of those Europeans?" she asked.

"It made me sick. I actually think our tax dollars are being wasted because they are not representing the truth," Thompson said.

"If you want to know about women's suffrage and know about all injustices, then the Smithsonian is the place to go, but if want to know how the country was founded, good luck," she added.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 02/20/2003 3:37:10 PM PST by rimmont
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To: rimmont
"High school student Will Hubbard of Chicago, Ill., thought the museum did a fine job presenting American history. "It was cool how it was all organized," Hubbard said. Asked if he thought the Smithsonian presented American history fairly, Hubbard responded, "It was pretty accurate. I think from what I learned in school, it seemed pretty real."

You can't blame this boy for being ignorant. My girlfriend survived Chicago public schools and she can testify to the fact they have a VERY rigorous leftist indoctrination process there.

2 posted on 02/20/2003 3:41:44 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~All our ZOT are belong to us~)
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To: rimmont
Within the last few months a wealthy American couple tried to give the Smithsonian perhaps as much as $500,000, anyway, very large amount of money, to install an American Success Story exhibit, featuring stories of those who made it big here. The museum refused to take their money, refused to have American Success part of their exhibits.

Does anyone have a link to that report and/or the names of the wealthy couple?
3 posted on 02/20/2003 3:45:04 PM PST by PoisedWoman (Fed up with the liberal media)
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To: rimmont
All societies have a need for an historical mythology. To undermine a society you take control of that mythology and make it destructive and negative. The left wing PC line is no less mythical than the traditional American story. It is negative myth in place of positive myth but they have convinced many average minded Americans that it is closer to the truth when, in many cases, it is very far from the truth.
4 posted on 02/20/2003 3:47:10 PM PST by rimmont
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: rimmont
They did the same thing at the National Air and Space Museum with the Enola Gay display on the 50th anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki/VJ Day

They finally backed down on how the innocent Japanese were killed by the evil Americans after a national outrage.

Horowitz is right, this revisionist crap has been going on for years...at taxpayer expense.

6 posted on 02/20/2003 3:53:50 PM PST by hattend
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To: hattend
"They did the same thing at the National Air and Space Museum with the Enola Gay display on the 50th anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki/VJ Day"

I went through that exhibit at the Air and Space Museum with a group of Japanese tourists. They seemed almost shocked with the strident anti-American nature of the presentation.

7 posted on 02/20/2003 4:00:23 PM PST by rimmont
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To: rimmont
I'll never forget my visit to the National Air & Space Museum about a year after the Clintons came to town.

I had a leather coat on, and tried to check it in the coat room so I wouldn't have to carry it around. But they refused to take it because it was leather.

I was amazed to see they left up the display of the leather bomber jackets.

8 posted on 02/20/2003 4:05:31 PM PST by narby ((Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordian))
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To: rimmont
"We want exhibits that really reflect the complexity and richness of American history and that involve people other than Caucasians.

Well, that just about says it. If you're white, you don't belong in American History.

9 posted on 02/20/2003 4:10:26 PM PST by narby ((Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordian))
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To: hattend
"Horowitz is right, this revisionist crap has been going on for years...at taxpayer expense."

The entire federal establishment is shot through with this rot. To cite but one small example, the national park service, the marxist propaganda arm of the department of the inferior, is doing revisionist numbers at all of the Civil War Battlefields. For example, at Antietam they show a film on the protofascist Lincoln which is enough to make any Real American throw up. Truly disgusting stuff.

10 posted on 02/20/2003 4:19:26 PM PST by Bedford Forrest (Roger, Contact, Judy, Out. Fox One. Splash one.)
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To: rimmont
"There are six million stories in the naked city..."

You can't try to tell everyone's story. There isn't space in the museum. You have to decide what is fundamental about our history and focus on that. The curators have obviously gotten caught up in fringe situations in every stage of the story, and have missed the big story.

Just because something happened, doesn't mean it belongs in a museum. Even if it's really, really important to a small group of people. If the small group of people want their story displayed in a museum, let them start their own museum. Don't make it "America's story" and use our tax dollars to tell it.

There have been a lot of injustices in America. You could probably find quite a few in a given day in any of our big cities. America is a great nation. America is the most powerful nation in the world. Great inventions, great progress, great ideas have come from our nation. How did these things happen? That's the big story.
11 posted on 02/20/2003 4:50:39 PM PST by Rocky
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To: rimmont
bump
12 posted on 02/20/2003 6:15:14 PM PST by LiteKeeper
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To: All

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13 posted on 02/20/2003 6:16:14 PM PST by Bob J
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To: rimmont
"We have just as many complaints from the left as from the right"...... somehow I doubt this.
14 posted on 02/20/2003 6:50:27 PM PST by Red Boots
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