“By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both to them and to ourselves… We fail to recognize that we could go and do likewise.” (Loewen, 11) This statement means that by ignoring the flaws of a historical figure, we are ignoring some of what we could learn from them, while simultaneously stunting possible improvement. American textbooks frequently lionize important people, possibly because showing any flaws or weaknesses of character they might have could stand to tarnish the public’s opinion of the person’s reputation. In this chapter, Loewen writes about the tendencies of textbooks to only focus on the positive things one did, as opposed to also making note of some of the more unsavory actions and ideals, in addition to their
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Most, if not all, textbooks leave out Keller’s achievements after she graduated from Radcliffe in 1904. Very few Americans are aware the Keller was a committed socialist. She vehemently supported the Socialist Party, and rejoiced at the institution of communism in post-revolution Russia, even writing “With pain and anguish the old order has given birth to the new, and behold… Onward, comrades, all together! Onward to the campfires of Russia! Onward to the coming dawn!” (Loewen, 14) Keller was also a supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which was a surprisingly bold act from a wealthy white woman from the south. Loewen summarizes these fascinating facts in an articulate, concise way. “One may not agree with Helen Keller’s positions. … She was a radical- a fact few Americans know, because our schooling and our mass media left it out.” (Loewen, 15) Personally, I was unsurprised when learning of Keller’s socialist sympathies. As a woman with disabilities, Keller was discriminated against. Therefore, she was a supporter of equality, be it racial, economic, or …show more content…
These authors either don’t want to offend customers or school boards, or struggle to see any faults of the history of America. Just as individuals have a hard time admitting their own guilt, these textbook authors are extremely hesitant to admit any wrongdoing on America’s part. In every textbook, America is a wholesome country, standing up for freedom and all things that are right. When the United States has a conflict with any other countries, the USA is an innocent victim of an aggressive country.These “aggressors” are frequently vilified, with textbook authors implying that the opponent was against freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or against democracy, as whole. Even if America were to attack or provoke any kind of warfare, the government and mainstream media would dramatize some potentially trumped-up charges of oppression in that country to “justify” fighting. Therefore, students are misled by America’s “good guy” image, and carry this distorted perception of the world throughout their lives, allowing it to color their view of foreign policy. While in some cases America is being “victimized” by other groups, in this chapter, the United States is refusing to admit guilt about the horrific slavery that founded this country. Loewen
Most, if not all, textbooks leave out Keller’s achievements after she graduated from Radcliffe in 1904. Very few Americans are aware the Keller was a committed socialist. She vehemently supported the Socialist Party, and rejoiced at the institution of communism in post-revolution Russia, even writing “With pain and anguish the old order has given birth to the new, and behold… Onward, comrades, all together! Onward to the campfires of Russia! Onward to the coming dawn!” (Loewen, 14) Keller was also a supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which was a surprisingly bold act from a wealthy white woman from the south. Loewen summarizes these fascinating facts in an articulate, concise way. “One may not agree with Helen Keller’s positions. … She was a radical- a fact few Americans know, because our schooling and our mass media left it out.” (Loewen, 15) Personally, I was unsurprised when learning of Keller’s socialist sympathies. As a woman with disabilities, Keller was discriminated against. Therefore, she was a supporter of equality, be it racial, economic, or …show more content…
These authors either don’t want to offend customers or school boards, or struggle to see any faults of the history of America. Just as individuals have a hard time admitting their own guilt, these textbook authors are extremely hesitant to admit any wrongdoing on America’s part. In every textbook, America is a wholesome country, standing up for freedom and all things that are right. When the United States has a conflict with any other countries, the USA is an innocent victim of an aggressive country.These “aggressors” are frequently vilified, with textbook authors implying that the opponent was against freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or against democracy, as whole. Even if America were to attack or provoke any kind of warfare, the government and mainstream media would dramatize some potentially trumped-up charges of oppression in that country to “justify” fighting. Therefore, students are misled by America’s “good guy” image, and carry this distorted perception of the world throughout their lives, allowing it to color their view of foreign policy. While in some cases America is being “victimized” by other groups, in this chapter, the United States is refusing to admit guilt about the horrific slavery that founded this country. Loewen