The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long that nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was. The world around it will forget even faster.
— Milan Kundera
Totalitarians of all stripes have an innate hatred for America and what it stands for. As we get closer to America’s 250th birthday, expect an uptick of hate-America from liberals. It has already begun, and they use neat tricks in telling history. Some towns in Massachusetts have canceled Fourth of July celebrations.
They use the usual Communist tactic of falsifying history, much as Howard Zinn did with A People’s History of the United States, a volume full of falsifications that would turn any reader into a rabid anti-American radical. It’s being openly used in American schools. The 1619 Project, promoted by America’s Pravda, is another mutilated history. Such is lead author Hannah-Jones’s ignorance that the Project has been credibly accused of getting the year for the start of the American Civil War wrong, saying that Communism eliminated racial discrimination in Cuba, and that the North did not fight the Civil War to end slavery.
Camille Paglia nailed it when she said, “The worst crime of political correctness is that it has allowed current ideologies to stunt our sense of the past and to reduce history to a litany of inflammatory grievances.”
As Alexander Solzhenitsyn put it, “To destroy a people, you must first sever their roots.”
One of their parroted mantras is that the Declaration of Independence and the writing of the Constitution were done (voice dripping with contempt) by old white men. They’re ignorant. Actually, the prime movers were young men: John Hancock was 37, Thomas Jefferson was 33, John Adams was 41. The only old man there was Benjamin Franklin (70). For some strange reason, it is customary to paint/photograph famous writers, artists, scientists and politicians when they are old and not at their prime.
Additionally, there were no women, transgenders, or homosexuals involved. This was true of all countries. America was no exception.
Then there is the condemnation that only property holders could vote. This was a carryover from England, but the franchise in the young republic, where it varied by state, was far more widespread than in England and the rest of the world. Months after the Constitution was adopted, property requirement for voting began to be abolished by the states even though the Constitution did not then prohibit the requirement.
In regards to Native Americans, there’s no question that there was mistreatment on both (really, all) sides. But it should be pointed out that Indians committed horrific crimes and atrocities against each other and against whites, from cannibalism to burning victims alive to bashing babies’ heads against rocks. The Eries, for example, were completely wiped out by the Iroquois. The idea that Indians were hippie-like environmentalists, prancing through the woods and worshipping nature killed by evil whites is an asinine fantasy.
And then, there is slavery, “America’s original sin.” It’s usually implied that America invented slavery, but slavery was really practiced worldwide; it was normal. Native Americans had slaves. Even some blacks in America had slaves. Africans enslaved and sold each other. They still do.
But here is something that is important and is never brought up: when America was being formed, one of the many issues was the elimination of slavery. It was central to their goals. It was not resolved until much later, but the impulse to do so was there from the very beginning. Even some slave owners thought manumission was necessary and inevitable, but they had inherited that situation, and to release their slaves would have meant instant homelessness. As for today’s self-righteous persons imbued with presentism who insist they should have done so regardless of consequences, ask them, if they believe in global warming (of course), then why don’t they get rid of their cars (silence). Or not use private jets (silence).
Notice a Pattern?
Consider their past record of smashing/vandalizing statues (like Red Guards) of historical figures, from Columbus to Lincoln to Jesus to Joan of Arc to Robert E. Lee to St. Junipero.
Consider also leftists’ repeated calls for censorship in outraged tone because there are people out there who think differently from them.
And also consider the fact they have often voiced their desire to trash the Constitution because they say it’s outdated, and pack the Supreme Court with their ideological brethren.
Abraham Lincoln: “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”
Lastly, we have their condemnation of national holidays. Columbus Day has been canceled in some places because supposedly Columbus carried out “genocide” in North America — a lie. During Halloween, leftists have condemned certain costumes for being Politically Incorrect. Fourth of July is hated by leftists because they resent the outcome. Thanksgiving according to them is when Pilgrims landed and started killing Indians with their AR-47s. Christmas, of course, is too Christian. And Mother’s Day is triggering.
As Alexander Solzhenitsyn put it, “To destroy a people, you must first sever their roots.” Or, better yet, Hannah Arendt: “A totalitarian society is one in which an ideology seeks to displace all prior institutions and traditions, with the goal of bringing all aspects of society under control of that ideology.”
Taking Pride in America
Ask most conservatives who express pride in America and they will have trouble putting it into words. Some will mention the military, as if the military was the essence of America.
Instead: America is the longest standing republic, uninterrupted by a single dictatorship, surpassing the Roman Republic. Historically, America has been a genuine example to the rest of the world since its beginning, with numerous nationalist and independence movements looking to the U.S. as a model. American culture is imitated and preferred around the world, much to the irritation of the French (he-he-he).
Unlike other democracies — even European democracies — America has true, ironclad freedom of speech, religion and press.
Poverty in America, for all intents and purposes, means not having a car. Poverty in other countries is when your stomach is touching your spine.
America is the country having the highest number of Olympic medals; America is the country with the highest number of Nobel Prizes (487); American films are the envy of every cinematographer around the world. They dream of working in Hollywood.
American literary output is stupendous, from Moby Dick to Catch-22 to Atlas Shrugged. The scientific and technical output is equally prodigious. Scientists dream of doing research here.
With the exception of the War of 1812, all military action by America has been against dictatorships, whether military or monarchical, so when leftist critics damn America for attacking countries, it has been for a damn good cause, even if not always prudent.
America has the global reputation that if one has talent and/or works hard, one can become wealthy, certainly by the standards of one’s native country, whereas if one stays in their native country and works hard, life does not improve.
People in Third World countries, from Madagascar to Pakistan, are proud of their country — even when there is nothing to be proud of. Yet, many young Americans have been brainwashed by Communists into not having pride in their country, though they have very good reasons for pride.
This Fourth
The 250th anniversary of America should be more than just fireworks and barbeques. It should be a time for reflection. And learning. And buckling up.
Although I focus my loathing for totalitarian-worshipping leftists, I occasionally have expressed disdain for conservatives. Nor am I the only one to do so.
I usually ignore criticisms of Americans from Eurotrash. But one rings true: most Americans are ignorant of history, even their own country’s history. They know every detail of WWII because of all the movies that have been shoved down our throats, but know next to nothing about their country’s history.
Reading printed books has gone out of fashion because of the Internet and social media. But for this momentous anniversary, read biographies of the best of us: Team of Rivals on Lincoln, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, American Sphinx on Jefferson, The Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt, A Man of Iron on Cleveland, and The Three Lives of James Madison.
If you simply can’t bring yourself to read a book, go see the film Young Washington on the Fourth.
But remember the words of George Orwell: “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
READ MORE from Armando Simón:
The Constitution They Cannot Conquer
Uncovered: The Power of the Citizen Journalist
Armando Simón is a retired historian and psychologist.
