Knowing Ourselves

RACISM is a core American value. Rant and resist this reailty however one might, it remains true, proven convincingly by history and by even the most cursory examination of our modern American society. the fact that a certain, limited segment of American society,and the historical profession have in recent decades begun to closely examine racism's real past and real present in America is problematic to conservatives, whose smug, self serving patriotism is offended by historical and contemporary realities, and prefer hagiography to history. So much so that laws are being proposed and pased in various united states prohibiting the teaching of actual history, and requiring the teaching og hagiographic history. This is an alarming trend, remindful of the suppression of education and knowledge common in authoritarian systems. Although Americans have always preferred to think of their country and history in positive terms, quite understandably, the outright banning of unpleasant factual history serves nobody's interests in a supposedly free society. The conservative push to indoctrinate America's children with a falsely positive view of American history and society is, ironically enough, justified by its proponents on the ridiculously false allegation that it is those who advocate teaching the truth are in fact guilty of indoctrinataion, as if they are deliberately training people to "hate America". The recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that its two year investigation of the Louisvile, Kentucky Police Department reveals pervasive racism throughout has already faded from the news. It cannot, however, be denied or refuted, no matter how vigorously the right wing tries. How many other American cities have police departments and criminal justice systems in which racism runs rampant? Many more than merely one, doubtless.. Maybe, most. Maybe, all. The so called "Sixteen Nineteen Project" is controversial, and widely despised and censored simply becuaes it delineates the truth, rather than false history and analysis. It should be required teaching, not banned. Lord Acton's famous maxim that those who do not remember the lessons of history are condemned to repeat them is exemplified in today's American culture, a culture of denial in which we prefer to forget, and thus repeat, our past mistakes.