Movement to deny past is self delusional
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May 5, 2016
To The Eagle:
Many people feel that the changing of names of historical personages or sports teams will erase the ‘bad history’ that they are ashamed of. Our “history” can be improved and even enriched by hiding and or destroying the unfit memories from the past.
I think this movement to deny the past is self-delusional, cowardly and masochistic. It is a childish and therefore dangerous way to treat what has happened. We, all of us, need to accept that humanity is deeply flawed. What has happened is in the past. But what we can do about our very imperfect human society is build on the good things. Our Western culture has overcome many of its deep flaws (slavery, women’s oppression, etc.) Equality of opportunity has always been our ideal, if not always practiced.
Let us not pretend that history did not happen. Many evils were perpetrated, but vastly more good was accomplished by Western values and it is ongoing. The authoritarians among us work hard to destroy and deny the past they hate. Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot have shown the way to our modern day constant complainers.
Endless breast-beating and the surrender to self-guilt is destructive and defeats the human spirit. History is unchangeable; let’s learn from our sins and mistakes, not just close our eyes in denial, just to feel morally superior.
Mike Swift
Cathlamet
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