"Lies My Teacher Told Me" by Loewen.

[Pacifist Patriot]

Thank you to whomever it was who recommended this in the thread about books that should be required reading. After getting through less than half of it I cannot agree more. Already I think it explains a good deal about why Americans are so resistant to the truth. Generations of school children have had our history altered, sanitized and disseminated as unadulterated propaganda. No wonder they can't stand to hear anything negative about the Bush administration. It offends the mythic perspective forming their nice comfortable shell.

Americans are perfect, upstanding and moral international citizens who present a shining example of how things should be done everywhere. And indeed the world has definitely learned the lessons we've been teaching. The lessons of ethnocentrism, racism, oppression, colonialism, aggression, etc. at the hands of a people who think their success has been ordained by God.

I do not mean to swing to the opposite extreme and imply that everything about America is bad. But in psychological terms, suppressing the shadow side of our nature will not eliminate it but cause it to counter such imbalance by asserting its presence even more. Perhaps that's why we have the sort of people we have in power today. *shrug* If we're going to progress we have to address the shadows head on and that means admitting things about ourselves we may not like.

I'll say it. America is responsible for a huge percentage of what is wrong in our world today. NOW can we do something about it? I would love for the American legacy to be one of correcting mistakes rather than compounding them. Even if it takes another 230 years to do it. But somehow I doubt the rest of the world is willing to wait that long for us to grow up.

[bunkerbuster1]

1. (raising hand) Glad you liked it, PP.

Funnily enough, I was just talking to a cow-orker this morning about Loewen's retelling of Columbus' 1492 voyage vs. that one we're all taught.

I'm happy that you're so impressed that you needed to post about the book when you're only halfway through, but do finish it!

One thing that does provide some sanitizing balance to what you've stated, is that our frequent senseless acts of decency are ALSO swept under the rug, so's to make things more palatable to those who might not, for example, appreciate the anti-racism of many Americans throughout our history.

[prole_for_peace]

3. also, "A People's History of the United States" by

Howard Zinn. Airs a lot of dirty laundry also.

[Karenina]

6. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

A neo-nazi acts out in Berlin...

LEADING INTERNATIONAL NEWS in your *corp. media (LM$M)

Tens of thousands take to the streets against racism...

NO COVERAGE.

The U.S. "good guy" victim trip is wearing VERY THIN.

[bunkerbuster1]

7. You haven't read the book, I take it.

I don't have it in front of me, but based on your reply you've clearly misread what I've posted.

One of the points that the author makes is that efforts and accomplishments of progressive Americans are given short shrift. The sanitization of history tends to wipe out a lot of stuff that disturbs for varying reasons, both really really bad stuff and really admirable stuff.

If this isn't making sense, well, just read the book.

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. I agree.

And I haven't finished the book. In retrospect it seems like virtually anything controversial is glossed over or euphemized if it is covered at all. And progressive activity is certainly controversial.

[prole_for_peace]

2. i love that book.

after i read it i got into an argument with a former co-worker about columbus and how he abused and killed off the native people where he landed. she acted like he was some kind of saint and "he never did anything like that". and i was all like "whatever"

[Niccolo_Macchiavelli]

4. this itches

And indeed the world has definitely learned the lessons we've been teaching.

The lessons of ethnocentrism, racism, oppression, colonialism, aggression, etc.


Yeah Europe was a peaceful paradise until those lessons of US of A were tought. So much for ethnocentrism...makes as much sense Luke teaching Yoda. We had that for MANY CENTURIES in Europe. If you can catch up in 230 years you will still be in a relatively good position.

It's not that Europe has learned it's lesson from USA it's vice versa. Sadly how to do it, rather than to avoid it...

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. Well I certainly didn't mean to imply that these

traits originated in America. I assumed the roots of the non-native Americans was common knowledge.

But then there's the email I just got from my brother-in-law bitching about the pacifist French and Germans yet again. Bah!

[Rich Hunt]

5. hey, I bought it, too!

Someone here recommended it, so I bought it.

I loved it so much, I passed it on to a relative.