From a burgeoning police state and deportations, to rejecting DEI and denying slavery's horrors, Trump's assault on Americans and our shared history demands we speak the truth
“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.” - Frederick Douglass
Racism is the monster which MAGA has unleashed, normalized and fetishized. Having displays about the horrific evils of slavery at museums in this country doesn’t make me feel ashamed. REMOVING those displays and white washing the history of how this country came to be is what makes me ashamed.
Thank you for this important article highlighting the history of racism in America. This Neanderthal Administration is dumb to think going backwards is an answer to our country’s problems. All citizens will pay dearly for their collective efforts to Make America White Again and history will remember this time as one of national disgrace.
Some time ago there was a push to change textbooks. I remember concerns being raised to teachers. One was that when large states like TX or CA change what they want in textbooks smaller states don’t want the added expense of ‘boutique textbooks’ for small states so these textbooks approved by larger states could find their way to our classrooms. This changing of textbooks by the selection panels in states made its way into the news about a decade ago. In 2020, NYT did a did a comparison of TX and CA textbooks. It has a paywall but this is a summary of a few key points —
Educated in the 1950's and early 1960's in upstate New York, I distinctly remember that slavery was an issue not mentioned in American history classes. It was not until I got to college that slavery and racial discrimination became an issue. It saddens me to see that the Republicans and their fellow-travelers are trying to destroy the progress America has made since my time in school. We have come some distance toward equality in my 80 years, but our journey is by no means finished.
I suspect it began to enter curriculums in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement.
Certain states began whitewashing it again a decade or so ago. The past few years has been a full on assault to get schools to only teach happy history.
Thank you, Steven, for being a beacon of hope in this otherwise dispiriting time. I need you, and am glad to be able to follow you. By the way, not too long ago I was having lunch with two women who happen to be African American. We were decrying the Trump impact and I said, "This is not the country in which I grew up." One of the women commented, "It is the country in which I grew up." I was gratefully stunned and thanked her for bringing that to table. My white perspective is only that. My eyes and heart were opened that day.
Please note that Bryan Stephenson’s organization is Equal Justice Initiative, rather than Economic Justice Initiative. I just want to make sure that those looking for it can find it.
I am furious about this purge in the Smithsonian and throughout the gov - trying to erase men and women who have fought and made progress for us all. But I am not surprised. And the people in this gov - Hegseth, Miller, etc who are the idols of the white supremacists - have been dog whistled out of their holes to drag us back in time. I am WOKE! I am DEI! I am everything that's NOT trump and I promise to say it loud and proud
Fortunately, there are many of us who know the history of slavery and racism. We can keep history alive by teaching our young relatives and friends about the ‘Black Wall Street’ massacre and similar atrocities.
This is a stark but wonderfully comprehensive discussion of the rooted and reinforced tendency of fear, and I propose, unfortunate ignorance based Racism, being callously and cunningly used to ignite the basest of reactions into flames of rebellion against decency and fairness. - all for political gain by Trump and his misfits.
“We are about 99.9% genetically identical to each other, with the 0.1% difference accounting for variations in traits like hair color and disease risk.”
I find it heart rending we are unsuccessful at teaching this concept; And the causes of variations in skin color basically that of how much time our ancestors spent in the sun. That’s it! Sun!
This Excerpt from your article is helpful;
“Yes, we have a job to do. Trump and his regime are trying their damnedest to reject the past, glorify the enemies of democracy and basic human decency, and shove their white supremacist agenda down our throats. They may slow down the march of progress, but we must continue to speak out with the knowledge that one day the truth can free us all from our troubled history.”
Or to state things another way, there is no freedom without truth. This is precisely why these, our fascists (as all fascists before them) seek to destroy the truth and replace it with their lies. Why else would they assault education, free speech, culture, the arts and our institutions?
But the fascists will only succeed in (re-)enslaving us if we let them. We simply cannot allow a minority of loathsome white nationalists to rip the foundation of democracy out from under our feet. Those of us in the majority need to rise up. We need to do so in our millions. We need to do so NOW!
Thank you, Steven. I had wondered about those two museums in Montgomery and it's a relief to know that they don't have federal funding. History can be manipulated, but what has occurred, HAPPENED! Sad to see this Orwellian travesty 😢😵💫
"Daily degradations" is what seems to ail me the most. The meanness and constant belittling by the man in charge against his pick of the day is sick. We are existing in a sick country. I do believe we all need to follow the wisdom, courage, and strength of the civil rights leaders, current and past.
Let the bloodless coup begin. Remove that Orange Stain and the rest of his motley crew. Surely there must be one sane Republican who can lead the uprising and save our republic from the daily destruction taking place right before our eyes.
“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.” - Frederick Douglass
Fight. However you can. With all you have.
Racism is the monster which MAGA has unleashed, normalized and fetishized. Having displays about the horrific evils of slavery at museums in this country doesn’t make me feel ashamed. REMOVING those displays and white washing the history of how this country came to be is what makes me ashamed.
Exactly, Joanie.
Thank you for this important article highlighting the history of racism in America. This Neanderthal Administration is dumb to think going backwards is an answer to our country’s problems. All citizens will pay dearly for their collective efforts to Make America White Again and history will remember this time as one of national disgrace.
Some time ago there was a push to change textbooks. I remember concerns being raised to teachers. One was that when large states like TX or CA change what they want in textbooks smaller states don’t want the added expense of ‘boutique textbooks’ for small states so these textbooks approved by larger states could find their way to our classrooms. This changing of textbooks by the selection panels in states made its way into the news about a decade ago. In 2020, NYT did a did a comparison of TX and CA textbooks. It has a paywall but this is a summary of a few key points —
https://new.academy4sc.org/2020/02/17/american-history-textbooks-shaped-by-state-political-views/
Educated in the 1950's and early 1960's in upstate New York, I distinctly remember that slavery was an issue not mentioned in American history classes. It was not until I got to college that slavery and racial discrimination became an issue. It saddens me to see that the Republicans and their fellow-travelers are trying to destroy the progress America has made since my time in school. We have come some distance toward equality in my 80 years, but our journey is by no means finished.
They don't want to admit that it never went away. You see that in mass incarceration.
I suspect it began to enter curriculums in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement.
Certain states began whitewashing it again a decade or so ago. The past few years has been a full on assault to get schools to only teach happy history.
Thank you, Steven, for being a beacon of hope in this otherwise dispiriting time. I need you, and am glad to be able to follow you. By the way, not too long ago I was having lunch with two women who happen to be African American. We were decrying the Trump impact and I said, "This is not the country in which I grew up." One of the women commented, "It is the country in which I grew up." I was gratefully stunned and thanked her for bringing that to table. My white perspective is only that. My eyes and heart were opened that day.
Thank you for sharing, Kay.
Please note that Bryan Stephenson’s organization is Equal Justice Initiative, rather than Economic Justice Initiative. I just want to make sure that those looking for it can find it.
Thanks for flagging, Gail. Fixed.
I am furious about this purge in the Smithsonian and throughout the gov - trying to erase men and women who have fought and made progress for us all. But I am not surprised. And the people in this gov - Hegseth, Miller, etc who are the idols of the white supremacists - have been dog whistled out of their holes to drag us back in time. I am WOKE! I am DEI! I am everything that's NOT trump and I promise to say it loud and proud
That’s the spirit, Susan.
Fortunately, there are many of us who know the history of slavery and racism. We can keep history alive by teaching our young relatives and friends about the ‘Black Wall Street’ massacre and similar atrocities.
To Steven and all of us, Speak out while it's still legal.
I would also include John Roberts and his Heritage Foundation bought justices in the groups that support white nationalism.
He's not the only 1. Thomas is just as guilty.
Roberts is the Chief Justice. I think Thomas is covered by “… his heritage foundation bought justices ….”.
Steven: Thankyou for the Truth;
This is a stark but wonderfully comprehensive discussion of the rooted and reinforced tendency of fear, and I propose, unfortunate ignorance based Racism, being callously and cunningly used to ignite the basest of reactions into flames of rebellion against decency and fairness. - all for political gain by Trump and his misfits.
“We are about 99.9% genetically identical to each other, with the 0.1% difference accounting for variations in traits like hair color and disease risk.”
I find it heart rending we are unsuccessful at teaching this concept; And the causes of variations in skin color basically that of how much time our ancestors spent in the sun. That’s it! Sun!
This Excerpt from your article is helpful;
“Yes, we have a job to do. Trump and his regime are trying their damnedest to reject the past, glorify the enemies of democracy and basic human decency, and shove their white supremacist agenda down our throats. They may slow down the march of progress, but we must continue to speak out with the knowledge that one day the truth can free us all from our troubled history.”
Thank you again
💙💙🇺🇸💙💙🎵
https://www.amacad.org/publication/daedalus/unequal-nature-geneticists-perspective-human-differences#:~:text=Much%20of%20human%20DNA%20is,beings%20is%2099.9%20percent%20identical.
I fully expect to soon read about a Trump order to close the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Reasonable.
"The truth will set you free" - John 8:32.
Or to state things another way, there is no freedom without truth. This is precisely why these, our fascists (as all fascists before them) seek to destroy the truth and replace it with their lies. Why else would they assault education, free speech, culture, the arts and our institutions?
But the fascists will only succeed in (re-)enslaving us if we let them. We simply cannot allow a minority of loathsome white nationalists to rip the foundation of democracy out from under our feet. Those of us in the majority need to rise up. We need to do so in our millions. We need to do so NOW!
Thank you, Steven. I had wondered about those two museums in Montgomery and it's a relief to know that they don't have federal funding. History can be manipulated, but what has occurred, HAPPENED! Sad to see this Orwellian travesty 😢😵💫
"Daily degradations" is what seems to ail me the most. The meanness and constant belittling by the man in charge against his pick of the day is sick. We are existing in a sick country. I do believe we all need to follow the wisdom, courage, and strength of the civil rights leaders, current and past.
Let the bloodless coup begin. Remove that Orange Stain and the rest of his motley crew. Surely there must be one sane Republican who can lead the uprising and save our republic from the daily destruction taking place right before our eyes.