As I get older, it seems that the ethical dilemmas in life become more confusing and seem to border on the absurd. The issues that have to deal with presenting history correctly and accurately have gone the way that the Dodo has gone. It can in part be blamed on the internet and all the pseudo histories and conspiracy theories that are being touted of. The other part is our own ineptness of trying to keep historical places, institutions and events in their proper place and with historical accuracy. The need to keep things accurate has to be preserved. We, as future public historians can’t afford to be labeled as liars. The facts have to be presented in the best historical context given, and all politics should be moved to the wayside. The Sons of Confederate Veterans need to really get their facts straight and say that the information that they have presented in no ways reflects that slaves actually fought for the South. Unless it is a political institution, politics should never be insinuated and the institution should try to be as politically neutral as possible.
The thing that raised my ire the most was the article about the man presenting how the framers of the Constitution were, the types of men that this man thought they were and how religiously motivated they were. It is truly amazing how the facts can be skewed in the name of religion. One name that was not mentioned was that this guy was a member of the John Birch Society. They are one of the main groups trying to give education about the Constitution, but it is their skewed version. It is truly amazing how, older, male white men, in their 60’s, who probably never were in the Military or fought in Vietnam can try and educate our youth on how the Constitution works. Enough soapbox, but it is very galling to say the least.
These articles did open my eyes to how narrow some peoples take on historical events and places happened. I am so glad the blinders have fallen and that the truth can be shown on real names and events. I am glad the writer of the letter called out the false inaccuracies in the “Munchhausen House”. It was very appropriate to name this house after the man who was the biggest liar in the world. That article made me look at even when people are given the facts, they will still tell their version of a skewed truth.
