Thanks for the article. As Captain Renault says to Rick in Casablanca, "I'm shocked, shocked that gambling is taking place in here."
I continue to be amazed, in spite of the number of years it's been happening, at the lack of awareness on the part of people like Rubio of how they are perceived by those who are able/willing to think and how historians will view them. I served as a mentor to a young man from age 10 to 18 and even he understood the concept of "what's the worst thing that can happen if I choose this path and am I willing to live with the consequences."
From the WaPo article. I’ve “gifted” it, so you should be able to open it.
Opinion: Rubio’s fake populism is no match for real history
“Sean Wilentz teaches at Princeton University and is the author of, among other books, ‘The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln.’
“‘I’m not a scientist, man,’ Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) once told an interviewer. He was evading a question about creationism and how old planet Earth is. ‘I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that,’ he said.
“Now Rubio has disclosed that he’s no historian, either.
The senator, up for reelection, has adopted a familiar tactic by expressing his contempt for American historians who recently met with President Biden to put current events into historical perspective. According to Rubio, those in attendance, including myself, are “elitists’ and ‘snobs.’ According to his account of our conversation, for which he obviously was not present, we urged the president to stop allowing ‘working everyday people and their common sense’ to ‘play a role in our decision-making.’
“In fact, much of the historical discussion with the president involved exactly the opposite, including how to address issues that affect the hard-working American majority and how to overcome polarization.”
Yep. Caught my eye because of the nice picture of “President George W. Bush, an avid reader of presidential biographies, present[ing] the Presidential Medal of Freedom to historian David McCullough at the White House on Dec. 15, 2006.” ❤️
One of the thoughts that has stuck with me from the introductory essay in The 1619 Project is that in the 400 plus years of that history, no one has better demonstrated the quintessential tenets of the American experiment than African-Americans. Their thirst and quest for freedom and all that the word/idea entails was demonstrated in their struggles against slavery, easily rivaling, if not surpassing that of the revolutionary (white) patriots. Not to mention that many of the leaders in the colonies (Ben Franklin's son comes to mind) were loyalists, not freedom fighters. Hannah-Jones continues by describing the fight that continued post-Emancipation and continues today for civil rights, voting rights, housing rights, employment rights, etc., i.e., life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Again, nothing speaks more clearly or loudly about American values and the desire to have "a more perfect union" than the words and deeds of our African-American fellow citizens past and present. That was my takeaway.
"All I see is the opportunity to learn and be challenged."
Indeed - ain't it wonderful? A life spent in learning and growing is the best I can imagine.
Glad you aren't suggesting any historian is immune from criticism, as none of them is, AND criticism and discussion are how the shared pool of knowledge grows.
From a broad perspective, I can't find any criticism of your post, although there are a few points that I do question.
First, what is your evidence to back up the claim that McCullough's books "satisfied a largely white audience?" Is that a matter of your opinion, or do you have something factual to back that up? If it's merely your opinion, then I would disagree with it. If you have a factual basis for making the claim, I would like to know what it is.
"They’ve deepened my understanding of American history and left me with feelings of pride and shame."
I think at least part of that statement embodies much of what some people find wrong with the current viewpoint of history. I feel absolutely no shame for what happened in the past since I had nothing to do with it. I will only feel shame for what I have personally done, not someone else's actions. I certainly can, and do feel empathy for the people who have been brutalized throughout history, but to suggest I should feel shame makes me out to be responsible for something I had nothing to do with. Is it any wonder that some people will reject that premise out of hand?
Just as an aside, I think an interesting coincidence between McCullough and Hannah-Jones is that both have been heavily criticized by Sean Wilentz, although for varying reasons.
I appreciate your perspective on "shame" but I (64-yr white male) must disagree, and this from my own journey. Objectively, I believe it is necessary to face fully and lament loudly our country's history of oppression and theft. This is the only way we have a chance of moving forward to a "more perfect union." Some might call the feeling that accompanies this introspection "shame." I would call it that, and I feel that. Subjectively, I spent the first 60 years of my life in ignorance of most if not all of this shameful "Nicole Hannah-Jones" history while taking in a steady diet of the "David McCullough" history. And for that I have deep shame and much regret, because until I know I cannot act. And now I've become an "actor," attempting to right the wrongs perpetrated for so long by our institutions, systems, and policies, and lastly, by my complicity in my ignorance and silence.
I certainly can acknowledge and appreciate the journey you've taken, even if I can't share in its results. It sounds to me like you've spent a long time reading and thinking things through, and that is never a bad thing for someone to do.
No, I don't have any hard evidence for the claim that McCullough largely catered to a white audience, but I suspect it is true. That said, I am happy to qualify it if evidence to the contrary surfaces.
My German wife is fond of pointing out that what is missing in this country is a sense of "collective shame" for parts of its past that it has done little to reckon with. She doesn't feel personally responsible for the Holocaust, but feels a sense of shame as a German citizen. I would suggest that we draw a distinction between shame and responsibility. By this logic, I also assume you don't feel pride in your country since you are not responsible for anything that happened in its past.
I don't know what you mean by "current viewpoint." I was simply expressing how I've long thought about America's past.
One of my senators 🙄 https://wapo.st/3CbR18D
Thanks for the article. As Captain Renault says to Rick in Casablanca, "I'm shocked, shocked that gambling is taking place in here."
I continue to be amazed, in spite of the number of years it's been happening, at the lack of awareness on the part of people like Rubio of how they are perceived by those who are able/willing to think and how historians will view them. I served as a mentor to a young man from age 10 to 18 and even he understood the concept of "what's the worst thing that can happen if I choose this path and am I willing to live with the consequences."
My pleasure. I like your mentee’s thinking.
From the WaPo article. I’ve “gifted” it, so you should be able to open it.
Opinion: Rubio’s fake populism is no match for real history
“Sean Wilentz teaches at Princeton University and is the author of, among other books, ‘The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln.’
“‘I’m not a scientist, man,’ Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) once told an interviewer. He was evading a question about creationism and how old planet Earth is. ‘I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that,’ he said.
“Now Rubio has disclosed that he’s no historian, either.
The senator, up for reelection, has adopted a familiar tactic by expressing his contempt for American historians who recently met with President Biden to put current events into historical perspective. According to Rubio, those in attendance, including myself, are “elitists’ and ‘snobs.’ According to his account of our conversation, for which he obviously was not present, we urged the president to stop allowing ‘working everyday people and their common sense’ to ‘play a role in our decision-making.’
“In fact, much of the historical discussion with the president involved exactly the opposite, including how to address issues that affect the hard-working American majority and how to overcome polarization.”
Read it this morning. Typical Rubio.
Yep. Caught my eye because of the nice picture of “President George W. Bush, an avid reader of presidential biographies, present[ing] the Presidential Medal of Freedom to historian David McCullough at the White House on Dec. 15, 2006.” ❤️
I find it interesting that those who object to *The 1619 Project* seem to identify more with white enslavers than white abolitionists.
Kevin,
One of the thoughts that has stuck with me from the introductory essay in The 1619 Project is that in the 400 plus years of that history, no one has better demonstrated the quintessential tenets of the American experiment than African-Americans. Their thirst and quest for freedom and all that the word/idea entails was demonstrated in their struggles against slavery, easily rivaling, if not surpassing that of the revolutionary (white) patriots. Not to mention that many of the leaders in the colonies (Ben Franklin's son comes to mind) were loyalists, not freedom fighters. Hannah-Jones continues by describing the fight that continued post-Emancipation and continues today for civil rights, voting rights, housing rights, employment rights, etc., i.e., life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Again, nothing speaks more clearly or loudly about American values and the desire to have "a more perfect union" than the words and deeds of our African-American fellow citizens past and present. That was my takeaway.
Thanks for your thoughts and perspective.
Mark
Hi Mark. I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the comment.
"All I see is the opportunity to learn and be challenged."
Indeed - ain't it wonderful? A life spent in learning and growing is the best I can imagine.
Glad you aren't suggesting any historian is immune from criticism, as none of them is, AND criticism and discussion are how the shared pool of knowledge grows.
Kevin,
From a broad perspective, I can't find any criticism of your post, although there are a few points that I do question.
First, what is your evidence to back up the claim that McCullough's books "satisfied a largely white audience?" Is that a matter of your opinion, or do you have something factual to back that up? If it's merely your opinion, then I would disagree with it. If you have a factual basis for making the claim, I would like to know what it is.
"They’ve deepened my understanding of American history and left me with feelings of pride and shame."
I think at least part of that statement embodies much of what some people find wrong with the current viewpoint of history. I feel absolutely no shame for what happened in the past since I had nothing to do with it. I will only feel shame for what I have personally done, not someone else's actions. I certainly can, and do feel empathy for the people who have been brutalized throughout history, but to suggest I should feel shame makes me out to be responsible for something I had nothing to do with. Is it any wonder that some people will reject that premise out of hand?
Just as an aside, I think an interesting coincidence between McCullough and Hannah-Jones is that both have been heavily criticized by Sean Wilentz, although for varying reasons.
Best
Rob
Rob,
I appreciate your perspective on "shame" but I (64-yr white male) must disagree, and this from my own journey. Objectively, I believe it is necessary to face fully and lament loudly our country's history of oppression and theft. This is the only way we have a chance of moving forward to a "more perfect union." Some might call the feeling that accompanies this introspection "shame." I would call it that, and I feel that. Subjectively, I spent the first 60 years of my life in ignorance of most if not all of this shameful "Nicole Hannah-Jones" history while taking in a steady diet of the "David McCullough" history. And for that I have deep shame and much regret, because until I know I cannot act. And now I've become an "actor," attempting to right the wrongs perpetrated for so long by our institutions, systems, and policies, and lastly, by my complicity in my ignorance and silence.
Best,
Mark
Hi Mark,
I certainly can acknowledge and appreciate the journey you've taken, even if I can't share in its results. It sounds to me like you've spent a long time reading and thinking things through, and that is never a bad thing for someone to do.
Best
Rob
No, I don't have any hard evidence for the claim that McCullough largely catered to a white audience, but I suspect it is true. That said, I am happy to qualify it if evidence to the contrary surfaces.
My German wife is fond of pointing out that what is missing in this country is a sense of "collective shame" for parts of its past that it has done little to reckon with. She doesn't feel personally responsible for the Holocaust, but feels a sense of shame as a German citizen. I would suggest that we draw a distinction between shame and responsibility. By this logic, I also assume you don't feel pride in your country since you are not responsible for anything that happened in its past.
I don't know what you mean by "current viewpoint." I was simply expressing how I've long thought about America's past.
I couldn't agree more.
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