3-04-02, Voice in the Crowd
Replace George
Washington with a Rock Star?
By Pete Chaney
IPS Features
They risk their lives sneaking across the border. They hide in ships at the risk of life and health. These are the immigrants who want part of the American dream. Of course, money and living conditions are a main reason. Few other countries enjoy the same quality of life style, especially those nations of the third world.
But it’s about more than money.
America has a quality of life unparalleled.
Freedom to think as we please. Freedom
to choose our own occupation—or not choose one.
Freedom to get out and travel without asking permission of the
government. It’s the dream of billions of people worldwide.
But America didn’t just happen.
God gave us a crew of uniquely qualified men at the
birth of this nation. Benjamin
Franklin made friends for us in Europe and influenced diplomacy while the
patriots fought England. Thomas
Jefferson wrote soul branding words into the Declaration of Independence. John Adams, Alexander Hamilton James Madison and others made
freedom a reality with the Constitution.
Then there was one man who became the icon of America.
George Washington. He kept a
ragtag army together and brought it to victory over the most powerful country on
earth in the late 18th century. He
inspired men beyond their strength to continue when all seemed lost.
In peace, he set the pattern for the office of the American President.
There some who saw this government as a monarchy and even wanted to
address Washington as “Your Excellency.”
He would have none of it. He
was simply “Mr. President.”
Generations of American schoolchildren grew up learning
of these great leaders. Each
morning they gave the Pledge of Allegiance and recited the Lord’s Prayer.
These generations knew the value of what they had.
Now there is a danger from those who want to rewrite
history.
New immigrants bring a touch of their old country and
customs with them. That gives
diversity and renewal. But to
change the face of America to make it resemble the country they left defeats
their goal to enjoy the American life.
Even worse is the rewriting of history to downplay those
who gave us this nation. There is
an effort to appeal to various groups to bring their contributions to the
forefront out of context with reality. History
books are being rewritten to favor whatever the current mood is, with disregard
to facts.
In 1932, Congress mandated that American schools display
portraits of George Washington. The
State of New Jersey is even considering if they should drop the teaching of
history as it happened. No more
George Washington. No more pilgrims
and the Mayflower. Instead, there
may be a catering to ethnic groups. The
New Jersey Board of Education proposes to stop teaching anything on the founding
fathers.
One New Jersey official said he was taking down the
portrait of “that old white man” George Washington because he kept slaves.
He said he considered replacing it with that of an African American or
even a woman.
It is frightening when people want to rewrite history
and teach children their own concept of how things happened.
This country was built by people of different ethnic
origins, different religions. Everyone
gave something. But some gave
something extra, something that made America special.
Certainly give credit to all who made contributions, but keep it in the
proper context. Don’t rewrite the
truth.
We don’t want to wake up one day and see a rock
star’s picture on a one dollar bill.
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