You have put into words what I've been saying to myself about that questionable phrase for a very long time now. How can anyone say "this is not who we are" when so many are willing to sit by and approve, either in silence or in gleeful agreement, all of the anti-human things that are being carried out. And as you have pointed out, its just more of the same in a long line of behavior. We have been fighting against "who we are" to try to get to a better place over the life of this country...over and over and over again. It seems to be an endless struggle.
This is who America always HAS been. When the first whites came, there was a genocide. People don't want to call it that, but that's exactly what it was. It was a genocide of the Indigenous.
“What we’re seeing now is what this country has always been”. True. But….it’s waaaaaay past time that we start living up to the ideals of our Constitution: “All are created equal. All are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Too many small minds amongst our fellow citizens…..that need to be expanded. Things don’t need to be “as they’ve always been”…..
When I taught a university level sociology course, I would ask students to specify America's most important values. Peace-loving always came near the top. When I then went through the many and varied episodes of violence in American history rom our inception to the present, it didn't seem to change many students' views. This is the problem. We lack any capacity for critical self-reflection.
Justin, that's exactly why I have problems with the US being the world's police. The country was founded based on the genocide of the Indigenous peoples. Why should a country like that be the world's police?
Although personally I have never said, "This isn't who we are,"(because of course it is)--I do say, "this isn't who I am." None of it is okay with me, and I have never voted for any of what is happening. It's always been us, and there have always been people who weren't like this, from abolitionists to suffragists to Freedom Riders. But what I would say to anyone who says, "This isn't who we are" is this: "Did you vote for a Republican any time in the last ten years? Because if the answer is yes, then this IS what you are. Period. You are responsible for the rampant, viscious racism that is now not only acceptable but is being forced to be the law of the land. You are responsible for masked mass kidnapping and Alligator Alcatraz and thousands of elders cast out of nursing homes, children going hungry. Anyone who has voted for a Republican has endorsed all this, unleashed all this on the rest of us, so just go ahead and own it! This IS who YOU are." (I'm tired of forgiving them all...)
Powerful, unflinching and honest. Having grown up during the civil rights era, I yearn to believe that who we are, what we've seen, and what we are seeing now is not who we aspire to be. That hope keeps the spirit of resistance alive in me.
This is a tour de force of a column! Powerful and convicting assemblage of historic events that reveal the dark side of this country, far too many of which are rooted in white supremacy. That is precisely what all this anti-DEI crap is about, and the efforts to erase Black, female, and LGBTQ military heroes from defense department websites. Not one bit of it makes any sense as far as trying to “make America great again.“ On the other hand, just like Trump‘s cabinet itself, it gives the false impression that Caucasians are an overwhelming majority of the population, which is no longer true and shrinking by the year. The white supremacists, including the president, are terrified of that demographic fact, and are using every trick in the book to push back against it, including shocking daytime kidnappings in the streets of our cities.
I have been expressing this sentiment from the moment I first heard the inane comment "this isn't who we are." Anyone with any knowledge of American history should know that what we are experiencing now reflects EXACTLY "who we are" and, sadly, who we have always been. This is not what we SHOULD be, but it is exactly who we ARE. (For anyone who doubts this we merely need to consider the most recent presidential election. If this "isn't who we are," I'd like someone to explain how Trump got elected.)
For those who aspire to that which we SHOULD be, it is imperative that we stand up for the values the so many Americans fought and died for - regard for the rights of the individual and due process of law.
All true. My job as a public-school teacher of American History is very delicate. I learned the Walt Disney/John Wayne version of American Propaganda (Oops, I mean History) in the 1960s and am determined to teach the truth to my own students now. Happily, there is no shortage of good guys and women because they were fighting the numerous bad guys and women. I'm going to start off the new year by comparing the original grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence to what they could be now against herr Trumpenfuhrer, King Donald.
Joel, keep in mind ONE school district...in TEXAS approves the US history books...for ALL of the US. (Please read The Language Police.) Now go on. Who writes the medical textbooks? Who writes the neuro/psych textbooks and tests? CIS. WHITE. ABLED. MALES. Who are they written for? CIS. WHITE. ABLED. MALES. Yes, including the tests for ADD or Autism. Small problem there.
When I was first assigned to teach American History 3 years ago, I compared what I had learned to "A True History of the United States", by Danny Sjursen, who turned his West Point plebe year lectures into book form. When I realized the kind of mush that had been put into my head in the 1960s, I was furious.
My students are virtually all black and Hispanic, so they don't need the "heroic white Europeans conquering the savage wilderness and the savages in the wilderness" garbage that the textbooks are full of. No one does. Cheers. Enjoy the 4th.
Well written commentary. Many thanks, Shalise, for stating the obvious truth about our country and the human race in general. The reason history repeats itself is because we don't live long enough to learn from our mistakes.
Frankly, there is more good in this world, than bad. If it was the other way around, we wouldn't be here.
What we are saying is “This isn’t what we want to be!” The Trump Administration is setting us up for a real disaster by dividing us so deeply! The recent assassination of a Democrat is just an example of the anger.
The American Auschwitz in Florida is another example.
You're right: this is exactly who we are. It shouldn't be who we want to BE. "Thoughts and prayers" aren't enough; in fact that's becoming insulting to hear. It's time to ACT like who we want to BE.
"Man's inhumanity to Mankind" Should insert "White" before Man. Key word: MAN. Perhaps all white men, especially the ones in Congress should be fed more saltpeter, since it seems to me that testosterone fuels all this inhumanity. White supremacists just can't fathom any person darker than he is getting ahead or excelling.
You have put into words what I've been saying to myself about that questionable phrase for a very long time now. How can anyone say "this is not who we are" when so many are willing to sit by and approve, either in silence or in gleeful agreement, all of the anti-human things that are being carried out. And as you have pointed out, its just more of the same in a long line of behavior. We have been fighting against "who we are" to try to get to a better place over the life of this country...over and over and over again. It seems to be an endless struggle.
This is who America always HAS been. When the first whites came, there was a genocide. People don't want to call it that, but that's exactly what it was. It was a genocide of the Indigenous.
“What we’re seeing now is what this country has always been”. True. But….it’s waaaaaay past time that we start living up to the ideals of our Constitution: “All are created equal. All are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Too many small minds amongst our fellow citizens…..that need to be expanded. Things don’t need to be “as they’ve always been”…..
When I taught a university level sociology course, I would ask students to specify America's most important values. Peace-loving always came near the top. When I then went through the many and varied episodes of violence in American history rom our inception to the present, it didn't seem to change many students' views. This is the problem. We lack any capacity for critical self-reflection.
Justin, that's exactly why I have problems with the US being the world's police. The country was founded based on the genocide of the Indigenous peoples. Why should a country like that be the world's police?
Although personally I have never said, "This isn't who we are,"(because of course it is)--I do say, "this isn't who I am." None of it is okay with me, and I have never voted for any of what is happening. It's always been us, and there have always been people who weren't like this, from abolitionists to suffragists to Freedom Riders. But what I would say to anyone who says, "This isn't who we are" is this: "Did you vote for a Republican any time in the last ten years? Because if the answer is yes, then this IS what you are. Period. You are responsible for the rampant, viscious racism that is now not only acceptable but is being forced to be the law of the land. You are responsible for masked mass kidnapping and Alligator Alcatraz and thousands of elders cast out of nursing homes, children going hungry. Anyone who has voted for a Republican has endorsed all this, unleashed all this on the rest of us, so just go ahead and own it! This IS who YOU are." (I'm tired of forgiving them all...)
This is who SOME of us are……tRump Kissing Nazis
Sadly, you are quite naive if you don't realize the country started with the genocide of the Indigenous.
I wish I could say you are wrong, but I can’t
Powerful, unflinching and honest. Having grown up during the civil rights era, I yearn to believe that who we are, what we've seen, and what we are seeing now is not who we aspire to be. That hope keeps the spirit of resistance alive in me.
This is a tour de force of a column! Powerful and convicting assemblage of historic events that reveal the dark side of this country, far too many of which are rooted in white supremacy. That is precisely what all this anti-DEI crap is about, and the efforts to erase Black, female, and LGBTQ military heroes from defense department websites. Not one bit of it makes any sense as far as trying to “make America great again.“ On the other hand, just like Trump‘s cabinet itself, it gives the false impression that Caucasians are an overwhelming majority of the population, which is no longer true and shrinking by the year. The white supremacists, including the president, are terrified of that demographic fact, and are using every trick in the book to push back against it, including shocking daytime kidnappings in the streets of our cities.
I have been expressing this sentiment from the moment I first heard the inane comment "this isn't who we are." Anyone with any knowledge of American history should know that what we are experiencing now reflects EXACTLY "who we are" and, sadly, who we have always been. This is not what we SHOULD be, but it is exactly who we ARE. (For anyone who doubts this we merely need to consider the most recent presidential election. If this "isn't who we are," I'd like someone to explain how Trump got elected.)
For those who aspire to that which we SHOULD be, it is imperative that we stand up for the values the so many Americans fought and died for - regard for the rights of the individual and due process of law.
All true. My job as a public-school teacher of American History is very delicate. I learned the Walt Disney/John Wayne version of American Propaganda (Oops, I mean History) in the 1960s and am determined to teach the truth to my own students now. Happily, there is no shortage of good guys and women because they were fighting the numerous bad guys and women. I'm going to start off the new year by comparing the original grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence to what they could be now against herr Trumpenfuhrer, King Donald.
Joel, keep in mind ONE school district...in TEXAS approves the US history books...for ALL of the US. (Please read The Language Police.) Now go on. Who writes the medical textbooks? Who writes the neuro/psych textbooks and tests? CIS. WHITE. ABLED. MALES. Who are they written for? CIS. WHITE. ABLED. MALES. Yes, including the tests for ADD or Autism. Small problem there.
Which is why I use my district-issued McGraw Hill American History textbook as little as possible. My lessons are intended for everyone. Cheers.
Thank you for understanding the assignment.
When I was first assigned to teach American History 3 years ago, I compared what I had learned to "A True History of the United States", by Danny Sjursen, who turned his West Point plebe year lectures into book form. When I realized the kind of mush that had been put into my head in the 1960s, I was furious.
My students are virtually all black and Hispanic, so they don't need the "heroic white Europeans conquering the savage wilderness and the savages in the wilderness" garbage that the textbooks are full of. No one does. Cheers. Enjoy the 4th.
Hard to read what we have always been, but important for everyone to realize.
Well written commentary. Many thanks, Shalise, for stating the obvious truth about our country and the human race in general. The reason history repeats itself is because we don't live long enough to learn from our mistakes.
Frankly, there is more good in this world, than bad. If it was the other way around, we wouldn't be here.
What we are saying is “This isn’t what we want to be!” The Trump Administration is setting us up for a real disaster by dividing us so deeply! The recent assassination of a Democrat is just an example of the anger.
The American Auschwitz in Florida is another example.
You're right: this is exactly who we are. It shouldn't be who we want to BE. "Thoughts and prayers" aren't enough; in fact that's becoming insulting to hear. It's time to ACT like who we want to BE.
Every time I hear "This is not who we are", I think that's exactly who we are. Why doesn't everyone see that?
"Man's inhumanity to Mankind" Should insert "White" before Man. Key word: MAN. Perhaps all white men, especially the ones in Congress should be fed more saltpeter, since it seems to me that testosterone fuels all this inhumanity. White supremacists just can't fathom any person darker than he is getting ahead or excelling.