I was in a discussion the other day concerning history. There were those that denied they had ever been taught about specific historical events. One of those was the trail of tears. I remembered being taught about that, or to be more correct, told about it. Seems to me back in the day the teachers didn't dwell on the moral implications, they just taught the facts of the matter. The rest of it was up to you. I really didn't need a lesson on morality to know the trail of tears was a tragic event. Morality was taught at home and in our churches. The job of the teacher was to educate, not raise the child. The three r's as we used to say. The teacher presented the facts and it was up to you to decide what those facts meant. I'd say for most of us we really didn't think about the moral or social implications of those past historical events. We reacted to them pretty much as our parents or pastors had instructed us to react. Barring any guidance from either of those sources on a particular subject we were left to form our own opinion. Again the teachers I knew didn't interject their personal politics or opinions into the lesson plan. To this day I couldn't tell you the political affiliation of any teacher I ever had. Nor could I tell you their religious beliefs. And their sexual preferences? Are you kidding me!
Now some in this discussion implied, no they outright said it, that it was an effort by the majority to suppress history. It was all designed as an attempt to whitewash the past. Now I can't argue with a simple fact, history is often written by the victors. Yes, surprisingly those that prevail, in whatever way that is, will support their actions. That was also something I didn't need to be taught in a formal lesson plan, I had a sister and two brothers that taught me that lesson. I had also learned, by the time I got to Kindergarten, that the, everyone was doing it explanation, wasn't an excuse, it was in fact, an explanation, a stupid one! I do not believe that the omission of any historical event was an intentional act designed to make me a racist!
I'm just looking at this from a different perspective. The ones complaining they were never taught about an atrocity in the past are now demanding those atrocities be somehow compensated for. I'm just wondering how one changes the past? Most confusing to me is this shock, this outrage, over something that occurred a hundred years ago or more that wasn't fair, just or equitable. You're surprised by that? Why, it's outrageous! Did it happen to you? No, but it happened to those that may, or may not have been, my ancestors is the response. The statement following that will always be, we should learn from the past. I agree wholeheartedly, we should learn from the past. Still I don't think anyone needs to tell you about atrocities in the past for you to know that you shouldn't commit atrocities! That's my point. If Hitler hadn't perpetuated the holocaust would you wonder if gassing millions of people to death was wrong? If the Dutch hadn't begun selling slaves in America would you think that maybe slavery is alright? Do you need to know about an atrocity in order to define that? No.
So that leads me to this question? Can you change the past? We all the know the answer to that, although we don't necessarily like the answer. So what do we really want? Recompense, is the answer. Are you entitled to recompense for what happened to your ancestors? My position on that is, no. My receiving recompense will do nothing for those already in the grave. Luke Chapter 14, verse 14 says, " And thou shalt be blessed, for they can not recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. " Now I'm not presenting that verse as a sermon, rather as sound advice. You can't be compensated for what didn't happen to you, that compensation belongs to those who suffered the injustice. If you believe, they have been fully compensated. If you don't believe that the lesson is still valid. Removing all the thou's and shalt's the point is doing the right thing now is the reward! You can't undo the past, you can't compensate the dead.
Yes there were many injustices in the past. Every dispute, every argument every war has two sides. One side was viewed as unjust, that side depends upon what? Does it depend solely on justice? And just who is the judge of that? It all comes down to legislation doesn't it? It comes down to the laws that we mutually agree to adhere to, nothing more. What was the very first law? No one knows that answer but I'm pretty certain it was a restriction. If you're a Christian or a Jew you were taught that God said, do not eat the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden. That was a restriction. We didn't obey. Does Adam and Eve owe me compensation for that? No, but I can earn my own recompense by the actions I take today. Yeah I know it's not immediate, I don't get it in my hand today, I don't receive any physical evidence of that. I'm not receiving my " entitlement " I want it now. Well the past is gone and the future is yet to come. Whatever reward you receive in that future depends upon what you do today, not what happened to your ancestors in the past.
Now some in this discussion implied, no they outright said it, that it was an effort by the majority to suppress history. It was all designed as an attempt to whitewash the past. Now I can't argue with a simple fact, history is often written by the victors. Yes, surprisingly those that prevail, in whatever way that is, will support their actions. That was also something I didn't need to be taught in a formal lesson plan, I had a sister and two brothers that taught me that lesson. I had also learned, by the time I got to Kindergarten, that the, everyone was doing it explanation, wasn't an excuse, it was in fact, an explanation, a stupid one! I do not believe that the omission of any historical event was an intentional act designed to make me a racist!
I'm just looking at this from a different perspective. The ones complaining they were never taught about an atrocity in the past are now demanding those atrocities be somehow compensated for. I'm just wondering how one changes the past? Most confusing to me is this shock, this outrage, over something that occurred a hundred years ago or more that wasn't fair, just or equitable. You're surprised by that? Why, it's outrageous! Did it happen to you? No, but it happened to those that may, or may not have been, my ancestors is the response. The statement following that will always be, we should learn from the past. I agree wholeheartedly, we should learn from the past. Still I don't think anyone needs to tell you about atrocities in the past for you to know that you shouldn't commit atrocities! That's my point. If Hitler hadn't perpetuated the holocaust would you wonder if gassing millions of people to death was wrong? If the Dutch hadn't begun selling slaves in America would you think that maybe slavery is alright? Do you need to know about an atrocity in order to define that? No.
So that leads me to this question? Can you change the past? We all the know the answer to that, although we don't necessarily like the answer. So what do we really want? Recompense, is the answer. Are you entitled to recompense for what happened to your ancestors? My position on that is, no. My receiving recompense will do nothing for those already in the grave. Luke Chapter 14, verse 14 says, " And thou shalt be blessed, for they can not recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. " Now I'm not presenting that verse as a sermon, rather as sound advice. You can't be compensated for what didn't happen to you, that compensation belongs to those who suffered the injustice. If you believe, they have been fully compensated. If you don't believe that the lesson is still valid. Removing all the thou's and shalt's the point is doing the right thing now is the reward! You can't undo the past, you can't compensate the dead.
Yes there were many injustices in the past. Every dispute, every argument every war has two sides. One side was viewed as unjust, that side depends upon what? Does it depend solely on justice? And just who is the judge of that? It all comes down to legislation doesn't it? It comes down to the laws that we mutually agree to adhere to, nothing more. What was the very first law? No one knows that answer but I'm pretty certain it was a restriction. If you're a Christian or a Jew you were taught that God said, do not eat the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden. That was a restriction. We didn't obey. Does Adam and Eve owe me compensation for that? No, but I can earn my own recompense by the actions I take today. Yeah I know it's not immediate, I don't get it in my hand today, I don't receive any physical evidence of that. I'm not receiving my " entitlement " I want it now. Well the past is gone and the future is yet to come. Whatever reward you receive in that future depends upon what you do today, not what happened to your ancestors in the past.
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