not sorry

  I used to think of history as facts. History is what was, what happened, inflexible and unchanging. It was useful information to have, I always understood that aspect of it, but not so much the why of it. I discovered that history was often just the telling of perception. I of course grew up with American history as it was taught to me in elementary and high school. It was taught from the American perspective. Today that view is changing and apparently is coming as quite a shock to many. The narrative today is one of apology. We (Americans) did this or that and we are sorry for it. The tale is how we "Americans" abused all the immigrants that were simply yearning to be free. Yet at the same time we are being told America is a nation of immigrants. So what the story really is, immigrants formed a nation and proceeded to abuse other immigrants? That seem to be the view of history I'm hearing today. A history as told by whom? 

 When I was young that history was taught and told by Americans. Naturally it was a biased view, no surprise there, even then I knew the winner gets to tell the story. Even then I knew the loser always looked for an excuse, a reason, some impediment that prevented their victory. It was just that I was taught it was the righteous justice of the American people that prevailed. The United States never started any wars, we just won the ones we were in. As far back as the colonies that was true. The King was imposing taxes upon the people, abusing us, and we had no choice! The Boston Tea party was just a peaceful protest! We were absolutely just in staging such a protest. Heck we even had a war with ourselves! We didn't start a war with other countries, we were fighting for the America those patriots of the past fought for. The land of the free and the home of the brave. A land were all men were created equal with liberty and justice for all. There was a faction of people in the south that wanted otherwise, they tried to divide the nation. They attacked Fort Sumter, they started a war! The northern states, consisting of Americans, true Americans, fought to preserve the union. That reason was right there, in the Declaration of Independence, for all to read. It says, " Prudence indeed, dictates that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;" our government had been in existence 85 years when the southern forces attacked. What were their reasons? They wanted to retain their cheap labor, they wanted the individual states to have more power than a central government. They wanted to change the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Americans had no choice but to defend against that threat! The world wars were the same way, we got dragged into them and we won! In the years that followed we were obligated to help our allies and friends. We had to fight. 

 That was the history I was taught. Where the facts correct? Depends on who is telling the tale doesn't it? Yes, it certainly does. But the tale isn't as important as the moral of the story. We all know that, or should know that anyway. The great tales from the past that teach us about honor, loyalty, respect, and faith. The knights of the round table. The crusaders' battle for the holy land, who that land is holy too is still debated today. The great novels that have been written like the old man and the sea or Don Quixote. It makes no difference if the story is true or not, it is the moral of the story that is important. History should inspire man to greater deeds. In order to accomplish that man has to believe the history. And today we have to believe in America! 

 America is indeed a land of immigrants. Immigrants that transformed themselves into Americans! I'm an American, not any other nationality that lives in America. My ancestors lived in other nations at some point in history that is true, that is history. What I don't understand are Americans attempting to transform themselves into immigrants. They are doing that by claiming some nationality that they identify with for many different reasons. African-Americans? Are all black peoples from Africa? Certainly not, but most dark skinned people in the country today will claim they are. They base that on Alex Haley, the author of Roots. Are all Latino people from Mexico? No, there are many lands they come from. Are all white people Europeans? No, that isn't true either. I have ancestors that came from the Nordic lands, doesn't make me a Viking! 

 What I'm trying to say is history should inspire us to greater deeds not demand our apology. You can not achieve greatness by being apologetic. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings by throwing that tea in the harbor your Majesty it won't happen again. And to the Japanese, you shouldn't have bombed Pearl Harbor on Sunday morning but we understand your feelings, we will just surrender to avoid further confrontation. We understand that your religion inspired your attack on the world trade center, the pentagon and we will try to be more inclusive, more understanding in the future. 

 I can't speak for others but as for me. America is the greatest country on the face of the earth and I don't apologize to anybody for the history of my nation. The King abused his people and we weren't having that. We were completely and absolutely justified in what we did! Although slavery wasn't the driving factor in the war between the states it did end it, 85 years after our nation was formed! The British and many other nations around the world were still practicing that. My nation abolished it! I'm proud of that not proud that slavery once existed in my country, just proud that it was abolished, forever! The Japanese attacked us, America, and we defended our land. I'd say we brought that war to an end! You asked for it! I'm not apologizing for any of that. So do not attempt to rewrite history! You are not rewriting history you are just telling a story. I don't believe your story. I believe in the accomplishments of the past and use them as inspiration for the future. I'm not defeated until I lose. America hasn't lost yet and it won't begin with me. I'm not sorry. Nothing to be sorry for.