So, what is it about war that people find glorifying? Why is it that a man in uniform is a hero? I must admit, though, that some men do look rather sharp in their uniforms. But that is besides the point. War is...pointless. There is nothing redeeming about war. But war is what we were taught in school. Everything in history class is taught from war to war. In U.S History, we start with things like the French and Indian war, the War of 1812 and eventually move on to the Revolutionary War. I can't help thinking whether there was a peaceful way for America to break away from England. Did we really have to fight a goddamn war?
Imagine what that says about us. We are a country made from War. Innocent people- on both sides- lost their lives. It is hard to say what side is bad and what is good. Yet, from an early age we are taught that the bad guys are the British. The British wouldn't let the Colonies be free, so they had be evil. Seriously? They were only trying to maintain order. And perhaps keep the Colonials from paying taxes. I highly doubt that wasn't on the agenda somewhere.
But, back to my point: We are taught at an early age to hate the British with a passion, at least in history class. In textbooks, the Redcoats are often painted as the instigators of the violence. Well, sometimes they were and sometimes they weren't. It is not right to point fingers. And most history teachers (and the school board) will probably tell you that they do no such thing. There is no hidden agenda. It's just so much a part of our culture, that's what it is. In history classes all over the country, especially the ones in elementary schools, kids are learning about the "faults" of the British and the "triumphs" of the Colonies. No small-pox infected blankets, here.
WTF? When did history class become manifest destiny? Students learn in second, third grade that they live in the America because the Colonials fought for our right to live her. Yes, they did. But what about the Native Americans, who we forced into reservations? Honestly, not many students know about those, even high school students. It's so preposterous that the public school system paints a picture of America that they want us to see, mass produces it and then gives it to us on a silver platter. "Here: this is history for you."
World History was my favorite class in high school and for obvious reasons. While the British fought wars to protect their lands, you didn't really hear the words "manifest destiny". I am not trying to justify war on either side, or for any reason. Yet I like history more when the truth is presented. The truth, I must say, is hard to find in only one textbook or from only one class. If you have a good teacher, you learn both sides in due time. But if you really want to know history you have to learn on your own. You have to learn how to really read a high school history textbook. What your teacher probably didn't tell you was that your text book is basically "history written by the victors". If you're lucky, you get a textbook that is actually a somewhat fair portrayal of what actually happened.
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