America always steps up and helps other countries out when everyone is aware of what is going on, but what about world issues that aren’t so public? I remember spending a substantial amount of time learning about genocides in high school. Mostly I remember the Tutsi’s and the Hutu’s and also the holocaust. When these genocides first started not much was being done to stop them, but after the problems progressed and years went by and lots of people were tortured and killed. By the time America stepped in for the Jews 6 million had already been killed. And I don’t even recall how much or how little effort was put into helping Rwanda, but I know it could’ve been more and it could’ve came sooner.
So far, what I’ve gotten from Lies My Teacher Told Me, is that everyone expects America to be perfect, I also find myself thinking the same way.Whenever something goes wrong in the world we always ask, “what is America doing to help.” But we never expect the same amount of help from other countries. Granted, everyone looks up up to America, but you still have to cut it some slack every now and then. Everyone messes up. A lot of the history books might not portray history correctly, but whose to say that some of them don’t. Can you really blame America, or the government for the different curriculum school boards choose for their students to read, or what authors chose to right about and how they chose to portray history? I don’t think so.
Maybe it is all a conspiracy and lies were purposely told, but just like we’re learning in class, 20 people can be in the same room, at the same time, hearing the same conversation, and 20 different truths could be told. Who’s to say which one is right? You’ll just have to read and learn at your own discretion.
I think you bring up an interesting point that there isn't one solid truth throughout history. What makes one view right over the other? I think Loewen wants people to know about how one-sided the textbooks are portraying history. He says it is primarily focusing on government in the United States and how the government is the one to give the credit to for all of the 'good' things that have happened in America. Loewen is trying to point out that it is not just the government that has made America successful. It has a lot to do with it's citizens and what they've created. However, he points out that textbooks don't see those accomplishments as important as the government is. Therefore, it is not included in much detail at all.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with what both of you say. i kinda off have the same view point. Authors that write the textbook maybe want to point out and "sugarcoat" the important things that went down in history. there is just so much to telll, so how do u decide what should be told and what should be learned and written. its a tricky situation i think although, Loewen does make a great point about how the people did help make history so they should bee acknowledged.
ReplyDeleteI really like the last point you made. It really pulled your whole post together. And its true. I am almost positive that what I take away from each class is very different than what everyone else takes away.
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