“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
― George Orwell, 1984
“History is written by the victors.” –Unknown
THE PAST IS A TRICKY THING
Just take the example of 1969. (Yes, I was alive then.) Apollo 11 landed on the moon, the Vietnam War raged along with anti-Vietnam protests, and the Civil Rights struggle continued: the Stonewall Uprising, racial discrimination, police brutality, employment discrimination, and housing discrimination. Militant Black Power organizations emerged, challenging the snail’s pace of change.
Several years ago, a writing colleague of mine who was born in India and lives in the U.S. could not understand why the moon landing was not front and center of U.S. history.
I explained that, to me, the other issues of the time were so pressing that conquering space was just a side note.
The history of the United States has always been whitewashed (literally), especially when I attended Texas public schools. I was never taught about the lynching of African Americans and, from watching television, thought that the only people who were lynched were white men who were horse thieves.
WHO IS TRYING TO CONTROL THE PAST?
President Donald Trump
Presidential Actions: Executive Order Number 14253 March 27, 2025 Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed. Rather than fostering unity and a deeper understanding of our shared past, the widespread effort to rewrite history deepens societal divides and fosters a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe.
Erasing history has already begun at the Smithsonian Institution. Their mission is “The increase and diffusion of knowledge,” while their vision is “Through our unparalleled collections and research capabilities, and the insight and creativity we foster through art, history, and culture, the Smithsonian strives to provide Americans and the world with the tools and information they need to forge Our Shared Future.” However, they have now removed any information from Trump’s portrait at the National Portrait Gallery regarding his impeachment.
Furthermore, he has given the Smithsonian until January 13, 2026, as a deadline to turn over documents relating to program decision-making at the museum. The administration has made it clear that they want to remove improper ideology that is contrary to Trump’s executive order from the museums.
The State of Texas
What is occurring in Texas is chilling. The state is prohibiting college-level courses at state universities from discussing race and gender. The Texas Tribune reports that “Faculty at Texas A&M University were told this week that roughly 200 courses in the College of Arts and Sciences could be affected by a new system policy restricting classroom discussions of race and gender, the implementation of which has already led administrators to direct a philosophy professor to remove Plato readings from a core course.” The problematic Plato texts include passages from Socratic dialogue Symposium that discuss patriarchy, masculinity, gender identity, and the human condition.”
THOUGHTS ABOUT LEARNING FROM THE PAST
The past is literally on my mind because I am writing a family saga, using my own family for inspiration. I have discovered disturbing information. My 10th great-grandfather, Joseph Weld (1599 to 1646), was a devout Puritan and sold Indigenous peoples into slavery. He and his compatriots of the Massachusetts Bay Colony helped destroy the Indigenous peoples in the area. Was he, in reality, a ruffian scumbag? No, not from the viewpoint of his peers. He was extremely wealthy and helped to found Harvard University.
History is nuanced and needs to be examined from all perspectives. Erasing history that we find unflattering will not lead to empathy and understanding toward those different from us. And, without this, we will never be able to live up to the ideal that “All men are created equal.”
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