I recently watched a YouTube video about Custer’s Last Stand
and how the Indian version is most likely the correct one. I don’t doubt that
it is, but reading the comments it was a steady bashing of Custer on a godless
mission to wipe out the peace-loving tribes people. I asked if anyone took
Manifest Destiny into consideration and the fact that Custer was under orders.
In case you need a refresher, this is what it means: “a widely held belief in the 19th-century United States that its settlers were destined to expand across North America”. Just like today if you tell someone something is free, they will split a gut to be first in line and that is what happened. Thousands of families hitched up the buckboard with land promises in their head and blasted off... West. Go west young man wasn’t a cliché.
In case you need a refresher, this is what it means: “a widely held belief in the 19th-century United States that its settlers were destined to expand across North America”. Just like today if you tell someone something is free, they will split a gut to be first in line and that is what happened. Thousands of families hitched up the buckboard with land promises in their head and blasted off... West. Go west young man wasn’t a cliché.
One person claimed the Indians had been riding horses for “thousands
of years”. History pinpoints the year 1519 when the Spanish conquerors invaded
on horseback. People here are proud to claim their “Spanish” heritage, but
forget that would be like bragging you are German if Hitler won. Chances are
they have no idea the Spanish were very big on slavery and pillaged everywhere
they went.
We study history so we don’t repeat mistakes and policies
that didn’t work then and most likely won’t work now. On the opposite end of
the smelly stick is judging the past by what we know now. This is possibly
worse than not knowing. Take asbestos, Agent Orange, lead, Varsol, glue, and Benzene
as examples. They were all considered safe at the time, but now we look back
and blame the manufacturers and calling people stupid for using these substances. We want to give reparations to people who had kin
who were slaves five times removed or greater?
How is it we fought Socialism/Communism for 40 years and now
many are advocating we move in that tried and failed direction? At one time
there were 36 countries that espoused this government. Now there are 4. There
is only one answer for advocating Socialism. They don’t understand history.
The point here is we cannot right every wrong from our past,
but we can learn from it if we study it. This business of tearing down statues
of civil war heroes should stop immediately and we need to educate our kids so
they don’t repeat their mistakes. Erasing history simply opens us up to repeat.
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