Viewpoint: Education built on hatred, hypocrisy worse than no education at all
If you ask people about the greatest gift they’ve ever received, most will undoubtedly identify some material possession. But the reality is the greatest gift any human possesses is his or her mind.
Conversely, perhaps humanity’s greatest curse is the willingness of so many people to surrender control of their minds to others. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people eager to exploit this willingness. The freedom to think also includes the responsibility to think, and that requires effort; consequently, it is much more seductive for many people to let some political or religious “leader” do their thinking for them.
This is why the current war on books and education is so alarming. History, after all, is really little more than people from different generations making the same mistakes as their ancestors, simply because they didn’t learn from them.
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For example, there have been recent reports that the Reconstruction Era, which immediately followed the Civil War, is not being adequately taught in many schools. Therefore, it’s important to understand that, for a few brief years, former slaves were holding political office, enjoying freedoms the Supreme Court’s egregious Dred Scott decision had once denied them, and moving towards inclusion in the promise that all are created equal.
It wasn’t long, however, before Reconstruction was viewed as a threat to white supremacy, and all it took to shatter this promise of racial progress was a self-serving politician, Rutherford B. Hayes, who, in his desire to win a disputed presidential election, ended it.
Had the lessons of Reconstruction and the circumstances of its demise been adequately taught, perhaps the nation would not be witnessing a similar scenario today. The protests that erupted over the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others were figuratively ushering in another Reconstruction, as businesses, educators, media, and politicians began focusing on resolving promises that were still unfulfilled.
Yet, in a grim repetition of history, it wasn’t long before these attempts were perceived as a challenge to white supremacy; nebulously defined terms, like “critical race theory,” are viewed as a greater evil than racism itself; and self-serving candidates have begun stumbling over each other to ride this “magic carpet” to political office.
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So, before it is too late, return to your greatest gift. Believe what you want to believe, but believe it because you do, not because some ratings hungry pundit says to; not because some anonymous figure on the internet is replete with accusations, but devoid of evidence; not because some self-serving politicians spew bile they don’t even believe because their lust for power is more important than having principles; and not because some groups solicit donations to allegedly promote political causes when all they are really doing is funding their lavish lifestyles.
Read a book, yes even a banned book, because there are plenty of them out there and undoubtedly even more to come. Research opposing points of view. After all, if you are confident in your belief, then there is nothing to fear by doing so, and if you do happen to change your mind, consider it a testament to your ability to admit when you are wrong.
Children are much more prepared for adulthood if they learn that even those we place on pedestals made their share of mistakes, and that progress invariably requires sacrifice and costs. Already many students, demonstrating more maturity than some adults, have protested against those politicians, pundits and parents who are seeking to deny future generations an honest and meaningful education.
Most importantly, do not be deceived by those who hide their true goals behind words like “patriotism,” “liberty” or even “Christianity,” because, as history will prove, if America does not deviate from its present course, an educational system built upon hatred, hysteria, hyperbole and hypocrisy will be worse than no education at all.
David R. Hoffman, a Mishawaka resident, is a retired civil rights and constitutional law attorney.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: The freedom to think includes the responsibility to think
