| Histories Maladies Essay, Research Paper
It seems these days that our world’s history is becoming more and more misconstrued and misused. Everywhere you look or read about history, someone has made a massive blunder. Facts become fiction and fiction fact. And it’s always done so to someone or some group’s benefit.
Take the history of slavery, for example. This always controversial subject has been a key element in the history of our United States of America for many generations, and will be for many more. But the truth, rather the complete truth is not taught in school. Why? Because if it was there are certain groups of people that would be outraged. This is not a racist or prejudiced view, but people who seem to believe that others should be held accountable for what their ancestors did to the others’ ancestors will always hold a controlling voice in what is taught in history.
Where did this point come from? Simple: as we all know, native Africans were sold into slavery during American colonial times. That has never been disputed. What is not taught, however, is who sold them into slavery. And why is that? Because if it were taught, that controlling minority would lose it’s control, not just over history, but politics, education and more.
And what’s more about slavery is that it wasn’t only Africans who were sold into slavery during the course of mankind, but also Jews, Arabs, Irish, Scottish, English, Germans… The list goes on. In fact, every major ethnicity or nationality has had members of it’s ancestry enslaved at some point in time. It’s nothing that hasn’t been performed for eons. But why do we concentrate so hard on the slavery of Africans? Because we have to.
Another problem with history as it is taught is religious persecution. Christianity for many centuries has complained that it is persecuted constantly throughout history. Yes, that’s true, but Christianity fails to point out that it itself is one of the worst religions when it comes to persecuting other religions. The Crusades are a prime example of persecution performed by Christianity. No religion is exempt from having been persecuted or having performed persecution. But we’re not allowed to know that.
The Jewish religion is another example. Always one of the most fiercest anti-Christian religions, Judaism is known for being persecuted. Although true enough that their religion has most definitely suffered the worst religious abuse they too participate in the active destruction of other religions. But we will never be taught this.
Why do we give so much power and control over history to small groups? Is it because we are afraid that if we don’t they will repeat history, but in reverse? Are white Americans afraid that they will be forced into slavery like was done to black Americans? Are we afraid of another Crusade or Holocaust? Likely so, and in some cases justifiable. It does still happen in some parts of the world. But must we always live in fear of the truth?
Truth is only knowledge, and what we learn from that truth will be the only thing that truly allows us to live as one world instead of many divided countries. All humans have red blood, two eyes, two legs and so forth. The only difference between one man and another is not the color of skin; it is the level of intelligence and wisdom that society allows them to achieve, a society that they are a part of.
If we continue to allow ourselves to become more ignorant to the truth, the more we will hate those that live among us, and ourselves. We will become a world of each man for himself. We will fail as a species created by God in all aspects of humanity. History is our teacher, and we have a lot to learn.
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