Historical Remains

Today's guest contributor offers his thoughts and opinions about history and why we should be aware of the importance of understanding and preserving history, warts and all. 

After all, what is truth? Jack Kerouac said something like "the only truth is music." There you go.

Dr. Frank Davila is a retired public-school teacher and administrator, university instructor and a published author. He is a co-founder of CALMA (Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors) and a strong advocate for mentoring public school leaders and aspiring Latino writers.

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Historical Remains                                                                

Frank S. Davila, Ph.D.

Introduction

That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.                                                                                             Aldous Huxley

History is always in the making given the churning reservoir of dynamic human and natural sources. When the day is done and we wake up to a new sunrise, all the activities and events around us and beyond, from the day before, are now recent history. How often do we pause and review those episodes with an eye toward the future and their potential impact?

It is essential to remind ourselves that history is the written description of how we currently view the past based on evidence such as diaries, photos, letters, stories, and archeological remains that are readily available for us to review and codify so they can be shared. Many aspects of the history of our country are frequently and fondly remembered while other occurrences are ignored, belittled and swept away. Concrete historical events cannot be changed; they remain with us for eternity.

Historical Perceptions 

In the last few years, our high regard for the preservation and sharing of intimate historical events and episodes has come under intense scrutiny. In some quarters, that scrutiny has morphed into a direct denial of our nation’s historical background when attempts are made to display some books and historical accounts in public settings. There are those who argue that some of the historical descriptions paint an unfavorable, negative and racist caricature of the white population. This characterization is seen as laying the blame for all of the nation’s social ills on the doorsteps of a group of citizens.

And then there are books whose topics appear to be inappropriate for some school age children and for many parents who are not yet ready to accept new social codes and lifestyles.

In contrast, others feel that negating the factual and chronicled events of our past is to deny and erase the painful memories that some citizens suffered. They emphasize the importance of sharing all our historical ups and downs with every generation. They also point out that proper and objective channels should be made available to review materials rather than the issuance of a blanket rejection of materials that some in powerful leadership positions argue for to impose their values and in some instances to score political points.

Historical Pieces from the Past

This apprehension of different public displays of lifestyles and provocative materials is not a new phenomenon. The Roaring 20’s, post WWII with its new views, the music revolution of the 60’s and the advent of social media have created visible discomfort in some population groups.

We should note that when different groups of individuals come together and add a new historical imprint, they bring with them their respective values, customs, language and cultural attributes that contribute to the overall mix. This transformational period of becoming comfortable with each other takes longer especially when those who have been the dominant human force begin to resent the intrusion of others who are different and whom they perceive as growing in number and impacting the currently accepted social norms. The new immigrants who want to become an integral part of the whole of the country disrupt the status quo with their burning desire to hold on to their heritage.

It is natural, to some degree, to feel different and estranged when we are placed in a situation where most of the folks around us are speaking a language we do not understand or display a behavior that is different from our traditional views. This is accentuated when it is interpreted as a sign of disrespect and a refusal to be a part of the mainstream. Our history is continuously in a state of flux particularly when new citizens add their flavor and footprint. 

Historical Antagonism and Social Justice

The labels and derogatory remarks we use to describe people whom we disdain, create further schism among the various groups. Unfortunately, this often leads to acts of reprisal, finger pointing and worse, outright discrimination and segregation among some groups. Unfortunately, “hate” crime has manifested itself dramatically in the last several years primarily against those US citizens whose background and heritage are perceived as the culprits for some of the problems we are experiencing. It appears that a general permission has been proclaimed so that individuals can now feel it is acceptable to use physical and deadly force to emphasize their personal views against those customs that do not reflect theirs, or to simply respond with unbridled anger.

We are at a stage in our country where social justice has become a contentious battle as each group wants to be recognized and respected. When the rhetoric is not one that invites common ground and a healthy dialogue, then we use other punitive means to get our message heard. Marches, demonstrations, pillage, killings, destruction of properties along with negative stereotypical writings and legal mandates are some tools that are used to force changes to fit a prescribed moral standard.

Yes, we have many beautiful moments where we sense the pride of being an American. These include major accomplishments in medicine (smallpox, measles, polio, COVID, space (constellations, planets, stars), science and medicine (cancer research, robotics), sports, and other fields. And then we have violent disruptions leading to death, destruction of property, school shootings, bullying, and more.  The amazing accomplishments and the antagonistic responses both become part of our history.

Your Personal Stories 

Have you ever wondered about the origins of history? Obviously, you and I as individuals are a primary source. And then we have our beloved and somewhat kooky and fun family, in addition to our intimate and casual friends who contribute to the historical drama. The human occurrences on the national and world stage can also be prominent ones that capture our interest from an historical perspective.

We all have stories we can share about our family and related cultural experiences. We can proudly display military photos, share personal and professional triumphs, devastating or epic moments, discrimination, and friendships through poems, memoirs, and other intimate revelations. The preservation of these memorable events adds to our overall knowledge of who we are and how we charted our personal course amid the ongoing social, political, pandemic, and other challenges of our own era. This contextual viewpoint helps all future generations understand the resiliency and changes that occurred and perhaps, more importantly, why some of these new initiatives (civil rights, voting rights, bilingual education, and others) were pursued.

When we consider the historical topics that are highlighted, there are several that seem to be frequently headlined. These include political, religious, cultural, and social inclinations that often are hot buttons given the wide gap of how we interpret and condemn and affirm certain elements within those topics. Additionally, prayer in the schools, responses to the US flag, personal lifestyles, critical race theory, voting rights, stolen elections and others add to the historical panoramic view.

Historical Legacy

The uplifting moments mingled with heartbreaking and painfully poignant atrocities are part of our history. The ugly ones and the marvelous ones give us a glimpse of how we continue to grapple with our growth as a nation that is comprised of individuals with different visions and dreams and personal pursuits.

Unfortunately, some of those ancestral and historical events that are at the heart of some of our current struggles are lost and no longer available. They have been discarded, stifled, or ignored. We are then left to interpret and surmise a particular historical episode based on bits and pieces of what we can uncover or redesign to fit our thinking. Others simply want to totally forget the past proclaiming that we should solely focus on the present.

It seems that the expectation, based on the old adage that we should learn from the past to help us improve and build a more enlightened and collaborative view of who we are and want to become, is no longer highly valued.

We are fortunate to have among us a wide range of “historical guardians” who boldly create and display a piece of history through their works and talents. I am referring to our published authors, poets, musicians, singers, storytellers, historians, and others.

Lessons from History

And where can we go to access recent and dated historical information to help us have a more complete understanding of us as a nation? Our numerous libraries and bookstores along with daily social media outlets and podcasts provide us with a stream of information that at times seems burdensome. We each make an attempt to filter out the most impressionable ones; the ones that resonate with our mindset and personal interests. Our selective viewing and listening will see us turn to a particular television or radio talk show or to a favorite newspaper to hear stories that one day will be a prominent part of our historical fabric. Fortunately, we have well prepared documentaries and museums that provide hard and visual evidence of our historical background, if we choose to explore those sources.

So, what holds us back from seeking a pathway that honors the past and the present in a way that past actions can be interpreted with our present understanding of our society and thus creating unity rather than divisiveness? Who is pulling our strings and writing a narrative that one set of actions and beliefs is pro American and pro Christian while other beliefs are considered un-Christian or un-American?

Centuries ago, the Greek philosophers coined the word Epistemology. This focused on the theory of knowledge distinguishing among knowledge, belief, and opinion. They set the standard that knowledge is an event that can withstand the test of challenges from the public; that it is a truth. 

They stated that beliefs and opinions are emotionally charged and often based on fears of new and different cultural expressions. This tends to impact our thinking and how we respond to the voices of others around us. This is further manifested in how we begin to follow our beliefs and opinions rather that the truth of what is around us.

Similarly, the study of metaphysics examines the nature of existence and reality or the abstract and the concrete. An extension of that is how we view logic that is based on valid and sound reasoning. Additionally, we can focus on our understanding of ethics that describes how we can choose among right or wrong moral choices and actions. Ethics is derived from the Greek “ethos” meaning character and asking, “Who am I?”

The impressionable word, morals, is derived from the Latin word moris or mores (pl.) meaning customs and etiquette; our actions and duties.

These lessons are still relevant today. A key to deciphering our outlook and bias related to how we view and accept our nation’s history, is to find and ask the right question to bring forth the best answer.

Historical Remains

In keeping with the title “Historical Remains,” it is fitting to look back at the 4th Century Christianity movement that declared Christianity as the official religion by the Edict of Milan (313 CE). That led to the destruction of statues, burning of literature and the prohibition of other religions and cultures from existing. This is reminiscent of the 3rd Reich (Nazis) and the bonfires and the burning of books.  In May of 1933, books considered “un-German“ were burned by students to further solidly the power of Hitler and to censor and control opinions and the presence of non-Germans.

This censorship is further manifested in the Middle East of today where the human rights of women and free religious beliefs are denied. Lately, Texas and Florida have begun to negate and statutorily deny the rights of certain historical events. These repressive and castigating actions remind us of vicious atrocities by other so called “civilizations” such as the Huns, Goths, and Visigoths, as they all pushed their vision of what is right and just onto the masses.

Once again, we are pressured into disregarding historical manuscripts and certain topics by our great poets and writers, particularly on those that reflect the stories, traditions, customs, successes, tribulations and the daily lived experiences of our forefathers.

Are we now relegated to only writing on topics that have not been prohibited and is a next step one of going underground to avoid persecution when we choose to write about our history that depicts “the good, the bad, and the ugly?”

Historical Mandate

Our response to these multitude of historical events will be viewed and analyzed by the next generations.  They will note how these pivotal decisions shaped the course of history. And if they closely examine our nation’s history, they will deduce, as we do so now, that some specific historical events seem to matter more to certain individuals and to our nation in general. The feelings, interpretations, and experiences of an historical event touches the soul of each of us in a different manner and that invokes a distinct and personal response that either elevates or diminishes the importance of any historical moment.

If we hear or read about an historical event, our emotional and sensory level may not feel the anguish to the same degree as an individual or group who actually lived through that specific event. Experiences such as getting lost, being bullied, violated, discriminated or spat upon, pushed, or neglected often produce deep and sensitive feelings that lead to a long-term emotional scar. The individual’s or group’s painful experiences produce a higher level of significance to a historical event. It is unfortunate that some of us are unwilling to accept and face the dark and painful historical chills experienced by our brothers and sisters.

The mandate is for our writers, poets, artists, musicians, and citizens to consciously sustain their collective contribution of keeping our history alive to help us build a better today and a more creative and vibrant future.

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.            George Santayana

Later.

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