It is no secret that we live in a polarized, increasingly “tribalized” society. And most of us realize that our history has not always been admirable. Does it help us to obsessively dwell upon the shameful parts of our remote history, especially when it is then used to assign blame to some of today’s people? And if we insist upon affixing blame on someone, on whom?
The column in the April 18 edition of New Times by John Ashbaugh (“Hero to whom?“) examined the story of John Frémont, an American who explored much of California and who has numerous sites here bearing his name. Ashbaugh relates how troops under Frémont massacred a large number of Wintu and Klamath Indians, offering this account to somehow rebut charges that some of our schools are currently engaging in indoctrination, and arguing that the schools are actually “sanitizing” American history.
Mr. Ashbaugh is a retired teacher of California history, and is unquestionably far more informed on California history than myself. But the facts are not the issue here. Instead, the question is what do we make of them today? Should we assign guilt for the past to today’s people, and if so, to which people?
Accounts of past wrongs perpetrated by members of one group against another are unavoidably accusatory, and, especially in these bitterly divided times, blame is typically directed at modern members of the guilty group. Collectively this has divided society into “victims” and “victimizers.”
Obviously we must confront and acknowledge the wrongdoings in our history, and neither seek to justify nor minimize our national sins. But have we actually failed to do so, as Ashbaugh charges?
I am roughly of the same vintage as Mr. Ashbaugh and attended school during the same era. While I cannot recall specifically learning of the killing of the Wintu or Klamath, I do recall learning generally of the awful treatment of the Indians, including broken treaties, massacres, being forced onto reservations, and deliberately being infected with smallpox.
Likewise, I also learned about slavery, the KKK, lynchings, and segregation—including a description of the horrific voyage on the slave ships—and the auctioning of human beings.
Unless one is a student of history like Ashbaugh, what purpose does subjecting all students to a relentless examination of historic atrocities serve? The wrongfulness of the conduct is recognized by nearly everyone, and there is no realistic danger of it ever being repeated, despite the histrionics and hyperbole of some partisans.
And upon whom today should we place blame? The current fashion is to blame “white people” generally, regardless of their lack of personal participation, the date of their ancestors’ arrival, and their ancestors’ lack of participation in the wrongdoing, reckoning that melanin alone serves as a reliable badge of shame.
But while this may seem satisfying to some, is it accurate? For example, consider the famous Buffalo Soldiers, a unit of Black calvary soldiers, who participated in the Indian wars and killed Indians. Are today’s African Americans both victim and victimizer due to sharing a complicit color? Aren’t all Americans today of all colors heirs to both the good and the bad in our national history?
Sadly, discussion quickly devolves into racial acrimony. After one commenter to Ashbaugh’s column threw out a one-liner accusing him of “white guilt,” another commenter promptly labeled that commenter a “white supremacist” who believes that “all white leaders were glorious,” and who wants to “censor history,” reading quite a bit into the first comment. See what I mean about “polarizing”?
Some white folks eagerly embrace the guilt and engage in relentless self-flagellation for wrongs they had no part in. We see earnest white liberals paying to take seminars from 20-year-old entrepreneurial Black college kids, instructing them on their “white privilege” and imputed racism. They reckon that they must atone for such racism, much like how the wealthy in medieval times purchased indulgences from the pope to gain absolution for their sins. And liberals wonder why I make such fun of them?
My personal philosophy is that I am only chargeable for the sins that I have personally committed, just as I am only able to claim pride in accomplishments to which I have personally contributed. I only feel shame for my own transgressions, not for those of people with whom I only share a skin color.
Human history is replete with conquest and subjugation, usually brutal and sometimes genocidal, and slavery occurred in many societies. But no other societies engage in this level of social masochism and self-loathing, and most chose a more affirming narrative.
While we must acknowledge the nation’s past transgressions, do we really need to keep picking at the scabs of historical guilt? We get it. It won’t happen again. But wallowing in guilt and self-loathing just divides us into “victim” and “victimizer” groups, creating a society of competing and warring groups seeking villains to castigate and ready to be exploited by opportunistic politicians.
Enough already. Δ
John Donegan is a retired attorney in Pismo Beach, who feels guilty about parking overtime at an expired meter. Contact him through the editor at clanham@newtimesslo.com or send a letter for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in May 9-19, 2024.
This commentary is a welcome departure from JDs usual lambasting of the LGBTQ community. But his extrapolations from the Ashbaugh commentary are not accurate. Ashbaugh never implied that white people should engage in “self-flagellation” for the sins of the past. He clearly stated that we should consider the background of our “heroes” who we place in prominence in our history books. Should we honor murderers as heroes? We need to know the whole story about these individuals in our history. The good and the bad. Then form our own opinions.
This is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read. One of John’s best works. Truly an accomplishment.
“Unless one is a student of history like Ashbaugh, what purpose does subjecting all students to a relentless examination of historic atrocities serve?” While it is not my personal opinion, I have the answer to your question. It is the need to continue to portray a bifurcated world of the oppressed and the oppressor. Again, not my opinion, but it is the motivation of many groups that subscribe to victim culture.
“This is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read.”
“One of John’s best works.”
“Truly an accomplishment.”
Which is dumb?
Which is one of the best? And
which is an accomplishment?
Those comments are puzzling.
What do you mean, “neighborhood character”?
As to the other comments. I suppose we should not be surprised when individuals passionately defend their position on this issue.
Personally, I agree with John. Which part of our Family Tree matters most? 3/4 of my great grandparents came to America long after the terrible things in our history mentioned here. Then, 1/4 [the Lightfoots] came to Virginia in 1760 and owned a few slaves according to records available today. Servants in their homes.
Which part of my family should count the most?
The Virgina Lightfoots or
the Irish immigrants who denied their heritage because of “No Irish” sentiments or
the Prussian who must have faced the issue of being German during the World War.
I like my Irish grandmother’s families best. I love Irish music, dancing and Fairs. We miss the big fairs in large venues – Santa Anita with the fountain water colored green. These events are a mere shadow of their former glory like most ethnic fairs and events. Faded away over the years as fewer and fewer families cared to attend.
Here’s what I wrote in response to the comments – including several by my fellow Rhetoric and Reason columnist John Donegan – on my April 18 column:
“The purpose of writing about events like what took place with Fremont’s irregular forces in Shasta/Tehama County in March, 1846 is neither to disparage Fremont, nor to torment my white readers with a sense of guilt – it’s intended merely to provide a more complete historical record. And to me, the purpose of any reading OR writing any historical record is to complete our base of knowledge about the important events and personalities so that we honor those who truly deserve to be celebrated, and put those who clearly earn our scorn into the proper perspective.
Next month*, however, I’ll tell the story about Fremont’s actions right here in SLO that put a little more shine into his revered place in our history. As with any 19th or early 20th century character who has been held out as a leader, Fremont presents us with a dilemma.“
* NEXT WEEK’S COLUMN, wherein we’ll be exposed to a far more favorable view of Fremont.
@JillStegman: While Mr. Ashbaugh’s references to the “far right”, and his suggestion that our schools present a “sanitized view” of history, presumably to avoid making students feel guilty, do seem a bit “self-flagellatory”, you are correct that his piece is not accusatory, and is instead an interesting historical review and a cautionary story on heroes. But, as you can see from the reactions of commenters like Shanti Harris, such narratives are perceived by some as a scathing indictment of white people generally, and inexplicably, of white boomers in particular. She appears eager to wield the whip if the self-flagellation ever ceases. Such is the sad reality of our current society.
Your comment about my “usual lambasting of the LGBTQ community” put me into a rare moment of introspection, so I reviewed the 62 columns I have written, and found that I wrote about transgender issues (I didn’t find anything about “L, G or B” issues) in 9 of my columns, yielding a percentage of 14.5% – hardly “usual”. And, you will notice, that I don’t attack the transgendered, just some of the tortured semantics and bizarre “science” that activists demand that we now must use. I do this because I am lazy, and the outlandish fictions and nomenclature that they demand we observe are so easy to mock. Sorry, it is a character flaw of mine to go for the easy laugh, although the activists must accept some blame for making it so tempting.
I’ve given up on the ‘more oppressed than thou’ mob. They don’t want allies, they want toadies.
Just give them some money and call it good like we did the Indians. I don’t hear them complaining. $$$$
Shanti:
You say:
“Gail Lightfoot:
Fortunately, we are on the West Coast and long past the 20th century. Flags have lost their relevancy and we can be as ethnic, queer, straight, married, single, and not go to catechism as much as we want.
It’s a pity the Irish are known as DRUNKS.”
Not sure what part of my comment asking “which part of my Family Tree matters the most?” your comments above refer to other that the ‘Irish Catholic alcoholic’ we are are familar with which was not part of my comment. My family, fortunately did not like alcohol that much. I have known some, let’s call them ICAs, personaly.I perfer to call the Irish ‘back slapping, smiling, jovial [sometimes friendly with a purpose]’ individuals such as Teddy Kennedy in the US House. His actions as he entered the chambe reminded me of my own brother, now deceased.
Bit by bit: My parents and grandparents migrated to California in the 20th Century. They were in the MIdwest or East Coast in the 18th or 19th Century.
I did not mention flags although I do have a Libertarian Party fag featurling the Statue of Liberty. Which no longer used flag is important enough for you to bring into this conversation.
I don’t fall into any of the groups you mention although I have family members who and some Libertarian I know do as well. Some even manage to shock other Libertarians.
I asked which mattered most: white colonial, Irish, or German heritage. Care to specifically answer the question?
Apparently, it is considered just fine to twist the words of writers here. I do try to avoid that so anyone here can call me on that if I yield to temtation or simply get sidetracked when writing. Might even be a case of not thinking cleraly. SInce I am most likely much older than any of you, I can now admit to brain fog from time to time. Most here write and rewrite as well as write more then once in a single thread. We enjoy the written word or we would not bother. In the process, some bring up other parts of an issue which is a good thing. I regret that it is only we few who peofir by our interactions.
Gee, I wonder if the generation that came of age in the 1850’s blamed the previous generation for creating the conditions that caused the Civil War with millions spent (billions in today’s money) and hundreds of thousands dead? I similarly wonder if the generation that came of age in the 1930’s hated their parents and grandparents for creating the conditions of the Great Depression or dragging their feet to support the Allied effort in WWII?
Last time I checked, America was not in “ruins.” Millions of non-Americans actually seek to come to America because there is far more opportunity here than in their nations—a government estimate says that 7 million illegal immigrants have sought to come to America in just the last four years. I sincerely doubt those who made it feel that the boomer generation is out to get them.
Furthermore, the U.S. is still by far the richest nation in the world ($25.5 trillion GDP) with a per capita median income of over $107,000. The U.S. also still ranks in the top ten of nations with the highest standard of living, only eclipsed by smaller nations with highly progressive (by American standards) governments such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, San Marino, etc.
Why is Shanti so angry at old people? I learn alot from those with more life experience than me.
Stop blaming others for your misery. You are in charge of the choices you make. Why don’t you take your bleeding heart over to Gaza and see how that goes.
Why didn’t I get an answer? I guess “neighborhood character” is not following this discussion.
Maybe someone who is understood “neighborhood character”‘s comment better than I did. gkl
“This is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read.”
“One of John’s best works.”
“Truly an accomplishment.”
Which is dumb?
Which is one of the best? And
which is an accomplishment?
Those comments are puzzling.
What do you mean, “neighborhood character”?
The fact is, boomers aren’t just coasting on what FDR put together. The 2016 elections saw 65+ voter turnout at 70.9%, as opposed to 18-29 year-olds at 46.1%. A little grandfatherly advice: Get politically involved and help all of us, or let the greedy authoritarians win by default. If they take away our Social Security and Medicare, you won’t inherit our houses, you’ll be renting them from venture capitalists.