Scott Kamps
Independence Day festivities are a great opportunity to celebrate freedom and be reminded of the “way of life our fightin’ men have fought and died to keep.”
Knowing that “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance,” we do well to consider how to continue our forefathers fight for freedom.
One prominent way is to pass on our American heritage/ideals to the next generation. This isn’t something that can be done one holiday a year, especially since our heritage is under constant attack today.
Most are familiar with “The 1619 Project,” by Nikole Hannah-Jones. The New York Times Project claims to “reframe… the national narrative” in a way that helps “explain…so much of what makes [America] unique.”
America is unique. The ideals of America were/are unique and paradigm shifting. To create a new country around the self-evident truth that “all men are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights…” changed the world – for the better.
While many of the Founding Fathers were inconsistent with this truth in regard to slavery, the principle laid the foundation of freedom and is the reason why America had legal slavery for such a short period of her history – something that truly sets America apart from the other countries of the world.
But that is not the uniqueness the Times is after. They are seeking to “reframe” our heritage to teach the Revolutionary War was really fought to “protect the institution of slavery.” It’s an overt Progressive attempt to seek to turn our national heritage upside down: from a story of achievement filled with heroics, into a narrative of oppression filled with bigotry.
Several accredited historians – both conservative and liberal – have publicly pointed out significant factual errors in the history presented in “The 1619 Project.” Despite these efforts, however, the Biden administration has still tried to promote it into national education.
Why is it so important for Americans to stand against this narrative flip and know the heritage we have? Because this new national narrative is not true. It’s impossible to be morally right while lying about the facts – whether it’s David Barton’s revisionist (and discredited) book on Jefferson, or The 1619 Project.
The Founders were flawed men; we ought not deceptively make them look better or worse in order to fit the narrative we want. A more important reason to push back against this agenda is because the heroes of a society inescapably point to what that society thinks is virtuous. A society that esteems George Washington displays that we value wisdom and courage; the willingness to use power for others; and to be willing to give it up rather than seeking it constantly.
In contrast, a society that reveres George Floyd reveals we value victimhood; and violent revolution, Black Lives Matter-style.
What kind of society do we want to have?
More importantly, which of these “heroes” exemplify the good, right and beautiful?
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.