What ails people?

This reminds me of the incident under Clinton when some educators removed Thomas Edison from the curriculum. I guess he was too big, too white, too much a genius for the modern PC taste.

Jefferson is too big and too interesting to throw away.

Joseph N Welch said it best, when he said to Sen. McCarthy in 1954:

"You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

This question seriously must be asked of these religiofascists trying to abscond with education in Texas. Have they no shame? Is there truly no stunt so low that they will not stoop to it, in order to promote their religionism in Texas schools and brainwash schoolchildren?

At the time Edison was thrown away, there was a vogue for "balance" in history writing. Female figures were puffed up as in: Nell Gwynn was an importer of tropical fruits during the reign of King What'shisname.

Heros were discarded in favor of semi-heros. There was a general celebration of mediocrity. Is that still going on?

Toying with history is a national sport I think.

The project of revisionist history-making reminds me of what happens all the time in more totalitarian systems, like the former Soviet Union, China, Egypt, etc. Parts of history that those in power don't like, because it contrasts too strongly with their ideology and story are simply removed from official history. Conservative Catholic scholars have re-written the history of the crusades in order to remove a stain from the history of the Church. The stain remains, it is simply white-washed over via ignorance!

The Left's attempts at multi-culturalism, which I support strongly, have been at times awkward and clumsy. In adding others to the story, they have at times removed important actors to substitute minor players in history. The same is true in literature.

However, the Right's re-writing of American history in a purely ideological fashion is unprecedented. McCarthyism has been vindicated? In what universe? Jefferson and the enlightenment weren't influential in the formation of the young nation's ideals? This is all non-history. These are lies, formed by ideological players attempting to become our overlords.

Yes, ideological players attempting to become our overlords come from all sides.

The old Soviet Encyclopedia was constantly being rewritten to conform with the latest decree.

I am definitely under the impression that Edison was thrown away because he was a white man.

Multiculturalism is bad if it turns into tribalism, the curse of the world.

Here's how it is: the Left overabuses society, and the Right overabuses the Left.

This is what you get when the State runs the schools, rather than the people. All who jockey for power to control children's education are to blame, left and right both. Both left and right strive to build up a top-down authoritarian system and then whine when they are not at the top of the heap that they have made.

I am studying Aquinas right now. It is highly unlikely that he will be taught properly to school children. They will do what kids always do - survive as best they can while regurgitating subject matter poorly understood by their teachers.

Frankly I'm glad they're not being taught Jefferson. Those who find him on their own will be better off.