For Howard Zinn

This is my first blog post, so I thought I’d write about Howard Zinn. He died yesterday, and I feel sad knowing a such a great historian has passed away. I read his freakin-huge-700 page book about a year ago, and it pretty much changed the way I think about history and in particular, America. I think everyone should read it, if they have a few months to go through it. What did I like about his book so much? Well, he wrote the book from the perspectives of all those in America’s history who have been exploited, oppressed, or just plain forgotten- like women, immigrants, blacks, gays, you name it. He saw that it is time for us to take off our nice nostalgic view of America as this promised land and see it for what it really is– JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNTRY. Messed up, full of people who only think about money and power, governed by leaders who only look out for their own self-interests. I’m not denying we have some really great things going on the US, and he didn’t either. The point is to just see our nation and acknowledge it for what it truly is, own up to it, and use our past to shape us into a better nation.

It just makes sense. For instance, I don’t want Steve going around believing I’m the best, most perfect person that ever lived! I would have to work hard as hell to make sure he never finds out the true me, I would have to end up lying to him about who I truly am, and before you know it, all that is left is a bunch of lies and a husband who loves something that doesn’t exist. No, instead I want to him to see ME, the one with all the flaws, the insecurities, the mistakes and face them head on. I don’t want him to tell me to cover up my mistakes and never talk about them, but tell me to bring them out into the light so that the real me can be free to grow. I truly believe we must do the same for America, if we are ever going to become the nation we want to be- full of freedom, liberty and justice for ALL.

I hope more and more people will read A People’s History. I think the more little Howard Zinn’s we have walking around, the better!

We’ll miss you, Dr. Zinn.

- Heather