Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 

(Note: The following was supposed to be for tomorrow morning -- but my fantastic nemesis of Piquance.Impudence.Ordnance fame has scooped me again. Don't miss her rant, Like "No Lips", it's better than mine!)

Weren't we doing fine with 49 states?
LOS ANGELES — A textbook review process in California has changed or eliminated references to everything from the Founding Fathers (search) to hot dogs, leaving many to charge the state with distorting history in the name of political correctness.

"Distorting history"? Isn't "changing" history distorting it?

That’s because many California textbooks will no longer feature pictures of hot dogs, sodas, cakes, butter and other kinds of food that are not considered nutritious.

Tofu anyone?

Nor will the books contain any phrases judged to be sexist or politically insensitive.

Goodbye to Snowmen. "Let's make a Snowperson!"

The Founding Fathers are now referred to as "The Framers," in an apparent effort to make them sound less male-dominant.

DUH! They WERE all males!

There will be no more reading about Mount Rushmore, where the faces of four U.S. presidents are carved into stone, because it appears to offend some American-Indian groups.

Uh - how to put this - - - I don't believe FACES in the granite is the problem the Native Americans have with Mount Rushmore. I do believe Mount Rushmore is in the Black Hills, which is a holy place for the Indians and one of the last reclaimed pieces of land taken back by the US government by breaking a treaty. (Info from my head and I really should google - but I'm almost sure.)

This is a prime example of letting the dissenting voices of a few, warp the outcome of an issue affecting all. Work has been underway for over a decade on the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota, a la Mount Rushmore. Chief Crazy Horse was an Oglala Sioux. The "dissenting voices" of "some American-Indian groups" are likely from other Indian Nations that perhaps do not have a mountain from which to blast out an image of their own tribal hero. Although, according to historians of the time, he was never photographed, a picture of a handsome young brave is presented here as Crazy Horse. "There was never a photograph taken or a likeness made from first hand witness of Crazy Horse"; so said Mari Sandoz in the biography, Crazy Horse the Strange Man of the Oglala. Even if the picture is not authentic, the accompanying bio is excellent. He definitely was a leader the Sioux could be proud of.

Read the entire article here and learn why I can no longer be called a "serior citizen". Fine. I'd rather be called a Groovy Granny anyhow!


posted by HCL at 10:12 PM