ONN: Rewriting American history

"America is unique among nations in being founded not on a common ethnicity, but on a set of ideas. A nation based on ethnicity perpetuates itself by the fact of birth. But a nation founded on an idea starts anew with each generation and with each new group of immigrants. Knowing what America stands for is not a genetic inheritance. It must be learned, both by the next generation and by those who come to this country. In this way, a nation founded on an idea is inherently fragile. And a nation that celebrates the many ways we are different from one another must remind itself constantly of what we all share."

Those stirring and inspiring words are from the overview of the Bradley Report, put together over the past two years by leading academics, journalists, educators and policy experts who took on the task of examining the state of American identity.

Sadly, such sentiments are probably not being discussed in faculty lounges at secondary schools and universities -- and therein lies the problem.

The Bradley Project on America's National Identity recently issued its report, called "E Pluribus Unum" ("from many, one"). It calls attention to a decline in civic and historical literacy and a system of education that emphasizes ethnic identities over shared citizenship. In other words, it suggests that we are not doing a good job of teaching students the fundamentals of American history, but we are succeeding in teaching them to be hyper-aware of the divisions among us rather than all that unites us.

So two things are happening here. We are producing students with the scantest of knowledge of American history, and planting in them a distorted vision of it.

Here are some scary statistics vis a vis historical literacy: the majority of eighth-graders cannot explain the purpose behind the Declaration of Independence, and a mere five percent of high school seniors can explain how Congress and the Supreme Court check presidential power.

Regarding the emphasis on our divisions, there has been a push for many years among educators, for example, to move away from the once-traditional "melting-pot" vision of America toward a multicultural, multiethnic one. I can remember clearly my eighth-grade history teacher posing the question as to whether America should continue to be viewed as a melting-pot or -- as she suggested -- a salad. There was absolutely no doubt about where she stood, and that asking the question was merely an opportunity for her to make her opinion clear.

According to James Ceaser, professor of politics at the University of Virginia and a participant in the project, the country's understanding and appreciation of diversity is important but should be balanced by emphasizing what we share. "In selecting the title 'E Pluribus Unum,' the Project embraces the conviction that plurality and unity are not necessarily in tension with one another, but are supporting ideas of the same national experiment. Plurality is only made safe when it is grounded in a deeper commitment to national unity. Unity is the precondition for healthy diversity."

Besides putting an exaggerated emphasis on the differences among us, the Bradley Report also concludes that American history is taught in a way that highlights what's wrong with America over what is right. Another of its recommendations: "Schools should not slight their civic mission by giving students the impression that America's failures are more noteworthy than America's achievements. They should begin with the study of America's great ideals, heroes, and achievements, so that its struggles can be put in perspective. A broad-minded, balanced approach to the American story best prepares young people for informed democratic participation."

According to Marvin Olasky of WORLD magazine, who contributed to the Bradley Project, "schools are producing 'Hate America First' voters."

Unlike many of the educators responsible for imposing their multiculturalist and negative view of America on students, the authors of the Bradley Report have no wish to impose their personal views on anyone. In fact, they commissioned a number of Harris Polls to find out what the American public thinks about all this. Eighty percent of whites, 86 percent of blacks, and 74 percent of Hispanics are concerned that America is becoming increasingly divided along ethnic and cultural lines.

Those surveyed define American national identity as a commitment to freedom, including free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of opportunity and political freedom. They characterized the American ethos as containing the following traits: competition, individualism, optimism, self-reliance, religious faith, and patriotism. And the majority of respondents view America as a unique democracy. What's in doubt is what their children have been taught to believe in school.

The majority of parents say they would be upset if their kids were taught in school that America is "fundamentally a racist country." And the majority of poll respondents agreed that citizenship rather than ethnicity should be the focus of education. They believe the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of devaluing what is good in America and that there is too much focus on America's flaws.

The Bradley Report has some specific recommendations for addressing these problems. The authors believe there should be a renewed focus on the teaching of American history, which should embrace America's heroes. In addition, they agreed that "we should not adopt policies that perpetuate division or that compromise our national allegiance." The Bradley Project encourages Americans to embrace what it calls an "informed patriotism," not forgetting America's failings, but balancing them with America's virtues. Another recommendation is to ensure that immigrants learn English, understand democratic institutions, and participate fully in the American way of life.

According to the Bradley Project website, one of its goals is "to affirm that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. A sense of national identity is necessary to enable individuals to transcend self-absorption and commit to the common good. Without it, America can neither perpetuate its institutions nor defend itself."

In my next column (October 7), I'll take a look at how American history textbooks not only highlight America's flaws and ignore America's goodness, but often display blatant liberal bias.

After ten years as a producer for CBS News, forty-something years as an Episcopalian, and fifteen years as a mother, Marcia Segelstein (mvsegelstein@optonline.net) considers herself a reluctant rebel against the mainstream media, the Episcopal Church (and others which make up the rules instead of obeying them), and the decaying culture her children witness every day. Her pieces have been published in "First Things," "Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity," and "BreakpointOnline," and she is a contributing editor for Salvo magazine.

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