JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Lying by historians is never forgivable. The only reason they have a respected visible role as commentators on TV and other venues is because of their “well earned” credentials.
We depend on honest historians to help us to put the present and future in historical context. I am offended that [Doris Kearns] Goodwin, [Stephen] Ambrose and that fellow from Emory University have shamed the profession. It is despicable. I love history so much that 40 years ago, at Emory, I earned two degrees. One in American history and one in chemistry. The history degree was for my own enjoyment and interest. The chemistry degree was so I could get into medical school.
Julia Keller’s article was mostly on the mark and I thank you for it. But think about it, their money, fame, their total justification for any of them to still be “in our face,” is based on a lie. It is bad enough that most of the other callings from politicians, medicine, law, business and, yes, journalism is infested with relative morals and ethics, but history I thought was safe.
They should be banished from all events public. But no, we will forevermore be subjected to them everywhere. Because now they and their backers from TV bigwigs, academic types and the so-called literary and elite subclass are going to go out of their way to paint their dishonesty as an aberration. Why? Because they have invested their “honor” in them. Better to continue the Big Lie than admit they were wrong. — Fred Akel
