Defending America and Our History

A few recent articles in National Review highlight the importance of American history.

Rich Lowry writes about how Obama seems disconnected from history, as if his Presidency wipes our slate clean and starts us at time zero.

Mark Steyn asks about American resolve in a “post-American era” in which our exceptionalism is downplayed to create a sense of relative equality in the world.

Jonah Goldberg is concerned that by not standing up for American exceptionalism, the President may be giving up significant gains the country has made over the years.

Each of these articles makes some good points. President Obama’s lack of interest and apparent lack of demonstrated understanding of history is concerning, if anything because it suggests he may be missing lessons from the past.

Even more troubling is that by not defending America’s past, the President perpetuates myths that suggest that the American way is no better than any other. It also suggests weakness.

With some leaders denouncing American capitalism and blaming the world’s problems on it, a response from the President is warranted. Will Obama stand up for America, effectively denouncing such criticism, including the same type of criticism he heard from the pews of Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s church, or will he again write off history in an effort to separate himself from America and our past?

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