This past weekend I watched a History Channel series on the Revolution and the founding of our Nation. What both amazed and outraged me was the amount of not just subtle, but the outright fallacious and misleading information the creators of the series, had interwoven as fact into the program. It’s not the first time I’ve witnessed what is passed off as educational, which in reality is little more than cultural agitprop.
My area of expertise is not history, but I know history. I know history because, as my good friend and colleague Dr. Walter Williams has said on numerous occasions, when we went to school we were there to learn. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
I observed the glaring omissions of Prince Whipple and Oliver Cromwell, two key participants in Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. Their participation is frequently, if not always, misrepresented by the politically correct revision of factual history – and the History Channel was no different.
I was not surprised by the mischaracterization and misinformation pursuant to the program’s depiction of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. I was appalled by what can only be called the deliberate omission of the factual involvement of slaves in the Revolutionary War. But it was the program’s outright dishonesty by omission pursuant to slaves being counted as three-fifths of a person, that had me literally yelling at the screen. I take time to go into minor detail here, because this bastardization of truth by race mongers and the politically correct, is one of the most transpicuous examples of fallacious history.
David Barton, the Founder and President of WallBuilders, is my single most admired and respected historian. Dave is one of the few, (and I with no intent to embellish mean few), who truthfully articulate “The Three-Fifths Compromise.” He writes: “The Three-Fifths Clause was not a measurement of human worth – rather it was an anti-slavery provision to limit the political power of slavery‘s proponents. By including only three-fifths of the total number of slaves in the congressional calculations, Southern States were actually being denied additional pro-slavery representatives in Congress.” (The Founding Fathers and Slavery; 07/2011)
This specific point is more misrepresented than probably any other historical fact. Revisionist history is bad enough, but this was outright untruths. Those predisposed to being impressed by the color of the so-called historians presenting the information, had the misrepresentations calcified as factual, when the black historians narrated this particular part in an animated manner with emphasis.
I called my friend who was also watching the program and together we discussed at length the dishonesty of what is presented as educational. My friend and I were incredulous at the amalgamation of falsehoods and omissions incorporated in the program. But that’s not my point as such.
My point is that my friend and I independent of one another know factual history. This wasn’t the only time we and others of our friends and colleagues have witnessed this. I recall a time last year that so-called experts completely distorted the writings of Mark Twain. I refuse to watch the History Channel‘s programs about Christ and historic Christianity, because I know it is fraught with mischaracterizations and lies.
My friend rightly references the History Channel as the NPR of cable programming. I am inclined to be much less generous in my assessment, but this is a family page.
The crime of this misinformation, is that it is used in public schools. Children are taught this abortion of historical truth as factual history. It is passed on from grade to grade and from high school to college – and it is regurgitated to the next generation of students. And as the saying goes, if you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.
Teaching today is what the Yugo was to the automotive industry, i.e., a spectacular model of substandard inefficiency. How many people watched the referenced programming not knowing they were being misinformed. Even more egregious, is the negative impact this fraudulent information has on blacks, as it contributes mightily to the anger and resentment so many feel.
It is my belief that society is being socially engineered to a level of ignorance that allows them to be controlled and manipulated more easily toward the unwitting acceptance of socialism. If people do not know factual history, they are susceptible to indoctrination by the lies of those whose goal it is, to portray our form of government as being born out of oppression. With the acceptance of that lie, it is a small step to resenting the sacrifices that made our nation great.
From there, all that is left is to have socialism inculcated in a palatable and authoritarian way by instructors – and the end result is where we stand today – on the brink of becoming what European socialists are fleeing.
:O! My ‘Christian’ bros. and father! I thought “I” was the ignorant,crazy one! Thanks for straightening ME out!
rev michael bresciani: hahaha…I charge for the each one hereafter…
d biddle: they respond to that that type of pressure…
I am not, I’m sure I would pass out first; but I am so tired of never doing anything and being frustrated by what is going on in our country. It does make me feel better to do something, even if it is ignored. Imagine if everyone would flood them with the same request for an explanation, maybe someone at the History Channel would at least take note that we are aware. Thank you for keeping us informed.
Great article Mychal. Also I love it when I can learn a new word, especially a useful one -’transpicuous.’ Had to look that one up.
I find many of HCs stuff is poorly presented and doesn’t always care for the truth. When it comes to programs about Christ, the Bible or theology I have to grit my teeth as every Harvard Dr. of Divinity that doesn’t know God from a turnip makes great swelling statements about things they obviously know nothing about.
Rev MB
sumitch: you make the point that I referenced in the piece…in my comment here I should have said its easy to disprove for those who are knowledgeable enough to know recognize what they are or aren’t hearing/seeing…liberals and those who are as my grandmom used to say book smart w/ no common sense cannot respond to facts…I run into that in every debate and w/ all the goof balls who attack per my syndicated pieces…they twist the truth and attempt misdirection…but when pinned down w/ the facts they either call you names, go into blind rage, or go silent…I had a professor from manchester england contact me about a syndicated piece I wrote taking obama to task…he started out by being condescending and insulting…when he realized that tact wouldn’t work…he tried his twisted reasoning…when that was met w/ fact he became petulant and accused me of not being reasonable…they get together and find ways to make the truth a lie…you can’t make it up…
sumitch: sounds like my late cousin…as a matter of fact it sounds like all of my cousins…I’m the dummy in the group…
sumitch: you should do stand up…
sumitch: sarah is reminding people she’s available at a brokered convention…fact is we had best candidate in yrs Herman Cain…and he was pushed out…the gop thinks the ideal candidate is left leaning moderate then can portray as a conservative…
“Mostly Socialist Media”. That’s good. May I borrow it from time to time?
If Obama gets another 4, she will be impossible to live with. And with the way the GOP is going, they’ll give Barry O enough information to win without doing any more than just repeating what they’ve already said. How is it that the GOP can pick from the second team every time? And now Sarah is making noise like she may jump back in.
She’s the safest one to pick on. She lives in Phoenix. My know it all son is 6’4″ and lives less than 25 miles from me. My daughter, the side show tattoo billboard and pin cushion lives 10 miles away and can probably whip me with her martial arts (I should never have taught her. I’ve created a monster). Actually I’m very proud of all of them, but they’re so easy to dislike.
You hit it on the nose Delores. She’s brilliant with an IQ of 157 and, she has a near photographic memory. She’s very successful with two masters degrees from Pepperdine, published and has her own company. But an example. I can give her one of my books on engineering and she will read a chapter (she also speed reads). I can then ask her what is on page such and such and she can spew it back verbatim. But when I ask her what it means, she has no idea. And she’s better looking than me and mommy always liked her best. ;-)
They might be easy to disprove to a person with a decent education, but many do not recognize the errors and therefore accept them. My son for example (a brilliant programmer, making more money than I ever dreamed of making. And I can dream of a lot) sneered and acted like he was some expert on politics. Once I told him that congressional pay was automatic and he declared it was not. It was easily found and sent to him. No comment. Then in his wisdom on another subject, he told me that “fracking” for oil would leave huge holes in the earth. The fact that I’ve spent most of my life in the energy field in one way or another didn’t mean anything to him. I sent him a rather detailed explanation of the process and again, no comment. There’s nothing worse than a know it all that will tear out their tongue rather than admit they are wrong. I’ve just given up. I don’t have enough time left to waste it arguing with dolt.
barbara: dishing it out and not being able to take is the way his kind are…
rod g: give my best to your son and tell him to keep his mind free of lies…
funu50401: I don’t need to reach everyone…I need to reach a few and have them reach a few more…and let the truth grow exponentially…I give it to you and you give it to others…
dennis: you’re right all of the channels you referenced are agitprop…
seafarer chief: indeed…
david j. carrier: I learned factual history in school…it was my last semester of undergrad that liberalism truly hit the campus…and it was in the form of an ecology elective that I took thinking it would be a cake walk class…I had been taking 22 credits per semester that last semester I needed only a handful so I thought I’d take that as a sleep through class…I mean it was ecology for goodness sake…it was my first face to face w/ raw unwashed anger and contempt for the traditions of America…it was a rude awakening…and a fist fight the entire semester…I won because I finished the course w/ “B+” on my terms…
ben: as long as the people are ignorant they will be subordinate…
sumitch: the lies and distortions are glaringly obvious and easy to disprove…that’s what infuriates me…the only reason for people to led astray is the concerted effort to keep them ignorant…
sumitch: lol stop picking on your poor sister…she’s a liberal…its an illness…
rvd: the history channel series on the presidents is also infused w/ untruths…I know Dave Barton…he is purest historian in America today…
delores jenkins: well said…spot on…
marilyn: the problem is that the parents who should be paying attention are smiling because they think their child on honor roll means they’re getting an education and doing well in school…I have no respect for public schools…
betsy: John will run for president when i do…hahaha…the readers on my page are among the most informed and knowledgeable…
john mcclain: your treatise is as always eloquent and well stated…but I submit the time for anger is over and that said tis not whites as such should be angry w/…their anger if they must direct it…should be directed at those in who ensnared them in communism…and those who used the mental health society in the early 20th century to further ensnare them…which brings me to the unspoken point of my rant…the misrepresentation of history is intentional and intended to keep people at odds against one another…ignorance keeps blacks angry w/ the wrong persons…blacks still realize that if the assignation colored was coined to inculcate all persons of color worldwide to communism and african-american was designed to promote self-segregation…negro which means black is the accurate assignation…but that is viewed as a pejorative…and ignorance allows these lies to flourish…I grew up addicted to reading…shakespeare and dickens being my favorites when I was 9 yrs old…
james bair: my pleasure you’re welcome…
james bair: I passed it along to support…in the future plz send any problem directly to support…
betsy: that’s one way to put it…
d biddle: you’re not holding your breath are you…
caveman: great grand pappa bush and subsequent bush family were involved…
sandy: plz always send any/all technical problems to support…
Tried Facebook also, and gettng the same distortion code.
Can anyone say ‘conspiracy’? Aw, c’mon. It ain’t that hard. Conspiracy. Go on, say it. it won’t bite yah. Have you ever read that our education system was designed, about 100 years ago, to erase all that was accurate, and replace it with info that could be managed at the ‘corporate’ level? It ain’t bs. its true. Ask our friends, the Rockefellers. Their grand-daddy had a plan to keep the populace ignorant, and in poverty, so as to have a source of cheap and compliant labor. They instituted the program about the same time they were manufacturing the Federal Reserve, and criminal ‘fractional reserve banking’, and the IRS. Now they call it “The History Channel”. Seems like its working, don’t it? What are we gonna do about it? By the way, look up ‘conspiracy’ and ‘conspire’ in Websters’. Its an illuminating definition. Shalom, Ya’ll.
This is appalling. I wrote to the History Channel asking for an explanation. Let’s see if they respond.
“Put simply, its wearing the blue dress just because you like blue, even though it makes you look sick, and red is your best color.”
Excellent way to put it, Dolores. Loved it.
You are a person after my own heart!!!
WOW, what an amazing commentary Mr. McClain It was stunning.
I always read your comments on Mr. Massie’s page and find them to be brilliantly thought out and written. Bravo!!!!
Just a thought………….run for President!!! I believe you could be a definite win!!
Great article, Mychal! Thank you. My first husband majored in History. We have tons of history books. I once read them at bedtime and found myself getting so worked up over some of the readings that I had to forego reading them at bedtime. Thank you for the enlightment of what our students/children are having to ‘swallow’ these day. I hope there are well educated parents who can set their children straight on what the History facts really were and are.
Mychal,
Tried to share to my Facebook page and the article would not “share” correctly. It was presented on my page in code. Is anyone else having this problem?
Bair
This is an encouraging piece of info. Thanks.
Bair
I learned most of my history from personal reading, being dyslexic, and growing up, first overseas, as a “navy brat”, and starting second grade in New Jersey, the first time I went to school here in the states.
I had to learn to read my own way because of the dyslexia, but reading was a fixed staple in our home, we had no t.v., and growing up within reach of most of the archeological sites of Europe meant my mother took my sister and I everywhere a train, bus, trolley, or ferry would take us, and having walked through most all of the places I was later taught about in school, I could never allow the excitement of really seeing it, be ruined by the lies and errors so common, even having graduated in 1975.
I have raised two kids along with my wife, and we were both very alarmed at the lack of truth in almost every aspect of school, whether it was English class, math, science, but most particularly, history.
My two adult children, in their thirties, are miles ahead of most of their peers, but even still, they were propagandized on issues I don’t even know, because they haven’t come up yet.
In grade school, pointing out a fallacy in a history book generally got me strongly questioned, and my persistence always got the question researched, and my point made, with little grace on the part of the teacher.
In high school, I was commonly punished for challenging history as taught, punished for “interupting” and wasting valuable time, but even when I did all the leg-work digging out the old books in the school library, and taking them to the dean, I was told the issue of fact was less important than my keeping the teacher from maintaining good order in class.
I have reached the point where I have educated myself to the level of mechanical engineer with an electronics engineering minor, with a “liberal” education in chemistry, macular physics, quantum mechanics, World History, American History, Constitutional law, and an extensive history of war, having spent twenty years studying it as a Marine.
Having what I believe to be a very good handle on “the truth”, and knowing rather precisely what is being taught today, as I work with and around kids, and listen to what they have to say, and why they say it, I believe that absent an “accurate historical vault”, and a genuine revolution throwing out what is the most criminal government any Americans have ever lived under, including the original colonists, not only will our Nation go down as a failure, but we will go down as an ignorant failure, with most people having no idea why our Nation failed, our what it once was capable of.
If one were to take history today, they likely would never know abolitionism started when the first slave hit Europe, and never happening before, there was no law against it.
Practically no adult American is aware the Constitution almost didn’t even get presented for ratification because of the anger and intense debate over establishing a “free and equal people” as a Nation, while hold “people”, well recognized as “people and Man” at the time of the writing of our Declaration, and most of the slaves who fought for our independence, did so with the full belief they would be free and equal, and were in those states where Abolition was already the standard of the majority of the people.
I knew my history while growing up, and because of that, I have always been an “abolitionist” and an “egalitarian” towards all people, having been brought up among the Spanish, the Italians, the Greeks, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Chicago, and knowing people from every skin tone did the same kind of work the same way with the same tools and understanding.
To have been raised in our schools, as a Black kid and have to sit through the pure B.S., nothing else sufficiently describes the attitude and demeanor of the lies, and having personal knowledge contradicting has to be about as hard as school could be for anyone, and if there is any question of why there remains such a great racial divide, the facts of our actual history, as experienced from those well enough educated at the time of “reconstruction” all the way down to the late sixties, when Blacks finally were able to both vote and live through the experience, which only came about because of both the non-violent protests lead by Dr. King, as well as the violent protests supporting the non-violent, and led by those willing to put their life on the line, that their own could finally have equality, all this should answer that question.
As a White man whose parents knew of the absolute equality of Blacks, by experience, while watching their own parents live segregated, with wrong low opinion, and no proper reason for it except their utter failure to look, see, think, and learn, I can readily understand exactly why Lenin aimed at Blacks, for his purpose of bringing down his enemy.
I only hope the wisdom of the many Blacks who choose to forget grievance and concentrate on pushing up toward greater heights, can overcome the very real, honestly acquired hatred which racist Whites earned and well deserve, because no matter how wrong Blacks were treated in the past, there has never been a future for any people who have used socialism or communism to struggle for freedom. It’s only purpose is to destroy a working government, and open the door for a tyranny, for the precise benefit of those who will be the elite.
It may make many an honest Black person feel good to see White people just as bad off as they have been themselves, and watched parents and family go through all the generations they know of, hard pressed, however in the end, if we are all reduced to that which the people under the Russian Empire lived, even the righteous anger of Blacks won’t help them eat any better, nor provide any basis from which any or all of us can rise up, and throw down tyranny again.
It is this which causes me the greatest fear, about this, the worst president in our history, to my knowledge, and the sure and certain knowledge he does not know what he is setting up to happen, after he leaves power, because there is no such thing as truth, in socialism or it older brother communism, there is only “situational truth”, the truth which will push people to act as they are needed to, and it vanishes when it has produced its intended effect.
Sincerely,
John McClain
GySgt, USMC, ret.
Vanceboro, NC
To sumitch, sorry but that is the way of the liberal “thought process” if you will excuse the expression. Most don’t have an ability to process the sort of information required to come to a logical conclusion. At the same time they can be considered high achievers as they can memorize information and take tests. Put simply, its wearing the blue dress just because you like blue, even though it makes you look sick, and red is your best color.
My Husband who “used” to be a big fan of the History Channel has given up on it. Me? I still resort to history books and the series on Presidents. And their autobiographies or biographies written by reputable authors! No revisionist BS for me. I had a lot of Faith in Glenn Beck’s recommendations….and BTW, David Barton was a steady guest and personal friend of his. And of course, keeping a copy of the Constitution and Federalist Papers on the coffee table is a given!
I recently had much the same experience Barbara. I received an email that listed the things that Obama has done that are unconstitutional and ended each clause with “And they didn’t care” or something close to that. I knew this list was accurate because I have seen it happen. The ending stated that by the time people started to care, it was too late. Maybe some of you got the same email.
I passed this on to a hard core Obama cheerleader (my sister) and rather than acknowledge the facts, her response was “I suppose you think Santorem would be better”. I brought up the fact that I had not mentioned anything about who I preferred but so long as she brought it up, I told her yes I think Santorem would be better or any of the GOP running. As usual, without any facts to support her position, she refuses to admit that she is wrong. She’ll change the subject and start arguing about that.
I thought that I was the only one picking up on on the errors I was hearing on The History Channel from time to time. Nothing that you can easily go find that it was wrong mind you, just minor little subtle “accidents” of fact.
To tell the truth, I thought I was hearing the results of the dumbing down of our educational system or my education had been wrong or maybe new facts had been found that changed what I was taught. What I really thought was that it has been going on so long that we now have educators teaching blatently wrong and misleading information, not only about history, but other areas as well. Not just about the counting of slaves (I have to admit I didn’t know that)but other areas as well.
As an example, it seemed to me that they never missed a chance to toss in the global warming issue and lay it all totally off on mankind. They never mention that the heating and cooling of the planet is a cyclical phenominum or that the data they use to prove their position was jiggered to make it coincide with what they want it to say. Just recently here in the Great Republic of Texas there was a big argument about the history of the state. One side wanted their position inserted in the books even though they had no proof of it. The other side wanted to leave the book alone because what it said was a proven fact.
I enjoy the history channel and watch it often but it makes as many mistakes on issues as the news channels do, depending on their corporate position. Taken individually, the errors are generally not a big deal, but when taken as a whole, the entire picture is changed.
Excellent article. We have to many ignorant or stupid people, who have no idea about the truth of history. The NEA and the Democrats have done a good job on the “stupidification” of America. One more generation and we will not be able to come back.
We have become a reality TV society, living on emotional sound bytes, telling us what we need.
I learned more History on the Glenn Beck show with the likes of David Barton and the “real” truth about what actually happened than I did in school,and I graduated HS in 1967. I wish I had David’s retain-ability.
The Power’s that “be” must be stopped, it’s like 3/4 through the show and we find out it’s all a lie, now we must reverse the last 50 years of public education to get the “Real” Truth to our children. Removing the unknowing graduates that have taken up Teaching the stuff they call history will be like pulling teeth because that’s what they learned. David Barton is the only source I know of that one can get the truth from. I’m sure there are more but are they willing to stand against our Socialist minded Government about teaching the true History of the United States. If the US History is distorted, how bad is World History distorted.
This poses a problem that must be addressed soon or we will die off and the Socialists will have their way. The US will become the United Socialist States of America. What happens when the Socialist idea “fails” as it will? Do the States become separate countries with their own Government and no Federal Government? The “Republic” part of our Government will no longer exist. Maybe we should create a time capsule with the true History outlined in it so when the Communism fails and the money runs out, maybe someone can dig up the capsule and create the true History and re-instate the US Constitution.
It’s amazing how the “Rich” and “Mega-Rich” support this Socialist idealism. Give the poor people stuff so they won’t feel left out. Not what we were taught Mychal, work your a** off and maybe you will get ahead. Don’t expect others to support you unless you are a mentally challenged, invalid that cannot think. The old saying comes to view:”Life’s a bitch, then you die!” Birth to Death two realities that no one can escape. Life is about what one accomplishes in between the two. Because ain’t nobody gettin’ outta this Alive.
Thanks again Mychal, You always get my Patriotic blood boiling with your Rants.
PS:I liked the article you wrote on Maxine Waters, 4 time winner of the House Ethics Board! What a Hypocrite…
Just another example of the Joseph Goebbels school of propaganda.
“If you tell a lie long enough, it will become ‘truth’.”
Mr Massie
The NPR reference was made by Rush years ago. I too, love history. I’ve learned to research on my own when suspicious of the facts.
It’s not just one Channel. There is H2, The Military Channel and one or 2 others that regergitate the same programs over and over. I’m 65 & fortunate to have had first hand relative accounts of conflicts from the Spanish American War to present so you learn to filter the BS. I have a brick sized sponge that I throw at the TV, I can’t afford another one.
If I was financially independent to take one year off. I would love to intern with David Barton.
I hear you loud and clear, but are “blacks” hearing you? I predict that in 2012, while the number of “blacks” voting for Obama may not again be 96%, it will remain in the 8th to 9th decile. The race baiters in academia, the MSM (mostly socialist media) and in politics have done their job well if it is their intent to, and I think it is, yoke, shackle and chain “blacks” to the nanny state,
i.e., to Socialism.
Mychal, My eldest son , a high school senior, is very fond of his history classes and talks of pursuing in college to what level is undetermined as yet. That said, he asked me while watching this program why there were no mention of the complete absence of any mention of the 3/5ths clause in our constitution by the producers.My answer was to him that as I seen it , it was another veiled attempt by media to broadcast a revisionist history as opposed to the actual facts. Looking bewildered his only reply was , “why?” Itell you all of that to tell you this , the media is not getting to EVERY ONE of the mush brain children out there.
Thank you for the info I will pass this rant along to him as I am sure he will appreciate. I cannot articulate my message very well at times and your writing can help me explain.
I tried to explain that 3/5′s thing to a black friend of mine some time ago and, although he didn’t come right out and say it, I think he thought I was lying or didn’t know what I was talking about. He won’t acknowledge it is the Democrats as a whole who have been historically against the blacks. Anytime a black conservative has something to say that makes sense, he writes it off as his being an Uncle Tom or one of the other derogatory nicknames he has for someone who doesn’t agree with him. After several years of trying to enlighten him, I gave up…. He still spouts off on facebook…Once in awhile, we correspond but I’ve stopped being nice, I come right back when he attacks…. He doesn’t seem to like that. He can dish it out but can’t take it…
Keep up the good work… People need to know about the 3/5′s because liberals use ignorance of this fact to keep people riled up.