History is documentation of events that happened, people who were involved, detailing the actions and ideas that have impacted our current civilization. The study of history is often painful; certain events may make us uncomfortable (slavery, Salem witch trials, the Red Scare, the Trail of Tears, the Tulsa Massacre, Abu-Ghraib and so on ...). This doesn’t, however, mean these events did not occur.
Trump is literally trying to remake the Smithsonian museums based on his “views” of history. He has already removed exhibits documenting his own impeachments. You cannot disagree with facts, although you can disagree with interpretations of events.
History helps us to guide future decisions, to make informed choices and to prevent us from repeating catastrophic events. Removing exhibits does not erase the history.
All this from a man who thinks there were airports during the Revolutionary War, who continues to insist that he won the 2020 election and who thinks the Declaration of Independence was a document based on “love and unity.”
His takeover of museums, cultural venues and universities will not erase the events that have shaped the history of the United States.
Susan Kaesler
Hesperus
