“Rather than fostering unity and a deeper understanding of our shared past, the widespread effort to rewrite history deepens societal divides and fosters a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe.”
If ever, now is the time to address this issue, Spaulding suggested. “This Smithsonian question [is] so pertinent and immediate — of all times — when we’re spending the 250th anniversary of America.” Perkins concluded by citing George Orwell, a socialist critic of socialism, who understood both its aims and its shortcomings: “he who controls the present controls the past.”