Thursday, May 4

It is Hard to Teach American History Honestly.

But we do the work, the better teachers do, because children are capable of learning on hard topics. We need to teach them the truths of what their country collectively did, the good and ill subjects. 

Deadly ones too.

It's hard, but the better minds... in the merry month of May -- write honestly about what we have learned. History making details.

Gail Collins:

Remember all the chaos in the 2000 Florida vote count? The entire presidential election hinged on the result. In the end, Ralph Nader, the Green Party nominee, got more than 97,000 votes there. In a state that George W. Bush eventually won by 537. Now Nader had a phenomenal career as a champion of consumer protection and the environment. But this was a terrible finale. His candidacy gave Floridians who felt that Al Gore was not very exciting a chance to declare their disaffection. It gave them a chance to feel superior. It gave the country a new President Bush. 
And a war in Iraq.