Cultural amnesia

Bill Bennett has an important column up at National Review Online today, discussing the current state of American history education.

Our country’s adults are expected to instill a love of country in its children, but the greatness and purpose of that country are mocked by the chattering classes: Newspaper columns and television reports drip with a constant cynicism about America while doubts about her motives on the world stage are the coin of the realm. Too many commentators are too ready to believe the worst about our leaders and our country, and our children’s history books — and even some of the teachers — close off any remaining possibility of helping children learn about their country.

It was in 1984 that Jeanne Kirkpatrick talked about the blame-America firsters. "The San Francisco Democrats didn't blame Soviet intransigence. They blamed the United States. But then, they always blame America first." Unfortunately, those people have been running the education system in this country for the past 30 years...