Stop Re-Writing Our History!

Not too long ago, I was at the San Jacinto Monument, which, for me is an uplifting experience. The idea that you are walking where a fledgling army of Texans fought and died for freedom is chilling. I can recall a similar feeling when visiting Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where the continental army fought and died for freedom. Now that we are again in a battle for the freedom of Texas (albeit peacefully), it is good to re-visit this battlefield to get a renewal of spirit. I re-read the engravings on the stone walls of the monument, toured the museum and ventured into the gift shop to peruse the books and literature. Having spent many years in construction, I was drawn to a pamphlet on the construction of the monument. Written by C. A. Bullen in 1938, it was a reprint from the Journal of The American Concrete Institute. In the first paragraph, it states that the monument commemorates Texas independence "directly adding approximately one million square miles to the United States." C.A. Bullen obviously did not know his/her Texas history including when Texas became a state.

If the article wasn't so old, I would have blasted them with a letter. Unfortunately, so much of recorded history is subject to opinion and conjecture, such as the myriad accounts of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. Which one is the most accurate? Growing up in Pennsylvania (that's right; I'm a Texan by the grace of God!), I was taught a much different version of the Civil War, secession of the southern states and actions of Abraham Lincoln as well as what happened at the Alamo. San Jacinto? -never heard of it. The bottom line is that we need to take an active role in the preservation of our heritage, if we are to preserve it, which means we must continually educate one another as well as our children. The next time you read about an historical event, try and find another version of it; I have and the results can be amazing.