Thread by @HerbertHistory

Ben Carson here to say historians are destroying the nation’s identity by “deceiving” people.
Larry Arnn to talk about the “recovery” of history, because “humanity is at stake,” presumably forgetting that this administration puts children in cages.

And there’s the “elite universities” reference.

Arnn complains that the “big states” choose textbooks, forgetting that Texas is Texas.

No, Arnn, Michigan did not come from Virginia. MICHIGAN IS INDIGENOUS LAND. What don’t you get?

Seriously, this guy yapping about American history and can’t admit that all of the United States sits on Indigenous land is every reason this panel is a farce, six minutes in.

Mary Grabar here to dispute Howard Zinn. Mary Grabar has a PhD from the University of Georgia. In English.
Grabar here to say that Zinn influences antifa and riots, forgetting 500 years of racialized violence in the Americas.

Andddddd here’s Peter Wood, to talk about “the radicalization of students.” Don’t worry, this isn’t Peter Wood, historian, but Peter Wood, crazy person.

OOOH, he referenced tweeting. And apparently Critical Race Theory is taught by the bad people.

So what they’re here to say is to link historians to terrorists, holding “PhDs in one hand and a Molotov cocktail in the other.”

Allen Guelzo is here to use words like “milieu.” I am impressed. And he hit us with “in a world” so he’s got a great career as a voice over guy if this doesn’t work out for him.

Good lord at this point I’m just waiting for Dan Feller to show up.

Victoria Spiotto is a student at the University of Virginia here to talk about “biased syllabi” and “liberal-driven education.” Apparently Critical Theory misleads the public.

And now Spiotto invokes 9/11 and cancel culture. Serious question- have any of these people read a history book published in the last 25 years?

Oh “the great Bill McClay” is here. Oh he’s here to talk about Abraham Lincoln. I am shocked.

So this conference is about American history. We’ve had Lincoln, Jefferson, & Washington name checked. This is great white man history at its finest/worst possible iteration.

Theodore Rebarber is as the son of immigrants. This is a good thing. Now he’s attacking the 1619 Project (shocking), and share with us his brand new educational project.

So here Ted is using AP guidelines referring to property to say that history doesn’t teach Americans to respect property. This panel is about branding historians as insurrectionists.

Ted’s company is here to teach “the whole story” with—SHOCK—fellow panelist Bill McClay to American history. Look folks, take history courses in college and ignore these fools.

Dr. Robert Jackson is gonna tell us about teaching American history “something that should be taken with great care.” Hey Frederick Douglass! I’m told he’s gonna do big things.

Jackson continues another thread here- historians make us feel bad about the past and a “better way” is “search unfailingly for the good.” These folks are deeply uncomfortable with the past.

Jackson quoting Washington’s farewell. That was when he peacefully transferred power, right?

They people are preaching willful ignorance wrapped in liberty.

Jordan Adams, another protege of Hillsdale College, is here to talk about history curriculum and instruction. He’s right on this- it’s a tough job requiring love of history and students.

But Jordan says historians don’t “love America’s story” and use tools to “tear down the country or manipulate students, or both.” Historians “rob the students of their heritage and inheritance.” Seriously, who sanctioned this guy?

Jordan is here to sell McClay’s Land of Hope. Hey folks, anyone wanna guess what institution McClay is joining?

Adams points to McClay’s “respect” for those who cane before us, stating everyone has good in them. Man, this dude needs to learn perspective.

Here we go- “a fighting chance” for America.

Peter Wood the Not Historian says good trends in the academe are hard to spot. Says Bill McClay’s textbook is one. Maybe we should buy it? I’m wearing down.

Apparently an important guest is coming soon. Anyone wanna guess if said person has read history?

Allen Guelzo is back from to say that Spielberg’s Lincoln was a bright spot in public history. Attacks Zinn again. It’s obvious that McClay wants a piece of that market.

Nothing gets me excited about American history than...Henry V?

Jackson says a grassroots movement against the status quo is growing. Wants a “true and balanced” reading of history. I think we know what this means.

Wow! Bill McClay is back to talk about his book. Again. Apparently this book did not undergo a peer review so 🤷‍♂️

Arnn closes by saying this is a time of choosing and we have big decisions to make in the next few weeks. Mercifully, it’s over. If you need me, I’ll be screaming into the void.