>
> This is a hot topic for me right now because I am going through my Mom's
> papers -- her typed works through the years -- and finding much that
> misrepresents American history. This is no surprise; I knew my Mom for 42
> years.  It's just that I'm faced with the decision of what to keep.  I
don't
> want to pitch out my own Mom's life work, but I am also bothered by the
> premise of white supremacy it represents.
>
> The slant of her belief system was heavily in favor of my family's Anglo
> heritage.  My maternal ancestors were slave owners in Virginia,
specifically
> in the Williamsburg area.  I have -- at times -- been so anguished for the
> people who have been pained by this particular injustice, that ancestral
> pride has often been overshadowed by ancestral shame.
>
> I loved my Mother and cherish my memories of her.  She never abandoned me
and
> when I became disabled she altered her entire life to try to help me.
> Ultimately, I believe that the physical and emotional stress she suffered
in
> my behalf is what really killed her.  I am certain of it.  I can't do
> anything about it, but if I had not been "thrown to the wolves," so to
speak,
> I am sure she would be alive and well now.


Dear Betty,
I don't feel you need to apologize as you were simply stating your opinion
honestly, as I was. I am a bit confused by your mom's work? Did she write
history texts to be used in our schools? You never read any of her work
before this. History is always done by a humans view and "slanted" to say
what the author believes is the truth. Much like a big car accident both
parties will argue the other was at fault and believe it because of their
personal observations and what they have at stake in the accident. Like I
said I wasn't clear if your mom was writing about personal family history or
history in general. If it was a personal memoir then it was life as she saw
it occur from her personal view and it might contain inaccuracies but I
wouldn't call them lies, just personal observations colored by her personal
value system. If it might become a published text that would influence what
another may perceive of events ,I.ex. inventions/discovery by a minority
given credit to one who wasn't a minority then an correction or explanation
may be in order. It could be that in that particular case it wasn't "stolen"
but the only way to get the discovery/invention out to the public because of
the misconception that the minority couldn't be bright enough to think up of
something like that. I will also say this, anyone with a personal belief
system,will find something in print to back up their belief system. Just the
Bible itself caters to all sorts of conflicting views and everyone loves to
quote to back up what they are saying. Does it make the Bible a lie?
I also remember a sermon once given by a priest on interpreting the Bible
that could also be applied to history texts. Of the semantics of language
from the time period gets misinterpreted by another generation and a whole
different ballgame comes in play. Let's say that in 200 years baseball is no
longer played in the world.It hasn't been played in 3-4 generations. You buy
a house and find a surprise cache of newspapers from the 1990's and it gives
an obituary of Joe Blows bb career. It states he held the life time record
of most stolen bases in the history of bb.The future generationer who finds
this article is living in a world were commodities are very scarce and
hoarded. Stealing is a capital offense punished by death right there at the
scene.I don't think the future generationer will understand why Joe Blow is
being honored for stealing, do you? It comes down to the power of words of
the person reading the text and how they interpret the words as much as the
actual events. Again since that future generationer had nothing else to base
his observations on he might indeed start a movement condemning the
wickedness of bb.
One more thing Betty, Your illness didn't cause your mom's death. It did not
contribute to her death. If I remember right you said she believed in
Christian Scientist ( or another church that attributed health to faith).
It sounds like she ignored symptoms till it was to late to do anything about
them. YOU gave back to her everything you could by respecting her decisions
in medical care, by running interference with relatives, giving her care as
you could and giving her the most important thing any of us could hope for,
your unconditional love.
grief is a many facet thing. I know you are ok with your Mom dying but that
acceptance doesn't make the grieving any easier. It's one of those things
you can't escape.It takes time, a darn long time too. Be gentle with
yourself.
Joanne