America: Land of Myths, Lies and Half Truths

[mandyky]

After yesterday we can add diversions and smokescreens to "our national dihonesty". And when Americans look honestly at past injustices and wrongs, we are called unAmerican.

My 8 year old and I were talking about the Revolutionary War and George Washington, yesterday morning. I knew there was a gap of years between the declaration of independence and Washington being President. But I have either been brainwashed or forgotten who our REAL first President was. His name was John Hanson - http://www.marshallhall.org/hanson.html - followed by 6 others -
Elias Boudinot (1783), Thomas Mifflin (1784), Richard Henry Lee (1785), Nathan Gorman (1786), Arthur St. Clair (1787), and Cyrus Griffin (1788) - all prior to Washington taking office.

So why do we not acknowledge these people? They were "president" under The Articles of Confederation. Washington was our first "constitutional president".

All of us with any sense, think historians will peg mr cuckoobannas as the criminal he is, but the odds aren't good. Think about what these people are doing to our media. NPR and PBS viewers and listeners much above and beyond other mainstream media consumers knew Iraq had no connection to 9-11, among other things. So what is our gov't doing, they are changing NPR and PBS to be more like FOX and other corporate media. How will historians know the truth if our media never records it?

So what's your favorite American history lie, myth or half truth? We need more Galloways in this world. We all know about most of the smokescreens since 2000, esp. since 9-11, but this behavior is nothing new apparently.

[mopaul]

1. there are so many!

lie: bush is the president. lie: america is the greatest nation. lie: all men are created equal.

almost every single concept we hold dear is a lie.

[Huckebein the Raven]

2. Reagan defeated communism is another

[mark11727]

4. I remember that! I remember that!

It ALL STARTED when he said "MISTER GORBACHEV, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL."

Thanks for the reminder... all this time I thought it was because Gorbachev had reformed the Soviet government until he no longer had a JOB.

(on edit)

...and when Reagan was SHOT, he "forget to duck" and healed right up, like Wolverine (all historical evidence to the contrary).

[bluestateguy]

3. Those presidents had no executive power

They were basically just presiding officers over the equally powerless Congress.

[Hello_Kitty]

5. Deficits don't matter. n/t

[TyeDye75]

6. We saved your arse in WW2

this one is more of a half truth

it may be true to some extent, but it fails to acknowledge the fact that from the fall of Paris and the retreat at Dunkirk to operation Barbarossa Britain held out alone against the Nazis......

thats just one of my personal gripes

However as you can see from my avatar I very much admire the Americans who got involved.

[H2O Man]

7. Indian history.

The United States has never really dealt with its "Indian history" openly and honestly.

[LynnTheDem]

11. Oh yeah, very true. Even today it's frowned on to mention "massacre" or

"genocide" in relation to what we in fact perpetrated against Native Americans.

[bluestateguy]

8. I have another one: America has the finest health care system in the world

Well, if you can afford it it does.

[MountainLaurel]

9. Lies My Teacher Told Me

Is an awesome book that reveals exactly this sort of information, as taught in the American education system. Also, "A People's History of the United States." Between them, they cover many of the lies told about our country.

[LynnTheDem]

10. 'We dropped WMD (nukes) on Japan to save US soldiers.' But 65% + of US

now say they know that was a total lie (which it was) so I guess I can't really use that one as my fave American myth because it's really not believed anymore by any but a few moran Americans.