Trump Wants to Rewrite History

Despite all the turmoil in our lives, it’s so important to stop a moment, take a deep breath, and be happy about just one thing. So that’s what I’ll do after I finish this post.

Trump is signing executive orders like it’s his new favorite hobby. Stats on The Federal Registry show that he’s already signed 103, just in his first three months in office, and no other sitting president in recent history even comes close. Kennedy signed 55, FDR 29, and Carter 26. In a single year, most other presidents signed 10 or fewer.

And there are 9 months left in this first year of the new term.

Many of Trumps orders have to do with getting rid of any form of DEI in government, the military, and society at large. There is also an effort to curb what is referred to as “wokeness.”

What is really at play here is a philosophy of white supremacy that goes back to Trump’s father, and perhaps even grandfather. In the article, Donald Trump’s Deep White Supremacy Roots, at The Guardian, there’s detailed information about how bigotry and racism was used in their business dealing, especially real estate.

Back in the late 20s, it was believed that Fred Trump was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1927, he was one of seven men arrested at a Ku Klux Klan rally that turned violent. Fred held onto his White supremacist ideology as the years moved on, enforcing strict segregation as a housing developer. When Donald Trump took over the business, it appears it was business as usual. His record for segregating his rental property was similar to his father’s.

When Trump got into the casino business in the 1980s, the managers would order Black workers into the back rooms when Trump visited so he wouldn’t have to see them. Trump reportedly couldn’t stand having Black accountants because, quote: “laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It’s not anything they can control.” 

One of Trump’s executive orders in February, re-established his 1776 Commission, designed to counter the New York Times newspaper’s 1619 Project – and he’s been a strident critic of renaming or removing Confederate statues and monuments.

More recently, Trump accused the Smithsonian of trying to rewrite history on issues of race and gender. In an executive order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”, he directed the removal of “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from its museums.

The order bears the hallmark of the conservative Heritage Foundation, which created the influential Project 2025. The thinktank’s website has an article that describes the 1619 Project as “yet another attempt to brainwash you into believing your country is racist, evil and needs revolutionary transformation”. Another warns that the Smithsonian’s proposed Latino museum would be “a woke indoctrination factory”.

But progressives say the cultural clampdown will only sow further discord. Tope Folarin, a Nigerian American writer and executive director of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, said in an email: “You cannot ‘foster unity’ by refusing to tell the truth about our history. Ignorance of the truth is what actually deepens societal divides.”

The information about the Smithsonian comes from an article in The Guardian, ‘It reminds you of a fascist state’: Smithsonian Institution braces for Trump rewrite of US history, written by Washington correspondent, David Smith.

I am proud to be “woke” even though I really don’t like the word when applied to a person with an open, inquisitive mind. I’ve had this open, inquisitive mind since I was in college and my world expanded to new ideas and new ideologies.

I equally dislike the extremes of some people who call themselves “woke”. They speak and act with an air of superiority, which if you think about it isn’t all that different from people who believe in White supremacy. There’s this great divide that just keeps getting wider and wider and all the rallies and shouting and name-calling, just pushes the edges further apart.

When I asked AI to show me definitions of wokeness, this is what was offered:

“Woke leaders” is a term often used to describe individuals who are aware of and actively address social injustices and inequalities, particularly those related to race, gender, and other marginalized groups.
Here’s a breakdown of what it means to be a “woke leader” and some examples:
Awareness and Action: A “woke leader” is someone who is informed about social injustices and actively takes steps to correct them, rather than remaining silent.
Inclusivity and Empathy: They understand that everyone has something to offer and work to create inclusive and equitable environments.
Leading by Example: They lead by example, setting a tone of tolerance and respect for all.
Purpose and Compassion: They lead with purpose and compassion, striving to create a better world for everyone.

By working to create a “better world for everyone”, that means every single person. Nobody is excluded from fairness and justice and equality. Including all White, Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.

And all those far-left “woke” people need to lead by an “example of tolerance and respect for all“.

Get that? Respect. Tolerance. For all.

You can tell I’m a little “het up” – as my grandmother used to say – about this topic. And I just wish that nobody considered themselves “better than” or more deserving of anything.

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.
I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.” —John Lennon

Whatever is on your agenda for the week, I hope you have a productive, relaxing time of it. Be safe. Be Happy.