History Unread

I always wondered what would happen if history wasn’t written. I soon realized that history unwritten and history unread have the same consequence, the repetition of events and not ones with good results. I always knew the importance of history since I was little. I would watch my older sisters try new ways of convincing my parents and always noted what worked and what didn’t. It definently made my life easier. So why is such a simple concept as research such a problem for a nation perceived to be the most powerful country in the world?

It might have something to do with leadership. I had the opportunity to listen to Khatami, the ex president of Iran, speak at a conference and realized that a nation will learn from history if its leaders are knowledgable about it. I have been a Khatami fan since my freshman year poli-sci class in college. I noticed quickly that he was different, he knew how to gain popularity with those in Iran who needed reform the most and there started to be changes. I became intrigued by Khatami’s reforms and needed to know more about him, and found out he wasn’t just a president, he was a historian.  His interviews and speeches are never void of historical events and contexts that are relevant to what is going on in the world today. In a 1998 interview Khatami said this of the U.S.

“One of the major flaws in the U.S. foreign policy, which I recently construed as being behind times, is that they continue to live with cold war mentality and try to create a perceived enemy.”

This was in 1998, three years before 9/11 and four years before the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He had perceived the U.S. of being “behind the times” eight years ago, and the U.S. seems to be following the same guidelines and it hasn’t been working.

Sometimes I wonder about our leadership, whether they have ever opened a history book or even read a newspaper from a few weeks ago. I wonder if things would be different if it was required that a Historian be a part of the presidential cabinet. Maybe conversations about world events would have gone like this:

Bush: Okay, what if we try to bring America together by fighting a common enemy: The Bearded Muslim

Historian: Uhm, yeah I think Hitler tried bringing a nation together through a common enemy Mr. President, I don’t think that worked out very well.

Bush: By golly I think I have it. What if we run into Iraq and get the people to revolt against their oppressive ruler and set up a good ol democracy?

Historian: Sir, do you remember the Bay of the Pigs?

Bush: No, The only pig I worry about is the one Laura makes for dinner *he he*

Historian makes serious face

Bush: Make Cheney dictator and enforce a police state?

Historian: Two words: Joseph Stalin

Bush: Okay. What if we stopped asking who, what, and where, and started asking Why? What if we tried to understand what was causing the world to turn against us and work with them to change what went wrong, to put in actions that would not only benefit our citizens, but would benefit every citizen in every country? What if we tried to understand other civilizations, and assess what type of government would work for them and help nations solve the biggest problems facing them, whether it be poverty, disease, or corrupt leadership. What if we stopped thinking about only ourselves and tried to learn?

Historian: *flips through books, newspapers, googles* Well Mr. President, I don’t believe that has all been done together though I think Kofi Annan may have been already thought of this, but we’ll pretend like it was your idea.

Bush: Hot Dog. Rally the troops, arm them with books and knowledge, negotiation skills, hearts, and a clear conscience. This might work.

It just might.