The Stories We Are Told

It is that time of year again, the one which, in the past, was when many took the opportunity to put aside their differences.  It is also the time when adults have told their children stories; around Christmas it has mostly been about Santa, and as a, "carrot" to get some better behavior.

In the years of this new Century, Thanksgiving and Christmas have become more and more conflated to the point that there seems to be little left of any real meaning of each.  However, along with these days, most of our children continue to be told various tales about Christmas and Thanksgiving.  I can't even imagine what they must think about the New Year's Eve celebration!

What I am grateful for is, that, as difficult as it was growing up on a farm in the 40's and '50s in Northern Minnesota, there was a sense of family, and being cared for and little fuss.

Having reached full maturity, I have been continuing a lifelong process of self-education.  That information has, and continues to, contradict pretty much everything which I and others were told were Facts about: human behavior,  history, science, healthcare, our government, other peoples of the world, etc., etc.

I an talking about what is and has been taught being shockingly false.  The stories we have all been told during getting an education in our schools is more akin to the stories our children are told about the Easter Bunny, Santa and his Elves and Columbus' supposed discovery of the Americas, than the true facts.  Currently, I am reading travel records about the American explorers, Lewis and Clark, and their excursion across the North American Continent at the behest of President Jefferson for the purpose of taking the land from the Native Peoples living on that land.

The one great thing about our time is that we have access to the Internet and various contemporary and historical information which is still, for the most part, still being kept hidden away.  More and more, individuals are becoming willing to risk being vilified for giving out information which the many who want to keep it all hidden's wishes, in order to keep us asleep and/or preoccupied waiting in line to see a new version of Star Wars, or get deals on products we want on Black Friday.

I'm doing my best to keep calm and believe that everything will work out for the best despite large numbers of my countrymen, and women (?), seeming to think Donald Trump would be a good person to be made President at our next Election!

Wishing you all the best this holiday season!

Shirley Gallup