Laurie L.C. Lewis's Blog: Bloggin' It Up Here, page 52

RECUING COLUMBUS

Many will enjoy a day off today, a day set aside to honor the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus. It's true that few will give much thought to the day's namesake as they shop the malls, check out their recorded TV list, or catch up on sleep, but that's not the only reason you might not enjoy this holiday next year. Columbus is in the cross-hairs of public opinion--a man even kindergartners are being taught to dislike and revile.

Forget the noble motivation that propelled him to pursue Queen Isabella's support; forget his courage in piloting a tiny, wooden ship towards what many believed was certain doom; forget the impact revealing the western hemisphere has had on each of us. Forget it all, because Columbus's great voyage had negatives as well, and the current trend is to vilify our imperfect past and its agents.

One lesson I've taken from my historical research is this: we should judge people within the context of their own time. All the Founding Fathers are victims of the same curse--having a magnifying glass held up to their errors, their flaws, while blinders obscure their vast, world-defining accomplishments.

Take, for example, a recent headline for an article about Christopher Columbus: "Kids Study the Dark Side of Columbus. " Wow. It's a far cry from my grade school days when each classroom had a portrait of Washington, Lincoln and Columbus hanging right up front.

Today, precious little is said about these giants' daring unless the writer can also toss in something negative in contrast. Little regard now exists for the vision behind his exploration, and it would appear that the only impact his contact with the western hemisphere had was deleterious. It's sadly true that like so many European explorers, Columbus's party unknowingly carried germs for which the indigenous peoples had no resistance, tragically spreading diseases that killed many. But in the court of current opinion on the Great Columbus, the explorer is treated as if he had come with full knowledge of what that first contact would bring, reducing his accomplishments to mere footnotes in our day.

They same is true of most innovators throughout history. If we hold these historical figures to today's morays, and judge their actions against today's wisdom and understanding, we will reduce most, if not all, of our historical giants to erred mortals at best, and in some cases, miscreants. And that's exactly what's happening today in classrooms and newsrooms across America.

Most bold actions have negative repercussions. Today we have the means to predict, study, and measure those outcomes before we make a move, and bad things can and do still occur. In 1492, Columbus's day, just pulling up anchor was a life-or-death proposition, and leaving your safe harbor was barely more than a coin toss as to whether or not you'd reach your destination. There was no NIH group to forewarn about the medical risks of mingling with indigenous peoples; no UN to set protocols for that first meeting of nations; yet today's textbooks paint Columbus as if he were a premeditated agent of medical and social genocide.

At this pace, there may be no future generations that will study this great explorer in a positive light--as a brave visionary who sided with scientists against the narrow-minded thinking of the general populace who argued the flat-earth belief; or as the explorer who connected east and west, setting the pace for the colonization of the Americas. Can we not mourn the casualties cut down by the ignorance of the times while still honoring those who pushed the envelope of knowledge that would eventually alleviate such suffering?

It appears not in today's finger-pointing. Today, the enlightened thing . . . the politically-correct thing to do is to tear away at our heroes, our founders, our giants. Instead of embracing the good, we scrutinize for flaws. Instead of celebrating the triumphs of the past, we attempt to incriminate them for the woes of today. And when they are all gone, what will we offer in their place?

Allow me to run counter to current culture and celebrate some fascinating information about Christopher Columbus--to again see him the way we once did when we were young, when names like the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria rolled off our tongues like magic words.

*Christopher Columbus was an anglicized version of his Genoan name, Christoffa Corumbo. In Spanish, his name as Cristobal Columbo.

* He was a missionary and a visionary man, literally, who believed he had received a call from God through the Holy Spirit to bring witness of the Christ to those who had not yet heard of Him. This was the underlying motivation for his exploration--to spread the Gospel of Christ.

* His 'Libro de las profecias', was a book of apocalyptic prophecies he experienced and recorded. Many of them detailed some of the circumstances that would need to occur on the earth before the Second Coming of Christ. They included: 1) The doctrines of Christ would need to be spread throughout the world 2. A final, great battle would reclaim the Holy Land from the Muslims. 3) Christ will return to Jerusalem, 4) A great leader will rise and come to the forefront. And many others.

* The impact of his contact with the native peoples of Hispaniola was so significant that periods of historical time bear his name--the Columbian period, the pre-Columbian period. . .

* A major world capital was named after him to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his voyage to the Americas--The District of Columbia.

So happy Columbus Day! And may we pass the legacy on. . .Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

WEE AMERICANS

A friend in high school began a patriotic club for young children called "Wee Americans." It seemed remarkable at the time that a busy high-schooler would dedicate their time to such an activity, and now it seems that perhaps more of us--youth and adults--could have benefited from some lessons on American civics, history and civility.

Patriotism and all that goes with it--national pride, tolerance of others, gratitude, courage, honesty, integrity--are not themes we can assume our children will learn through osmosis any longer. Parents will need to teach these principles the way our forefathers did, by example, by study, by discussions over the dinner table, and by loading the kids up and heading off to church and to where our history began.

"Oh Say Can You See," volume four of Free Men and Dreamers, revolves primarily around the events that surrounded the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner." Yes, it's a difficult song to sing, but once we know the story behind it . . . the whole story, it becomes so personal and beautiful.

Many of us know that Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship outside the Baltimore harbor, but do we know why? He was actually there to free a friend who had been taken prisoner. Wouldn't such a topic make a wonderful springboard for a discussion with our children about friendship and loyalty?

Key was a pacifist who was considering joining the ministry. What would cause such a man to write such powerful words as, "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just?"

He was a loving father of a large family, a man enamored with his wife. When the British drew near Baltimore, Key sent his wife and children away from their Georgetown home for safety. Have we ever considered what must have gone through his mind as he said goodbye, knowing he was about to face that enemy? History becomes more personal when we break it down and reflect on the sacrifice of the individuals who shaped and preserved this country. That's what we need to share with our children. These are a few of the themes our characters experience in volume four of my Free Men and Dreamers series, "Oh Say Can You See."

I'm giving away a free book this week and every week as we promote the novel's late October release. This week, the winner can win either a copy of "Oh Say Can You See," or the wonderful children's book, "Let Freedom Ring!" filled with beautiful illustrations, documents, songs and stories about America. Our entry question is based on how families are passing this legacy on.

So, here's how you enter!

Leave a comment describing an experience you've had while teaching your children about America. Have you visited a fort or performed service at a historical site? Where was it and what was your experience? Or perhaps your "Wee American" moment involved watching a child lead a flag ceremony, or the feelings expressed during a family discussion about the meaning of a holiday. Perhaps yours is something completely different!

I'd love to hear it! Post your response before October 16 when the winner's name will be drawn. You must be a follower of this blog, or a Facebook follower to enter. So click, join and enter.

Thanks!

LaurieCopyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY of the FREE MEN and DREAMERS volume of your choice!

"OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE"
is set for a late October release!Our national launch date is set for November 6th at This Is The Place Book Stores in Kensington, Maryland.
A utographed copies can be pre-ordered here.
We're beginning pre-release promotional activities, beginning with spreading the word about the book trailer for the series.
Click on this link and enter to win a copy!

1. Go to Youtube, view the trailer, then leave a comment beneath the video to be entered to win a copy of "OH SAY CAN YOU SEE" or any other book in the series.
2. Post the trailer to your: Facebook page, or blog, or post a link on your Twitter account, and you'll win another entry for each. Just leave a comment in the box below telling me where you posted.
A winner will be drawn October 9th!!!

I hope you'll join us for the blog tour, my appearance on the Candace Salima Show with a date TBA, and a host of promotional, history-rich activities aimed to raise our national pride before the bicentennial in 2012.

Thanks for the support!

laurie lc lewis


Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

A FLY ON THE MILITARY WALL

I'm down at Quantico Marine Base with Tom. Yesterday we attended a golf tournament/auction to raise scholarship funds for for a foundation called "The Young Marines." I had never heard of this group before, but like the ROTC, it teaches military discipline and service the marine way, preparing future officers and leaders.

The experience was moving. I was surrounded by officers in all their variety, from generals on down, with post commanders and retirees proudly wearing their caps and shouting "Hoo Rah!!!" at any mention of the corps. These men are proud Marines, and proud of their Marine heritage which dates back to 1775, and rightly so. Even in my research on the War of 1812, the toughest fighting squad, next to Joshua Barney's Flotillamen, was a group known simply as "Miller's Marines."

As the golfers moseyed in off the greens, the older soldiers posted their golf scores on the board and then gathered around a table to talk, and there was no shortage of opinions or wisdom reflected there. And the topics on these veterans' minds? It wasn't sports scores or movies or popular media darlings. They were doing what they had done for a lifetime--assessing the news, reading between the lines, gathering intel and discussing strategic political and military options some of them no longer had the power to implement. I was a fly on the wall, and the conversations were fascinating as they discussed places that still seem to strange to most of us but places that had clearly been on their radar for many years--Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Israel.

Their faces were emotion-filled. They were deeply invested in these corners of the world where their young comrades-in-arms were serving or might serve one day. Some had sons and grandsons deployed here, and clearly, they were on their minds.

They talked about God, and about country as if it were an un-severable appendage to it. The knew the Bible and saw a clear connection between events written there and our circumstances today. These men of different colors, different nationalities, and likely of many different faiths, saw their jobs as an extension of their faith, and they saw their duty as much as a defense of America as a defense of Christianity.

Three sisters of a Marine killed at the 1983 bombing in Beirut came to participate in the launch of a scholarship named for their slain brother. Several were also Marines, and they wept over the ache of their loss as well as the pride that his memory would be honored in such a manner. It was an honor to be there, and to see these steeled, battle-scarred brothers-in-arms shed a tear or two as well. It reminded me of something Colin Powell once said about how no one works harder for peace than a soldier.

Later in the day, we headed to a field set up as a tent city for the expo. It was fascinating to see trucks and men moving like a living organism to create a small city in a field. Squares of polymer flooring were laid like giant tiles on the ground to create roads, sidewalks, and floors. Carpets were laid indoors to create rooms inside tent walls, and hundreds of crates that blocked the floors were quickly unpacked and moved with mind-boggling efficiency. Our military is amazing in more ways than I can number.

And they are not stupid kids who can't do anything else. I saw some of the highest-tech robotics and computer-driven machinery in the world. Some of it looks like it could have come from the backlot storage for Star Wars. Amazing.Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

BOOK NOOK REVIEW

THE STONE TRAVELERbyKathi Oram Peterson
Kathi Oram Peterson understands the challenges and triumphs of youth. In The Stone Traveler, she has not only created a troubled youth from our day, she has created a cast of enchanting characters from 34 A.D. Meso-America who are beset by the concerns of their own complex time. When the dubious actions of our main character, 16-year-old Tag Quincy, catapult him back two thousand years into young leader, Sabirah's ancient land, both come to discover that...

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