LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Monday, February 18, 2008

Presidents Day - Today

The lead in for today's broadcast of NPR's All Things Considered:

"Presidents Day. We consider those powerful political figures Washington and Lincoln, and what this day means for retailers."

2 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

If Bush was around during the Civil War, we wouldn't have President's Day.

K. said...

The list of presidents in office during Fidel Castro's tenure:

Dwight Eisenhower
John Kennedy
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
George W Bush