Historical Malpractice: Defaming Founding Fathers

The latest brouhaha involving former NFL quarterback turned racial victim Colin Kaepernick is a manifestation of the fashionable disparagement of the nation's Founding Fathers.  This fabricated flap over the flag and Betsy Ross underscores the deliberate demonizing of America's history.

For those who haven't heard of the faux uproar, Nike pulled the release of shoes with a 13-star American flag at the request of Kaepernick, who cited the Betsy Ross design was related to a time in history when slavery existed in America.  The shoe's flag design was to mark Independence Day.

When Nike kowtowed to this has-been player, there were calls for boycotting the shoe manufacturer. The company ignored the complaints, secure in the fact that many politicians, pro athletes, social agitators and a cadre of influential African-Americans activists would fervently support their action.

This is part of a orchestrated conspiracy to make villains of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and anyone associated with building this great nation.  If you are skeptical of such a searing indictment, here are a few excerpts from the media cabal on our Founding Fathers.

"Founding Fathers, Founding Villains," from the Boston Review magazine. The New York Times that paragon of journalistic elitism carried an article that opined "the Founding Fathers were paranoid hypocrites and ungrateful malcontents."

The Atlantic magazine contained a tome that claimed the Founding Fathers "were not smarter than the best their country can offer now, they weren't wiser or more altruistic."  Jurist, published by the University of Pittsburgh, alleged many founders "were socialists."

Now to address the grievances of Kaepernick, who must be ill informed about American history.  According to most historical sources, there is "no conclusive" evidence that Betsy Ross designed the original American flag.  The narrative is based on claims by Betsy's descendents.  It is likely a myth.

What Kaepernick and other anti-American proselytes want to do is besmirch the Founding Fathers by judging them on current standards, dwelling on their defects, instead of their achievements. Not only is this unfair, it fails to recognize the difference in social, moral and ethical norms of that era.

What the critics overlook is that our Founding Fathers risked everything to build an independent nation built on ideals that have been the bedrock for facilitating many of the changes that ended slavery, wiped out segregation, gave women the right to vote and made us a better nation.

The 56 white men (yes, there were no women or people of color) who met in Philadelphia to declare our independence from England radically changed the course of human history. The idea of freedom over tyranny and the God-given rights of people took root here and spread the world over.

The convictions of these courageous men led to their being branded traitors, faced with the prospect of forfeiting all their possession to the English if their revolution failed.  They were willing to let the English put bounties on their own heads for the sake of freedom and liberty.

Many at the meeting in Philadelphia paid a steep price for their rebellion.  Richard Stockton of New Jersey had his home overrun by the British.  He was captured and remained in prison for years.  After he was released, he returned home to find his livestock destroyed, crops ruined and library burned.

Lewis Morris of New York lost almost all his property and wealth in the war, just two months after signing the Declaration of Independence.  His frail wife was imprisoned by the British and never recovered her health.  Fellow New Yorker Philip Livingston had his homes burned to the ground.

Robert Morris of Pennsylvania supported the war effort by extending credit to the fledgling country. He lost his substantial wealth and was never repaid.  Like many, he risked everything to stand for freedom against the English oppressors. Today no one acknowledges his suffering.

Thanks to the sacrifices of our Founding Fathers the nation survived and earned the right of the Kaepernicks in America to speak out against injustice.  Instead of praising their efforts, their ignorance of history and search for imperfections have fueled a rush to judgment of these leaders.

Certainly, no historian would deny many of our Founding Fathers were flawed individuals.  They had character faults; some were slave owners; at least one was a known playboy, and each arrived at this point in history with their own biases and peccadilloes.  But their actions were patriotically unselfish.

No past president, world leader, religious figure or explorer (see Christopher Columbus) can survive unscathed from judgment by callous hindsight and the malpractice of historical scholarship when its practitioners do no acknowledge the difference in time periods.

It is time more American leaders and ordinary citizens call out those who would rewrite history to serve their own grievances, resentment, political or social purposes.  We should all be proud of our Founding Fathers' actions to carve out a nation built on principles that remain intact today.