History.

My post about recycling yesterday made me think about the past and the future.  Over a decade ago I was trying to remember the name of the presidents before Washington.  During the Articles of Confederation, you remember that don't you?

I went through a crazy period trying to find this guys name.  At the time my life consisted of work and going to bookstores.  Whenever I went into a used bookstore I would look at the history books trying to find this guys name.  I was getting a little frantic about history just disappearing.  Around the same time I was hearing about people saying that the Holocaust never happened.

The Holocaust was in the 1930's to the 40's, I was looking into this in the late 90's.  In about six decades people were in denial and telling others the same.  In 1781 we had a president that wasn't Washington.  In a little over two centuries it was difficult to find information about the Articles of Confederation and nearly impossible to find this guys name.

Interesting.

Once I FINALLY found the information I was bragging to a buddy about how I FINALLY did it.  In telling him this I mentioned how it kind of scared me how the Holocaust could be near impossible to find in a history book in a couple of centuries.  Then I explained my theory of how it could vanish from our collective mind and our history books.

I understand that many legends and fables are based on fact, but those are also talking about eons of time not TWO HUNDRED YEARS.  Could we lose a HUGE lesson because we don't consider it that important?  This theory depressed my buddy.  It still scares me, people can tell you numerous stats for their favorite sports team but not who their elected representative is.  How about their kids school teacher?  Are we forgetting history because we don't care?  Are we doomed to repeat it?  If so, how many will die this time?  And who will it be?

From 1781-1782 John Hanson was the President of the United States in Congress Assembled.