Sometimes History Can Poison a Society

Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF version Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman As an historian, I have argued that it is essential for people to understand their history (and that of their friends and enemies); without this knowledge, we are inclined to misjudge people and their actions. Those who ignore history, it is said, are condemned to repeat it. However, even this noble discipline has a dark underbelly. When people relive certain events with great passion and little introspection, they trap themselves into unending cycles of violence. The majority of such poisoned histories have to do with wars lost in the past, with the losers unwilling to let their resentment fade. Examples of poisoned history include: The former Yugoslavia broke apart over such an issue. The Slavic people (same ethnicities and languages) took over former Roman territory in the 7th century AD with a native population in such decline that they offered no resistance. Many centuries later, they were variously invaded by enemies who forced their religions on the conquered people, leaving fault lines between and among Catholics, Russian Orthodox Christians, and Muslims. It shocked the world when the Yugoslavia, born after World War I by uniting these Slavic populations, fell apart with violence and palpable hatred as soon as authoritarian rule ended. Each group (Serbs, Croatians, Bosnians, and Albanians) went at each other more viciously than they did against the Nazis or Communists. This conflict had to be resolved by external force and NATO reconstruction – and separate national identities today. The Shiites, a minority sect in Islam (10-15 percent) began as a dispute in the 7th century among the Arab elders upon the death of the Prophet Mohammed. The elders tried to select the next leader (Caliph) by consensus, a Bedouin practice. However, there were among them supporters of bloodline succession (monarchy) who insisted that only blood kin, Ali, the Prophet’s son-in-law and cousin, should be the legitimate successor. Ali was finally elected, but was soon assassinated; and when his sons challenged the next appointment, they lost on the battlefield. This issue has never gone away. Shiites (the “Party of Ali”) commemorate the deaths of their heroes, and Iranians, who always resented the Arab conquest anyway, took to this sect, which most resembled their own long history of monarchy and bloodline succession. It is fascinating to witness these mourning holidays, complete with flagellants and much weeping, so passionate over an election and battle lost so many centuries ago. Northern Ireland. During the reign of 16th century Queen Elizabeth I, Scottish Protestants were settled in Catholic Ireland with the mission of governing it. This decision created centuries of repression and revolt in Ireland, but today, a fragile peace movement is hoped to end the conflict. This year, tens of thousands of “Orangemen” (Irish Protestants) staged their annual parades celebrating their “victory” over the Irish Catholics centuries ago. Most Irish Catholics ignore this provocation, but in Belfast, masked and hooded Catholics hurled gasoline bombs, fireworks, and other weapons at police all night (this on July 14th). Both provocation and response are ugly. The South. The United States has had its own resentful populations. The southern states lost their bid to quit the union when they lost the Civil War. But for the past century and a half, some Southerners refuse to let the memory of their Confederacy die. Their passions run headlong into the other survivors of the Civil War, the formerly disenfranchised Black population. Reparations? But we now have a Black American president and local, state, and federal governments in which qualified Black Americans govern. There are some, however, with very long memories, demanding reparations. Should they prevail in the courts, Chinese Americans could also do so for their century long ill-treatment, as could Native Americans. If reparations are granted in these cases, I shall be the first in line to demand 5,000 years worth of reparations due to women. Can there ever be enough money for that? Knowledge of history is a good thing; but I would like to see some amnesia by people who cannot let go of a grudge. FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman is an historian, lecturer, and author who also writes for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. You may contact her at Lfarhat102@aol.com or http://www.globalthink.net/.