To the Editor:

What is it about the truth these days? It used to be we could turn on Walter Cronkite and he laid the stories out straight with no opinions.

Truth is generally the property of being in accord with facts or reality. Truth is I fibbed a bit growing up.

“Where were you?” FIB. “Who were you with?” FIB. “Are you smoking cigarettes?” FIB.

Never while attending any school was I ever taught to hate my country. If I was shown something contrary to accepted belief it was so that we would be stronger for the awareness and knowledge. I pledged allegiance before and after the words ‘Under God’ were added. I  loved, and love, my country. I served in the military, worked, paid my taxes and voted every single time I could.

Later, through books and documentaries, one begins to discover more truth. Wounded Knee wasn’t a battle. Tulsa remains the only time Americans bombed other Americans on purpose. The Spanish did not blow up the Maine in Havana harbor. George Custer really wasn’t very bright. The Pentagon Papers and Nixon tapes brought out truth contrary to what was being said.

I still never hated my country.

Now it’s being proposed that some educators wear cameras to make sure they don’t teach awareness and diversity. As a country, if we’re unwilling to admit past mistakes and not be able to learn from them, then we’re doomed to repeat the mistakes.

Next thing we’ll ban books or burn them so our children only learn what we want them to know.

The Truth hurts sometimes. Especially when you are caught in a lie. There is forgiveness for that and we should seek that grace for our future

As  Sergeant Friday used to say, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.”

Mark S. Smith
Huron