Howard
Zinn's take on American history is spot on. His idea is to tell history from
the mouth of those who are living it. He challenges ideas of
government that oppresses people period, in all shapes forms, and
fashions. He was courageous in speaking out, and using his
voice. He set an example of what we should try to be in our everyday lives.
Howard Zinn, in my opinion, had a characteristic that is lost on a lot of
people today. He had, again to me, "a don't drink the Kool-Aid" type
of mentality that is evident through his track record. Ironically this is
something we do every single day in different forms. Just a few days
ago I was told to drink the Kool-Aid, to buy into the system, and do not
question it. It goes against my nature, and what people like Zinn do is allow
you to say "hey he's an average person just like me, if he can speak out, I
can", and that can be very dangerous to a lot of people. If indeed he was
targeted by the FBI I certainly understand why. He disrupts the system, and
forces people to wonder, if there is a serious power that wants this man gone
maybe the system needs a little disrupting. It
is extremely difficult to do so because we are all used to the
"norm" and getting by, by being abnormal is more difficult that just
shutting up, and drinking the Kool-Aid.
Howard Zinn is to be applauded in his
attempt to wake people up, his attempt to show people that they are the voice
of the government, and that the government should not make you feel afraid to
voice your opinion. If I look at an example I saw today. After watching the
third and final debate I, like many other college students who would be voting
in this year election, took to face book only to see responses from people beckoning
for people to stop talking about it. It made me wonder if people knew that this
is what face book is for, voicing your opinion. How could people truly be so
unaware of a platform for exactly that, when they in fact do the very thing the
platform is designed for? The only difference is instead of using it to discuss
the debate, or other actual issue, they would rather harp about some
"bullshit" that is completely meaningless. Zinn is a great example of how
we should use our voice, but unfortunately we tend to fall short of that
characteristic that he possessed.
