Assignment 8 History of the People

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.