---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Subject: re: Obama, Acknowledging U.S. Misdeeds Abroad, Quietly Reframes American Power
To: "letters@nytimes.com" <letters@nytimes.com>
From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Subject: re: Obama, Acknowledging U.S. Misdeeds Abroad, Quietly Reframes American Power
To: "letters@nytimes.com" <letters@nytimes.com>
To the Editor:
triumphalism warps our teaching texts
real history includes what we've done wrong
the causes get divorced from the effects
mere lyrics in a silly children's song
internment camps must never be forgot
what in good conscience no law could allow
how farmers had to leave their crops to rot
and sweat the war-years out in the hoosgow
if we're the sov'reigns here, we need to read
the sins our fathers wrought, not just the good
ideals they didn't manifest in deed
although they knew what it was that they should
the whitewashed version helps kids sleep at night
but doesn't educate them to what's right
the causes get divorced from the effects
mere lyrics in a silly children's song
internment camps must never be forgot
what in good conscience no law could allow
how farmers had to leave their crops to rot
and sweat the war-years out in the hoosgow
if we're the sov'reigns here, we need to read
the sins our fathers wrought, not just the good
ideals they didn't manifest in deed
although they knew what it was that they should
the whitewashed version helps kids sleep at night
but doesn't educate them to what's right
Barry Haskell Levine
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