Letter: Preserve American history -- 'warts and all'

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Suppose you visited the Pontiac-Oakland Auto Museum in Pontiac and asked the curator if all Pontiacs ever made were great cars, and they answered "absolutely, no exceptions." They continued: In the '70s folks considered putting Burt Reynolds and Sally Field into an Astre beer truck escort vehicle and PI Jim Rockford into a T-1000. Those risible answers would diminish the stature of the museum. The curator wouldn't want that.

The current president is doing just that with the Smithsonian Institution. He is tinkering with the history of the United States by making it charming and Disney-esque. He maintains there is nothing about the "brightness and noting about the future." His administration wants to "celebrate the exceptionalism and remove divisive narratives." He believes exhibited history is "partisan." The Smithsonian is "OUT OF CONTROL."

This is not just a Washington or academic concern. This issue affects our shared cultural heritage and cuts to the heart of our democracy. The first enslaved people arrived at these shores in 1619. Dredd Scot, Jim Crow, Homer Plessy, Indian extermination, Archie Bunker's chair, Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 ... are what we share. Good and bad. All of America. Warts and all.

People are also reading... Kenyon Bones' case dismissed 4 days into McLean Co. trial, 3 years after shooting that spurred charges Week 3 high school football scores for Central Illinois Man from Normal fighting brain cancer with awareness, fundraising and plenty of courage Vote for this week's Pantagraph Player of the Week Tim Gleason, former Bloomington city manager, resigns role in Decatur for second time Former Illinois governor Jim Edgar dies at 79 Flick: A ride that ended, a memory that doesn't LeRoy man gets 7 years in prison for residential burglary Yoga Lab to expand coffee shop to Normal next year, focusing on community, connection Coroner: 1 dead after single-vehicle crash on state Route 54 in DeWitt County Illinois GOP lawmaker files impeachment articles against Gov. JB Pritzker Flick Fact: ALDI is a popular grocery store, but what does that word stand for? McLean County loses $675K grant to finish Route 66 trail work Clinton woman identified in fatal crash in Kenney ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely over his remarks about Charlie Kirk's death

The Smithsonian curated the 2013 Journey exhibit in Pontiac. That was factual and backed by scholarship, not political agendas serving base voters.

We deserve to know that Pontiac, along with the Trans Am, GTO and Bonneville made some crappy cars, too. Warts and all.

Lawrence Necheles, Pontiac

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.