Posted on 01/06/2013 1:49:51 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
It is not the only country which has a controversial history of which it may not be entirely proud.
But it seems that for French president Francois Hollande, his country's past is not something he thinks should be revisited.
This week, ambitious and expensive plans for a museum about the history of France were binned because the Socialist president felt it would be too controversial.
A number of academics were left delighted by the decision, because they had argued that French history is too divisive to be recounted in a museum.
However, some historians have been left furious over the decision to pull the plug on the House of the History of France.
They pointed out that Britain, the U.S, Germany and Italy all have national museums, despite their often controversial histories.
Not only was the museum initiated by Hollande's detested conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy, but it opened up all kinds of divisions between groups.
Dismissing the project as ‘costly and useless’, historian Pierre Nora said: ‘In this country, with such diverse and contradictory legacies and where public opinion has been profoundly split between at least two visions of the history of France ever since the Revolution, wisdom says that we should stick with multiple museums which each have their own vision.’
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Years ago...I went on a tour of the last major fort in France (Bitche). There is a great story behind the big battle in the late 1800s where French army unit left at the fort held out for weeks and weeks against the Germans...expecting reinforcements to eventually come, and the political figures simply wouldn’t allow that. It was probably the last time that any real French courage existed.
At some point on the tour, they lead you deep into the fort, and there’s a video presentation done. It’s a very slanted....leftist piece....that really slams the guys who were at the fort and the terrible military leadership involved. I sat there almost grinning as this played out on the screen, in English. They dug out several French historians who ‘validated’ the history of the fort, and this last great battle.
France has a great history...if they would ever come to admit it in public.
When a nation can no longer confidently tell its own story as a nation, is it still a nation?
We should all be praying for France, especially the francais de souche.
His problem is he sees the past in political terms. France produced the first hot air balloon and the first sewing machine. I think they produced one of the first combustion engines. They had first modern doctors and hospitals. They had the first civil servants. (The jury is still out on that one.)
When a nation is ashamed of its past—or fearful it might offend someone—there is a problem. Its becoming like this in the USA
“…or fearful it might offend someone…”
At my last company, I had to sign a 10 page “ethics” statement. Almost nothing in the document had to do with “ethics.” One of the requirements was, “I will never tell a joke to anyone.” I asked why and the HR lady, wide-eyed, as if I was stupid, said, “You have no idea who you might offend!” She overheard a conversation I had in the cafeteria with a machinist who had made his own guns. The conversation went on to concealed carry. (She listened to the entire conversation, seated behind me, and was offended.)
It's TRUTH that all Leftists/"Liberals" fear--and for good reason! If they were capable of TRUTH they wouldn't be Leftists/"Liberals" in the first place.
Hahahaha. I crack myself up. That definitely wasn't the reason, they are socialists.
communists always change history when it suits their needs.
ambitious and expensive plans for a museum about the history of France... initiated by Hollande's detested conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy... Dismissing the project as 'costly and useless', historian Pierre Nora said: 'In this country, with such diverse and contradictory legacies and where public opinion has been profoundly split between at least two visions of the history of France ever since the Revolution, wisdom says that we should stick with multiple museums which each have their own vision.'
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