The Battle for America’s Historical Narrative

To truly dominate a nation, one must strip it of its history and its heroes. This idea, often attributed to Marxist strategy, seems to resonate with the current actions of the American left.

During the recent 250th anniversary marking the nation’s founding, former President Donald Trump raised alarms about ideological attempts to undermine the contributions of our nation’s founders and diminish longstanding values. “You can be loyal to Karl Marx or you can be loyal to America. You can be a communist or you can be a patriot. You can’t be both,” he asserted at Mount Rushmore.

Interestingly, the most significant threat to America isn’t an external adversary or a worldwide health crisis. Rather, it’s the ideological influence shaping the thoughts of younger generations through educational and cultural institutions. This Independence Day served as a rallying point in the ongoing struggle against that danger.

The occasion highlighted the importance of sharing America’s inspiring narrative, which encourages future generations to cherish ideals such as individualism and property rights over group grievances and utopian collectivism.

In a communist ideology, heroes don’t exist. There’s just the oppressor versus the oppressed. When you erase a nation’s heroic past, you narrow its future aspirations.

Regular Americans seem to grasp this concept.

Conversely, some governors appear oblivious. When states were invited to showcase their unique contributions on the National Mall, ten governors, many believed to be influenced by anti-Trump sentiments, declined to participate.

This refusal seemed to play into the hands of those who wish to undermine patriotism.

Undeterred, proud citizens from those states journeyed to Washington, D.C., at their own expense, and made sure their state booths weren’t left empty. For instance, Donna Festinger, a retired teacher from Massachusetts, drove nine hours to distribute miniature maple syrup bottles and other products for attendees.

Also, Seattle radio host Ari Hoffman flew to D.C. after Washington State’s governor opted out. “We didn’t have a booth due to budget issues, but we managed to spend $5 million on gender reassignment surgery for a felon,” he remarked while handing out pocket-sized copies of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Constitution.

In reaction to Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s boycott, I displayed large images of notable figures like Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, William Samuel Johnson, and the famed Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale.

On July 3rd, I traveled to D.C. to share their remarkable stories at Connecticut’s booth. The following day, state Representatives Rob Sampson and Gail Mastrofrancesco welcomed visitors.

We gathered to honor our nation’s heroes and the history that Marxists seek to dilute.

They like to label themselves as democratic socialists. “Oh, how charming,” Trump remarked last week. “But, in reality, they’re communists.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) downplays critical economic discussions, arguing that “the perception of the economy isn’t as crucial as making food accessible.”

This perspective is dangerously misleading. Our nation’s success is rooted in maintaining the principles of free markets, individual rights, and property. These values are intertwined with affordability.

The disparity is stark: the average personal wealth in the U.S. is eight times that of collectivist China and four times more than in highly regulated Western European economies.

Yet, candidates branding themselves as democratic socialists are gaining traction, especially among younger voters. A recent Cato Institute survey revealed that a surprising 58% of Gen Z voters favor socialism over other economic frameworks, with communism and capitalism trailing behind.

This is a clear wake-up call.

The recent Fourth of July festivities were a good start, but reversing the far-left indoctrination pervasive in our education and cultural sectors will take more than just a weekend celebration.

On Monday, the White House accused the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History of failing to celebrate the nation’s history, instead promoting a narrative filled with “regret, tragedy, and shame.”

There’s an urgent need to reform the Smithsonian’s skewed portrayal of history.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is implementing new standards in schools regarding communist history, aimed at informing students about the severe failures and suffering inflicted by communist regimes, as noted by state Education Commissioner Anastios Kamousas, a grandson of Cuban refugees.

Those of us in more progressive states might not see similar initiatives; still, perhaps we can have some influence over what our children and grandchildren are exposed to.

As a child, I spent countless hours at my local library, engrossed in the biographies of great Americans, from Paul Revere to Clara Barton to Thomas Edison.

These biographies underscore that individuals—not groups or classes—shape history. Heroes provide inspiration.

Once children reach university, the Marxist narrative can be hard to escape.

Instead of simply brushing it off, it’s crucial to address the brainwashing they’re facing and share the invaluable lessons from figures like George Washington and Douglas MacArthur.

America has rich stories to share.

Under the best circumstances, Marxists may falter in their efforts.