When we heap praise and gratitude on the people of the past for the legacy
they bequeathed us, we are making a judgement; and yet no one yells
"Presentism!" 

It seems to me that the cry of "Presentism! -- Watch your mouth!" is
bellowed only when the subject of slavery comes up. Using TJ as an example,
one may investigate, analyze, and critique his politicking, his exercise of
presidential power, his views on religion, his personal finances, his
down-and-dirty conflicts with other founding gods such as Washington and
Hamilton; and no one will complain. But if you bring up slavery (or
H*m*ings), the rafters resound with "dirty Presentist, you must hate
America."  It seems that slavery is the only subject on which the present is
not allowed to express a judgement on the past, unless you are saying,
"those slave owners--what a great bunch they were." Perhaps I'm wrong – is
any other historical issue off-limits?

Henry Wiencek

Patrick Henry Fellow
C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College
Chestertown, MD

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