LETTER: Can we be honest about our past?

Barack Obama said during the dedication of his presidential center in Chicago: “In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration’s promise, leaving slavery intact.”

If our public education system and the vast majority of our media were honest about history, our political landscape would be much better today. Slavery has existed as far back as history knows. Our founders did not choose slavery. They were born into that world. They could not end slavery and at the same time form a unified coalition to claim independence from England. They did however state in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal.” (They provided the framework for slavery to end.)

The Democratic Party, unlike the Founding Fathers, supported slavery and did not want it to end. No one is responsible for the conduct of past generations. It should not be so difficult for the Democratic Party, public education and the media to be honest about our history.