Erasing the Past, Erasing Ourselves

Erasing history is one of the most profound violations a culture can commit—not just against others, but against itself. Though it’s a tactic as old as civilization, we’re witnessing its resurgence today on many fronts - even in the form of national park signage and picture books depicting women's history. Sadly, we also see it among individuals, who refuse to listen to each other, some mired so deep in their own pain they cannot see the pain of others.

Dystopian novels like The Giver by Lois Lowry and 1984 by George Orwell have long warned us of the dangers: whether it’s done under the pretense of protecting people from painful truths or to serve the agenda of a controlling regime, the outcome is the same. Erasure silences conversation. It cuts off the possibility of understanding, empathy, and progress. It doesn’t eliminate the past—it attempts to sever our memory of it. And this tendency crosses political and ideological lines. When we choose not to engage with each other’s histories, we limit our own growth and extinguish the possibility of peace.

Yes, confronting history—especially histories not our own—can be painful. It can reopen wounds that demand compassion and humility to heal. But healing is possible. And when it happens, we emerge not only stronger, but more connected, more human.