Who is Charles Thomson?

I’ve been doing a fair amount of thinking about America’s celebration of 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. There have been many attempts in the recent past to white wash our history. Apparently scrubbing anything from our history that may hurt a white person’s feeling is all that’s necessary for removal. Courageous people (and countries) aren’t snowflakes and should be able to handle the truth. 

Recent developments aside, there is a precedent to white-washing history. According to the June New Yorker, Charles Thomson was the longtime secretary of the Continental Congress and he was asked to publish his notes (over one thousand pages) about the congress, its decision making and a behind-the-scenes tell all of what transpired in the room where it happened. Thomson initially agreed. Before his notes were published Thomson burned them and said, “I could not tell the truth without giving great offense. Let the world admire our patriots and heroes. Their supposed talents and virtues will serve the cause of patriotism.” Apparently, he did what he felt was his patriotic duty by destroying evidence. 

“We the People” is about as powerful a start to any historical document as there can be, but upon reflection the “we” is rather limiting. The “we” does not include women, the enslaved, the poor, or the uneducated. The phrase really is for white, land owning, educated men.

If we are to handle the truth, we have to start with understanding those foundational words and who they include and who they leave out. We can still be a great country, filled with great people, who do great things, but we should not, and really cannot, refuse to look at our last 250 years warts and all.