Russia, Nazi Germany, MAGA: The Dangers of Weaponizing History and Education | Amanpour and Company

With democracy under threat around the world, author Jason Stanley warns that the fundamental danger lies closer to home: in the schools. In his latest book, the American philosopher argues that attacks on education empower authoritarian regimes by reshaping our understanding of the past. Stanley joins the show to discuss.

Originally aired on September 9, 2024

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[ld]

"Don't join the book burners. Don't think you are going to conceal faults by concealing the evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go into your library and read every book". -Dwight D. Eisenhower

[gmwilliams]

I am a boomer and Black retired U.S. veteran and normally very little that happens in the States moves me emotionally. The topics discussed in this video make me angry. I don't fear the white supremacist republican's and their "Project 2025" because I have seen it all before. I live in Texas, and I have witnessed the ommission of critical American history in my own grandchildren. Their lack of civic engagement and subsequent lack of understanding of the power of their vote I now realize was intentionally taught to them in schools my tax dollars helped to fund. What can be done to turn this awful trend around in Texas and other southern states besides simply voting for Democrats?

[connieperry]

Moms for liberty is an abomination of education!

[totostamopo]

I took a toodle through my child's 5th grade "Social Studies" text book and shot off to the principal's office like a madwoman. There was a full page spread of Robert E Lee with a full illustration on the facing page. In the text we learned he had been 1st in his class at Westpoint, that his horse was named Traveller and that his home was now Arlington Cemetery. What we didn't learn is that he was stripped of his US Citizenship and had turned down the leadership of the Union Armies- potentially causing untold hundreds of thousands to die. This supposed "textbook" was used because it complemented the standardized tests my child was forced to endure and her teachers were forced to prepare her for. This happened in Chicago Illinois- the "Land of Lincoln". The state that elected him Representative. The city Mary Lincoln lived in after the assassination. Abominable. Thanks for this. Mr. Stanley is a treasure and I always look forward to his scholarship.

[jl]

I live in Illinois and work in education... this is not just a "red" or "southern" state problem.

[tylerbhumphries]

The erasure of history is so real. The amount of people who have thrown in my face “you were never a slave! No one alive today is a slaver owner!” And all I can think is, “No, but my grand parents were sharecroppers. 1 of my grandparents were actually born on the plantation our family had been forced to labor on. And my parents were never slaves but my mother’s aunt was a child of a slave and my parents integrated the public schools in our city.” This history is not so far behind us.

[williamtell]

Im a doctoral dropout in philosophy turned lawyer. So I love academic philosophy. Jason Stanley is fantastic. He is one of the few able to work in sophisticated academic philosophy and bridge that to real world concerns. That is philosophy at its best. He is an important voice now in our political discourse. I encourage anyone to follow up on his books and talks.

[Otto-Nuys]

Democracy is at stake worldwide, but it barely penetrates the minds of the average citizen of (the so far) liberal democracies in the West. The breakdown of that liberal democracy is a creeping and concealing process, the reality of which only dawns on people when the damage has already been done. This is very worrying and deserves all attention!

[jjj]

I grew up in Indiana that at one time had a KKK governor and several lynchings throughout the state. But my textbooks never mentioned any of it.

[rocketmanzimm]

The algorithm would never suggest this video to the people who really need to hear this and read this book. We have to tell them about it.

[kenhunt]

I have lost most of my extended family to the MAGA Party.
A very important piece.
I volunteer and donate for the Blues.
At times it's just so sad.
So many of my extended family are mad at everything.

[FlamingSwordOfWisdom]

I agree with this gentleman. Black history is American history. We need to stop separating blackness from whiteness. They are the same. We form the same tree even though we share different roots.

[thomasmoraninspace]

Good to hear from Jason Stanley again. I would like to hear from him weekly between now and November 5th.

[Ahmedkhan]

A very sobering discussion - well done. I'm 80, and am very concerned about the deeply rooted yearning of a large portion of our population for a "return" to some magical time in the past when things were "as they should be."

[weston.weston]

I appreciate Dr. Stanley's research and look forward to seeing him in conversation with others about these topics.

[caroletomlinson]

I’ve witnessed since the late 90s the degradation of support for education: with more & more adjuncts in colleges, criticism of science and coerced K-12 testing standards, let alone a quarter century+ of budget cuts. If Americans don’t see this by now, it can be a lost cause for us all.

[barbararenaud]

I went to public schools in Texas. Professor Stanley is right. I am a writer, so read a great deal. But many latinx don’t know the violent past of Texas history, or what Democracy is. They know something is wrong, but feel helpless about it. This is deliberate.

[joeg]

When I had to home-school my children due to many moves, this was one of my guiding principles in developing my own curriculum. The effect of this choice was, and is, obvious. My kids read news critically, not consuming news and subsequent media. Plus, their choices in reading material (novels, etc.) reflect this. As adults, they feel dismayed by behind-the-scenes work of fascist American conservatism in many of our systems. Interesting side note, my son is thinking of serving in the military; he believes in the ideal that the US could be. As a disabled veteran with education, I am proud of my kids. They give me hope. What is problematic with this is that I had to wrest control away from our education system - giving the Republicans/GOP want they want: "See! The system is failing. And, we know what to do." The Republican Party lost their way, falling headlong into a modern fascist party.

[freebirdseed]

Scratch the surface of the "home school" curriculum and you'll find Christian nationalism, not thinly veiled, at all.

[amylynn]

Bizarre to me that parents do t want their children to feel shame about shameful acts in history. Seems to me the parents need an education about how negative emotions can be used to fuel positive actions and outcomes.