New Hampshire has hit the national media, and not in a good way. The Monitor reprinted a commentary (2/4,) from the Washington Post ringing alarm bells over the proliferation of Republican sponsored legislation intended to suppress the honest teaching of American history, and highlighting the “teacher loyalty” bill currently making its way through the NH legislature. This repressive bill, with its banning of “the advocacy of any ‘doctrine’ or ‘theory’ promoting a ‘negative’ account of U.S. history,” is an abomination and casts shame on New Hampshire’s reputation as one of the best states in which to live and raise children.
Let me quote Wikipedia’s definition of fascism: “…a form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society…”. Livescience.com adds that it is “ethno-nationalism…based on nostalgia for a mythic past.”
The intimidation of teachers and the whitewashing of our history represented by this bill are frightening echoes of the fascism of pre-war Nazi Germany and the anti-communist craze of the 1950s McCarthy era. I grew up in that era, and the thought that this is where we are headed once again is chilling to me. If this bill manages to make it through the legislature, I implore Gov. Sununu to veto it.
Jane Munson
Concord