111 11111,;;11 ilill'i!l;il;~Bl'liiil 1·M 5Jc.k The Misuse of History and Heroes by Charles Jeanes 0~ T.V. - _An audience for writing about the usefulness of History is usual- ly difficult to come by. Perhaps that's the fault of history teachers in schools, of whom I am one occasionally. But since Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves recently played in Nel- son perhaps the time is apropos. Also, .a best-selling novel by Ken Pollet, The Pillars of the Earth, is purportedly "grounded" in English medieval history. The huge success of this historical novel shows there is a wide public for history-as-drama. Ken Follett and Kevin Costner (Robin Hood in the film) have sensed a thirst for history in the public that historians have seemingly left unquenched. What is it that these popularised stories from his- tory offer to the public? Is a good story the best use we have for "his- tory/herstory"? I rather hope not. Kevin Costner's Robin Hood and Ken Follett's novel play so fast and loose with historical facts I found it difficult to enjoy the stories told. The weakness of these two works of popular history is the same: the message they preach is "power to the people," and it doesn't matter to the authors that this sermon reflects late 20th-cen- tury values far more than medieval ones. This is using history to promote one's own view of the Way Things Should Be, rather than to describe the way things were. I call this abuse, not use, of history. Here is Follett at the end of 973 pages of historical fiction: "King Henry had not been able to fight such a powerful popular movement...The power of a king was not absolute after all; it could be restrained by the will of the people ...." Inspirational stuff. And total nonsense. _Similarly, Robin Hood gives us, as history, all the ingredients an audience of 1991 finds relevant and politically correct: Maid Marian is a feminist able to fight as a warrior (but an ineffectual wimp at the critical moment, so Robin can rescue her); the Sheriff of Nottingham is a satanist; a bishop is corrupt (remember Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart); "the people" arise in revolt, and defeat aristocratic and occasionally "native" and also imply that old-timers "did it Salisbury-Bulmers for a period 11 knights, until good king Richard arrives. planet.'1 11Abuse11 seems to be right," and thus it can be "done of 4-5 years prior to starting Why am I concerned that the public be more discriminating in left for the social workers. right" again. While this may be other areas. The Ministry feels its approach to historical fiction? Because I believe history is con- There appears to be quite a so, it is also not the point. It is this is a reasonable delay." stantly misused by our politicians' speech writers when our govern- bit of superstition involved too likewise not true that the com- The Ministry states this ments wish to persuade us of the morality of their policies. which can be regarded as fun if munity is trying to halt logging agreement applies only to Small The Gulf War is a recent example. George Bush called Hussein not taken too seriously. How- per se. Business Sales, and not to "Hitler." This outrageous misapplication of historical lessons ever, money is always lurking in The fact is our consciences Woodlot Licences. This is a mis- "worked"; the war was popular with U.S. voters. Ironically, Hussein's the background, and judging by urge us to question the wisdom leading distinction, and one people were told he was a "new Saladin." Saladin was a Muslim the advertisements in Issues, of continuing to log the forests which was only made after this prince (a Kurd, in fact!) who beat King Richard's crusading army in there are plenty of "New Agers" at the present rate, using our Woodlot Licence was applied 1190 AD. Bad history is bent into clever rhetoric to popularize poor who offer a bewildering variety present decision making proces- for. The community understands of therapies and are eager to ses. These processes were it to apply to all logging, as the policies. make a few (or more than a few) developed in an older time, in a wording clearly supports. Log- The historical fiction of Ken Follett and Kevin Costner, which I bucks from people who have safer and healthier environment, ging has not begun at Salisbury- ridicule here, is a less malevolent form of hero-making and mythol- problems. and require reform. Bulmers. ogy, but the same process is at work in politicians' rhetoric. I suspect their customers in- There are many resource In considering this Woodlot When one hears "History teaches ... " one must beware: clude victims of the corporate conflicts in the 800 acres of the Licence at this time the Forest propaganda is present. History doesn't teach. People do. and professional rat-races, who proposed Woodlot Licence. Service is departing from a 15- have burnt themselves out with One of these is what is possibly year history of give and take too much stress while earning a the largest herd of wintering elk negotiations with our com- big pile of money, and then find in southern B.C. Little is known munity. In so doing it threatens they have to spend it all to about these elk. Recreational to do irreparable damage to a recover. Personally, I prefer not values have not been assessed. process which offers a way for Apparently its philosophy is to make my life a rat-race in the Stream flow data is marginal, if people to consider and respect New Age a rejection of science and the first place. Norman Thyer not downright incomplete. Op- erability maps for the area re- all resources equally before committing large tracts of public great religions that originated in News the Middle East (which have Nelson quire updating. The public road is not safe for hauling logs. lands to single interests. The Ministry of Forests has failed to solve our problems and Dear Editor: C.H. Jeanes is asking what eliminate war) and their re- Community Ap- Three-quarters of the trees in the proposal are immature and recently been projecting the idea that part of good logging is placement with lore from other the "New Age" is. My first reac- tion was to say that it is the op- sources, such as those that Mr. proval Needed of the same age, and criteria for reforestation. In my opinion it Jeanes mentions. This can ex- the Woodlot Licence clearly in- would do much to improve rela- posite of "Old Age," but I'll go a bit further than that. plain the hostility of the Chris- for Good Logging dicate that such areas must in- tions if the Ministry began to see tian Right and the scientific Dear Editor: clude a wide range of age clas- that for logging to be good it I have never seen a defini- ses. must also include prior com- community. There have been several let- tion of "New Age" and I don't Alongside these outstanding munity approval. Anything short It uses its share of the cur- ters in the Express lately reflect- know what's new about it, but I issues is the lack of credibility of this is exploitation of our rently fashionable buzzwords. ing various attitudes about the recently picked up a magazine the Ministry of Forests is human, as well as our natural called Issues which seems to The favourites seem to be proposed Woodlot Licence in "awareness," "holistic" (or "whol- Johnson's Landing. It is easy to generating by refusing to ac- resources. epitomize the movement. knowledge residents' concerns Mary Davidson istic"), 11 healing11 and 11balance/ understand the motivation of some - for example, a sister about an agreement that it made Johnson's Landing -.::i' THE KOOTENAY WEEKLY PHO wanting to support a brother, or with our community in 1987. Hope no Help .1...iXPKESS F~~6b~~:i~~to31i10 554 Ward St., P.O. Box 922, Nelson, B.C., VlL 6A5 a born and bred local wanting to speak in defence of a time- honoured occupation. I respect Ministry of Forests' minutes of a meeting with our community representatives read: Dear Editor: "Cutting Sequence: l.Salis- I couldn't have said it as 11, 791 Canada Post mailed; 4,209 in hotel rooms, Castlegar both these viewpoints, but do well myself - I mean my reac- airport, Ainsworth, and hundreds of other pick-up points. not find they portray this conflict bury-Bulmers 2.Bulmers-Argen- ta 3.Salisbury-Fry tion to the choice of Bob H ope, PUBLISHER: Nelson Becker, ADMINISTRATION: H. J . Hutchinson in its complete context. of all people, to help us to EDITOR: Donna Macdonald, ASS"r EDITOR: Suzy Hamilton Past meetings have defined Proponents of the Woodlot celebrate our country's birthday. DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Nick Smirnow, Alison Graeme Licence would have us believe the Salisbury-Bulmers unit as the 'door opener.' It was con- Surely we could have ART WORK: Anne DeGrace, ADVERTISING: Peter Banfield that the issue is whether or not SALES SUPPORT: Sally Coleman sidered to be the area to employed some of our local the applicants are experienced, entertainers, who would have skill ed, knowledgeable and well- demonstrate good planning, OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. done the job more appropriate- motivated enough to log a sig- layout and logging practices, July 24, 1991, Volume 3, Number 85 ISSN 1184-6224 prior to commencing operations ly. Too bad there wasn't enough Copyright © 1991, Nelson Becker nificant portion of Johnson's money for fireworks. H all- Landing's domestic watershed. on any of the remaining units in Opinions expressed in THE KOOTENAY WEEKLY EXPRESS the study area (my emphasis). A owe'en's coming, kids! are not necessarily those of the publisher or any of our advertisers. This is not the point. Supporters Viva Flood, Nelson suggestion was made to monitor Page4 THE KOOTENAYWEEKLY EXPRESS July 24, 1991