Haunted America

I wonder if Limerick talking about her experience with finding themes in graduate school was a way to give her validity so we believe what she is about to say… I think this essay would be more helpful to me if she mentioned how these patterns apply to other wars also.
Page 419: The first acts of violence usually were more accidents of impulse and passion than the considered and chosen opening acts of an intended war. That sucks. Tragic. Wasn’t there a battle in the Civil War that started that way too?

Limerick states that “…the terribleness of violence may seem to be shrinking over time.” I’ve never thought of this but it is certainly true. Crimes are less gruesome than the torture that occurred back then.
I wonder what factors it takes for an incident to be labeled a massacre. Number of people killed on one side?

Earlier, Limerick stated “historians are quick to make cheerful remarks about how the understanding of history will help us to understand ourselves and to cope with the dilemmas we have inherited from the past…” It is also said that if we don’t know our history, it will repeat itself. I don’t how true this is. Looking back, people have been oppressed and tortured and land taken away throughout history. On the other hand, knowing the horrors of the past does bring more tolerance today.
Duplicity: contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action; especially : the belying of one's true intentions by deceptive words or action. Cool new word!

I like how she goes into the history of the pioneer woman. It’s a viewpoint we don’t hear often. I wonder if they objected or were supportive or if they even had a choice.

“We live on a haunted land…” what a great line that ties neatly into the essays title.
“The light of the sun seems fresh and innocent, as if it knew as yet but few of the secrets of the world and none of the weariness of shining.” This too would go in my Book of Quotes. There have been many morning where things were fubar-ed but the sun still shone bright and uncaringly.