A True and Accurate Record

[Stephane Budge]

I was discussing with a friend of mine yesterday about journal
writing. I know it sounds cliche, especially for member of the LDS
faith who hear about keeping a journal all the time. This
conversation, however, gave me a new perspective on keeping an
accurate record of not only my own personal history, but also on a
history of what is around me at the time and my thoughts and feelings
about that.

For example; I recently read the book Band of Brothers written by
Stephen Ambrose and discovered that so much of what we hear about WWII
(that comes from the classroom) is inaccurate. The war, told by the
men who fought it, was a terrible thing. Everyone of them hated it,
but did what they did to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy today. A
specific example of the differences you will encounter is that in
school, you will hear that only the Russians and Germans (in the ETO)
looted houses. Looting was just as bad with the American soldiers as
well. My point is that what you hear in the classroom, especially in a
public school room, is only what the funding entity wants you to hear.
Teachers can only teach what the government has outlined in the
curriculum, and it isn't always true.

With a personal record of what is happening in your own life, and with
a record of your emotions on the topic, your posterity can have an
honest look at the past; an honest, unadulterated view of what was
happening during your life and the feelings associated with those
events.

I never would have pegged this particular friend of mine to be much of
a journal keeper at all, though now, having discussed this topic and
many others with him, I can see how and why he feels so strongly about
it. It is sad to admit that I have fallen out of that habit, but rest
assured, it is one that I intend to pick up again. I cannot and will
not let my children be brainwashed into believing the half truths of a
socialist regime. I recommend you don't either.