“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This quote, attributed to philosopher George Santayana, speaks volumes.
Next Monday is the 74th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Indeed, Dec. 7, 1941 is a day that has lived in infamy, as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt informed a stunned nation after the deadly incident that dragged the United States into the horrors of World War II. The men and women who fought that war were later dubbed the “Greatest Generation” — a moniker which is both accurate and seemingly shy of the mark simultaneously. Those brave individuals helped the Allied forces win that war, save the world from tyranny, and build an economic powerhouse that helped fulfill the American dream for millions.
But as we noted in our recent Veterans Day commentary, that generation of heroes are now passing into history, and we would do well to learn from them, to heed the lessons they learned under such dire circumstances. After all, the youngest of the survivors are in their early 90s now. Our direct connection to that day will soon flicker out. Yet we will still remember, to pay respect to the sacrifice, to honor the bravery and to note the dear price of peace.
“Remember Pearl Harbor” was a ringing call to battle that emanated across the United States shortly after the surprise attack in the Pacific. The rallying cry helped keep fresh the nation’s shock and rage, and summoned the unity needed to win a long, exhausting war. And we are forever proud of the work the “Greatest Generation” did in both Europe and the Pacific.
But sadly, other things came out of Pearl Harbor, which is another reason that time in history must be remembered.
Shortly after the attack, the United States scapegoated more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans in an emotionally based example of racial profiling, targeting patriotic Americans because of the way they looked. Removed from their homes, these citizens were placed in relocation camps for the duration of the war. It was a time when emotions trumped constitutional rights, when America’s commitment to human rights was tested and we fell short of the mark. It was a mistake that in the aftermath, our nation vowed we would never make again.
Today, Japan is a democracy and a close ally, proof that extremism and historic grievances can be overcome. But the nation’s current swell of anti-Muslim hysteria has us wondering if we really have learned. And the continued mass shootings by unhinged Americans also have us questioning what, if anything, we have learned from the past.
Historically, there is no such thing as a recurring drama. But it is also a fact that Santayana’s words ring true: history repeats similar mistakes. This is because humans are often incapable of controlling their desires, political ambitions and technology. Hopefully, we as a people can do better, starting with next Monday’s anniversary.
