Let the Man Be

I just finished watching a documentary type show called "The Real George Washington". I missed the first half, but what I did see what interesting and disturbing. The purpose of the program was to show how over time we've lost a lot of facts about Washington's personality. Often people see him as a bore, but in reality he was a vibrant military genius and warrior with a colorful past that involved a lost love and some teenage stupidity. So George Washington wasn't perfect? Whew! I am glad we got that covered. It is fun to learn little facts about prominent historical figures, but I do not like to see these great people painted in a negative light. I know no one is perfect and we all have our flaws, but I think it is unfair to judge our Founding Fathers according to our standards.

The first fact portrayed about Washington that bugged me was the idea that he used double agents and all sorts of "deceptive" spy techniques during the Revolutionary War. It seemed as if the authors of the show wanted to paint him as bad guy because he stooped to that level and even enjoyed using covert methods during the war. When I think of the Revolutionary War, I think of David vs. Goliath. Our little struggling land was David and the British were Goliath. We were so unorganized and unprepared for the war that it was amazing we had a hope of winning let alone that we actually won. I think the tactics used by Washington were genius. In times of war, deception is used. That is a given. Look in the Book of Mormon and how often the Nephites trick the Lamanites into thinking they have more men in their army than they actually do or get the Lamanites to drink wine that knocks them out. I don't think there is anything wrong with such techniques and sometimes they are the only option. But if they help the cause of good, so be it. It's not like George Washington or Captain Moroni were blood-thirsty leaders out for their own glory. They fought for their people. It bugs me when I see Washington's image tarnished because he used such techniques.

The second fact listed was the image of Washington as a slave holder. He inherited his family's slaves at age eleven after the death of his father. That's usually how the system worked. And he had slaves his whole life and treated them as property. So did most people at the time. I in no way or shape condone slavery, but the attitude of the time was that it was okay. Some people were beginning to realize it was not a good thing and would have destructive consequences on the country when finally prohibited, but it seemed like a great machine impossible to stop. In Washington's time, people grew up around slaves and thought nothing of it. In our time things are different and so, of course, we would be horrified at slavery. It is wrong. But we cannot label Washington as a bad man because he had slaves. He didn't know any better. He was a product of his time. The show did mention that in his will Washington stated his slaves should be freed and educated upon the death of Martha, but they made it sound as if it was only an attempt on his part to save his name. Slavery plagued our country and leaders for years and years, even long after it was out-lawed. To blame one man for not changing such a deeply entrenched system is entirely unfair. It took centuries to overcome and in some parts of the country people still struggle with equality. It's not all George Washington's fault.

I have no problem with historians wanting to educate us more on the more colorful and interesting details of prominent historical figures. It makes these great people seem more human and likable. But I do not like to see these legends portrayed in a negative light because they were imperfect. Yes George Washington liked to dabble in spying, he was a general in a war that forever changed history. I don't think we realize how scary and dangerous the time of the war was. And yes, he did own slaves, but so did most southerners at the time. But he also was the only man able to accomplish the amazing feat of uniting the land to fight and beat the British, thus establishing our nation and changing history and our lives forever. So cut the man some slack for being human.