After the bureaucrats at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) slapped a warning label on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, Ohio lawmakers are ducking the issue.
NARA, which organizes America’s historical documents in an online catalog, warns that some of the content could be triggering.
“NARA’s records span the history of the United States, and it is our charge to preserve and make available these historical records,” the group said on its website. “As a result, some of the materials presented here may reflect outdated, biased, offensive, and possibly violent views and opinions. In addition, some of the materials may relate to violent or graphic events and are preserved for their historical significance.”
After public backlash, NARA clarified that the warning label is general, and is not directed at any particular document in the archives. Still, all of America’s founding documents are included in the catalog.
The warning continues on the group’s website:
Some items may:
- reflect racist, sexist, ableist, misogynistic/misogynoir, and xenophobic opinions and attitudes;
- be discriminatory towards or exclude diverse views on sexuality, gender, religion, and more;
- include graphic content of historical events such as violent death, medical procedures, crime, wars/terrorist acts, natural disasters and more;
- demonstrate bias and exclusion in institutional collecting and digitization policies.
The Ohio Star reached out to prominent elected officials in the state to ask them whether they believed America’s founding documents were offensive.
Neither Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) nor Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), who is also a candidate for U.S. Senate, responded to The Star’s inquiries.
The NARA warning labels are the latest in a cultural battle over America’s history and tradition.
A growing group of left-wing activists are calling for the end of the “Star Spangled Banner” as America’s national anthem, claiming that it is “racist” because its writer, Francis Scott Key, was a slaveholder.
For the past several years, left-wing activists have also targeted Confederate statues and monuments nationwide.
Just last week, the state of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was removed from Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Interior of the National Archives and Records Administration” by Kkmd CC BY-SA 3.0.
There is some of that same language in the OH Constitution, VA Constitution, PA Constitution. I guess they all need warning labels?
How about this one? “This document contains words about FREEDOM and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, concepts that some may find frightening and distasteful. Only those who are not afraid of such concepts should consider continuing to read.
There’s a candidate who has spoken out about this – John Adams, former State Representative, running against Frank LaRose in the Republican primary for Secretary of State. The former Navy SEAL posted on his Facebook page: John Adams for Secretary of State. He was the first Ohio legislator to introduce the bill that now requires the founding documents be taught and tested in Ohio schools.