Howard Zinn Inspired Us To Summon Our Better Angels and Postumously Wins BF Wings of Justice Award

Howard Zinn is This Week's BuzzFlash Wings of Justice Winner

If history belongs to the victors, then Howard Zinn returned the historical narrative to the victims in a "People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present."

As George Lakoff, who understands the importance of words and narrative in communication, would say, Zinn reframed American history. And what a glorious relief Zinn offered in reopening the glass case of historical myth that glorified the white male European conquest of America. He gave us back the fresh air of truth in understanding the origins of this nation and the diverse peoples and men and women who built it.

Zinn was a political scientist and historian, but also as a person a great humanitarian, a word we don’t hear much of in this age of selfishness. He spoke to our better angels and championed the fundamental concept of democracy, that the U.S. will be a greater nation if it allows its people – all its citizens – to fully determine our destiny as a country.

He served in the armed forces with great honor in WW II, but returned to the U.S. and began a personal evolution that resulted in his coming to view war and merciless self-enrichment as contrary to the greatness of the human spirit, and to the resourceful diversity of the American people.

In his memoir, "You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train," Zinn wrote, "I see this as the central issue of our time: how to find a substitute for war in human ingenuity, imagination, courage, sacrifice, patience."

Zinn was endlessly optimistic about the power of the human spirit, inspiring a new generation of Americans to find strength in our creative capacity to overcome the shackles of the fierce urge to dominate one another.

Howard Zinn passed away on January 27^th. He posthumously receives the BuzzFlash Wings of Justice Award. He inspired us to summon our better angels.