Forgiving people for their mistakes is not only a high-minded and noble deed, but also a healthy practice. However, when it comes to the "heroes" of a country, nations and cultures love to exonerate and then glorify individuals whose actions were none short of madness. In America, our culture exceeds at this. Figures such as Christopher Columbus or Woodrow Wilson are seen as heroic figures or staples for society; a sort of strong foundation for the moral fiber of this nation. If this is the case, it's no wonder this nation has the problems it does. Columbus was a genocidal lunatic who viewed the native "savages" as less than human, and saw no problem in killing them like cattle. Woodrow Wilson, a "strong" and iconic American President was a proud supporter of the KKK and obvious racist. Even Abraham Lincoln, "the man who freed the slaves" cared little about the human rights of blacks.

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."

-Abraham Lincoln (Honest Abe)

Some feel that we should ignore this fact because that was "just how they were during those times" and they truly meant well. But this poor and ignorant stance on the subject begs the question: What about men like Adolf Hitler or Osama Bin Laden? Should we pardon them for their ignorance too? Or is the case simply Hitler was German and seen as our "enemy" and not a "founding father" or "exalted hero".

Seeing as we are an "advanced" culture and people, isn't it about time we see this sort of childish behavior for what it is?