George Washington's cherry tree

One of the simplest and most enduring stories from the personal histories of great Americans is the familiar tale of George Washington and the cherry tree. As one of the very first history lessons that most of us were taught in school, it presented an example of honesty and integrity, virtues that few, if any, historians (and even his rivals) ever denied our first president embodied.

Some voices in today's media and academic elite, however, seem to take great pleasure in dismissing this traditional tale as sentimental folklore. Some jaded intellectuals express cynicism about the story, denying its veracity as historical propaganda aimed at creating a false image of Washington's character, of almost deifying him as ever-virtuous and true.

Why?

Is the story really so unbelievable? What facet of it is beyond belief? Is it absurd that a kid would cut down a tree on his family's land? Is it preposterous that his father might have a "favorite tree"? (As the story is sometimes told.) Does it stretch credulity that, when confronted about the incident by his father, a boy would tell the truth about it?

Or, is it the traditional wording of Washington's response: "Father, I cannot tell a lie..." that goads the cynics?
Do these fools actually think that we believe this to be an exact quote? (Even that is not unlikely, given the proper english common to that day.) Or do they think that George was saying that he was incapable of telling a lie, any lie? Is that the rub?

Whatever the criticism, what's to be gained by rejecting this tale?
Do we not want to instill our youth with a sense of honesty, an expectation of taking responsibility for one's actions? Is personal integrity a character trait we'd rather our children not develop? For, the tale has more than mere historical value. It's a lesson in personal virtue.
By holding George Washington up as a great American, worthy of emulation, we give our kids something to shoot for when we share the simple tale of his boyhood honesty. They are able to identify with the concept of a thoughtless act committed, and the natural temptation to avoid punishment by lying about it.

Have we become so jaded in our own time of well-publicized dishonestly by our elected officials that we cannot believe a simple story about a boy 'fessing-up to something?

This is a very humourous retelling of the famous tale, circa Bill Clinton...

It's bad enough that we've diminished the memories of both Washington and Lincoln by concocting "President's Day" so government employee's can have another 3-day weekend.

Brad