Pervasive racism
The author continually makes the point throughout the book that racism is woven into the very fabric of the United States. Just because it isn't spoken about or written in high school textbooks, doesn't mean that it isn't there. The author seeks to illuminate its role in history and advocates that textbooks not censor the racism of major figures in U.S. history, such as Woodrow Wilson.
High school textbooks are not accurate
The author has a great deal of problems with the way in which high school textbooks are written. He believes that they are dumbed down and tell a light and fluffy version of history that does no one any favors. Instead, it harms the students, as they then have to unlearn the wrong information once they get to college; or, worse, once they find out that it was false, they become completely distrustful of historiography.
Heroification
The author points out that history textbooks exemplify the American tendency to make the leaders of the past into heroes, regardless of whether they truly were. He uses the examples of Helen Keller, Woodrow Wilson, and Columbus, to name a few. Keller is remembered for having overcome the challenges of being blind and deaf, but not for her radical socialism and praise of Russia. Wilson is remembered for leading us through WWI but not for his multiple invasions of Latin American countries. And Columbus is remembered for "discovering" America but not for his genocide of Native Americans or for shipping 5,000 slaves in one of the first instances of slave trade.
Erosion of civil rights
By trying to sugar-coat history, textbooks fail to depict how civil rights have been repeatedly denied to African-Americans. After the Civil War and during the Reconstruction, there was a surge in rights and participation in government, which was eroded over the next few decades until African-Americans were nearly back to where they started. Textbooks sometimes fault African-Americans themselves for this, but the true cause was "white violence, not black ignorance."
History can influence the present
Part of why Loewen found the trend of misinformation in high school textbooks so disturbing is because of how it can influence the next generation. If students do not learn their history, how can they be informed citizens and make good choices for their future? History must be taught well in order to ensure that the country does not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Don't be afraid to offend your audience
The author makes the point throughout the book that the authors and publishers are trying not to offend as many people as possible, in order to ensure that their textbook will sell well. But in trying not to offend, they sacrifice the truth. The author does not believe that this is right, and strives throughout his book to hew as closely and unflinchingly to the truth as is possible, no matter how offensive people may find it.
Red eyes
The author advocates a continual theme throughout his book, saying that Americans should try looking at the past with 'red' eyes instead of white eyes, meaning that they should look at events through the historical accounts of Native Americans, instead of relying solely on the accounts of European explorers.
