Desmond Tutu: healing through acknowledging our pasts

This afternoon, NPR aired a portion of a talk Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. He spoke about the reconciliation process in his home country of South Africa and observed that oppression in this country will continue to return and haunt us until we deal with our historic past, including the treatment of indigenous peoples. He countered the call to "let bygones be bygones" by observing that few people are hungry for revenge but most people would like an acknowledgement of past mistreatments. This acknowledgement is a step in the healing process and will help us understand that our lives are complementary and interdependent. What better place than a library to host these discussions, provide access to resources, and serve as laboratories for creating new futures building on the past?