Trail of Tears Podcast Response

I found the podcast by Sarah and Amy Vowell on the Trail of Tears very interesting, informative, and thought provoking. To first answer your questions, I feel that the battered wife metaphor Sarah used is somewhat applicable in this situation. Sarah, as a Cherokee, says that America is like a husband who "knocks me around, but sure can dance." Because she is somewhat removed from her Cherokee heritage and feels a sense of loyalty and appreciation for out present-day America coupled with her knowledge of the horrible treatment of Native Americans (her ancestors) by our government throughout history, the battered wife metaphor seems just about spot-on. In the podcast she goes back and forth between America being a good country and a bad country, but comes to the realization that it is neither, but has both good and bad in its past and present. At this point in the course I definitely feel the same way. It's completely amazing and horrifying to see how America, a land that boasts freedom, opportunity, and justice, could have treated any people in that manner. And sadly, it's one many mistakes that the government and individuals have made throughout our history. But at the same time, I love America, what it stands for, and the opportunities that I have been given.
I can also see how Sarah and Amy find"heritage tourism" boring, intense, informative, and highly emotional all at once. Going to monuments and sites and learning about events is extremely important and educational, but at the same time, it is impossible to completely understand the event, what people were going through, or exactly how they felt. However, I think that heritage tourism is definitely superior to book learning because you get a more affective experience...you can actually stand in the places that these people did and hopefully place yourself more fully in their shoes. I like that Sarah said that she and Amy were road trip history buffs one second and amnesiacs the next. No matter how emotionally moving a place is, you are likely to forget about it a short time later only to continue on with the rest of your trip or your everyday life. I experienced the same sort of feeling when visiting the beaches of Normandy and the American cemetery in France last summer. I learned so much about the invasion of Normandy and the tragedy that took place there. I cried for the soldiers who lost their lives, for those who had been senselessly murdered in the Holocaust, and for the soldiers and families who had to live on. But like Sarah Vowell, I became a sort of amnesiac later that day. All in all, I think heritage tourism is a great way to make what you learn more personal and meaningful, but it will never live up to actually going through the pain or joy of the event.
My general opinion of this podcast, as someone who has very little knowledge of the trials of the Cherokees so far, is that it was enlightening and relatable. I liked how each of them got something different out of the experience. Amy felt more empathy and the pain of those who were forced onto the Trail of Tears, while Sarah identified with John Ross how he probably felt extremely conflicted, angry, and broken-hearted. Just as Sarah said that you don't have to be Jewish to think the Holocaust is a sad part of history, I definitely feel that this was a tragic part of America's history that should be remembered and mourned by everyone, whether or not their ancestors marched on the Trail of Tears.