Upon understanding the significance of maintaining records and documentation of the past, the U.S. government established the National Archives in 1934. This would provide a permanent repository for what would, and will, become our shared history as a nation. The fact that they have custody of over 9 billion records should tell us something about how seriously these archivists take their job. Among the better known documents are the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

However, the archives are more than our founding documents. There are countless records that help flesh out our history. As a National Archives video tells us, ‘Records ensure that the cost of freedom will never be forgotten. These records prove that our stories become the history of our nation.’ Ken Burns chimes in that ‘this is our scrapbook. This is our national attic. This is where we find ourselves.’ And lastly, there is a montage segment wherein Americans of various heritages state, ‘Our records help us accurately understand our past and define who we are as a nation.’

Whew, heavy stuff, those archives.

So, suffice to say that pretty much everyone agrees that the National Archives and the records contained within are pretty darn important in getting our history correct. Without documentation, someone could maliciously alter the historical context of past events. It would be a terrible shame if something were to happen to these one-of-a-kind documents. I would think we, as a nation, would be distraught upon learning of the loss of documents critical to, say, something as important as our understanding of history leading up to the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Which is why I’m vexed as to why Sandy Berger isn’t tied to a chair with an electrical cord in a darkened room in the sub-basement of the National Archive building being pencil-whipped by an extremely irate archivist, a la Jack Bauer.

As I’m sure you’re aware, Sandy Berger was the National Security Adviser to President Clinton. For some reason known only to Berger, he entered the National Archives on four occasions under the pretense of preparing for his testimony to the 9/11 Commission. During these visits, Berger arranged to be left alone to afford himself the opportunity to stuff highly-classified documents into his pants (ewww), then step outside the Archive building where he then hid the stolen documents on the underside of a nearby construction trailer. Berger would later retrieve and shred the documents. The documents in question relate to the handling of terrorism by the Clinton administration.

In his defense, Berger claimed that he absent-mindedly removed the documents. Strictly an accident, you see. He got home, was getting undressed and out popped highly classified documents from his pants. It could happen to anyone! That explanation is tough to accept, given the pre-planning to be left alone with the documents followed by the dead-drop of the stolen documents at the construction trailer. Convicted FBI agent-turned-KGB-spy Robert Hanssen would be proud.

As it happens, former National Security Adviser Berger (for having robbed the nation of documents related to terrorist activities leading up to the Sept. 11 tragedy) was sentenced to a $50,000 fine, 100 hours of community service and a revocation of his classified security clearance for three years. As to the content of the missing documents and the extent of the thievery, we may never know. Where’s an irate archivist with a sharp pencil when you need one?

‘ Megan Donahue is a junior nursing major. She is currently taking donations to send the National Archives a copier.