The Author of Judicial Intimidation
The national media seems to be ignoring the outcry by civil liberties groups and Democrats about Christian Right author David Barton’s religious history of the U.S. tour sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. They are also ignoring Barton’s role in formulating the strategy of “intimidation” of judges by the Christian Right and their allies in Congress. The notable exception so far, is a fine article in The Nation magazine, by Max Blumenthal.
Meanwhile when I posted my essay on the several Barton-related flaps yesterday, I completely forgot that I had detailed some of his background in Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy when trying to explain the depth and breadth of Barton’s influence in national life.
“Barton… frequently appears at official functions as an expert on the Constitution and American history. In 1994, he spoke at an inaugural function for [then] Virginia Governor George Allen and was the featured speaker at the ‘Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast’ sponsored by Pennsylvania state legislators. In 1995, he gave a series of lectures on American history to conservative freshmen Congressional Republicans and was featured at a Christian Coalition forum in Tennessee along with [then]Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist. Barton is also a popular speaker at both state and national Christian Coalition events, and his books and videos are in wide circulation. Christian Coalition leader Bob McClellan of El Cajon, California says ‘David Barton’s products have been invaluable in furthering the principles of the Christian Coalition strategy in San Diego. Emblematic of his growing role in political life, Barton was a Texas delegate to the 1996 presidential nominating convention in San Diego, and served on the platform committee.” (pgs 17-18)
But as long as we are putting together a Barton file, probably no one has done more to research and debunk Barton’ distorted and often false version of American history than Robert Boston. His 1993 article in Church and State magazine, (published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State), Sects, Lies and Videotape: David Barton’s Distorted History is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand why Barton is better understood as a snake-oil salesman than, as he was described by Senator Frist, as a “historian.”
The false narrative that the U.S. was founded as a “Christian Nation,” and must be “restored” is integral to political success of the Christian Right. However, the national media, and most politically interested groups and individuals continue to ignore the centrality of Christian nationalism to the ideology of the Christian Right, and Barton’s role as its leading proponent.
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Mr. Clarkson, i heard you express your views this very night ( May 18, 2005 ), and agree with you. What’s disturbing to me is that what is taking place in this country is in some ways similar to what Wilhelm Reich observed and wrote about in his book The Mass Psychology of Fascism which deals with changes that took place in Germany soon after Hitler came to power. Like we see here in the U.S. there was a Religious right spreading a similar message. repressive sexual material was targeted to the young according to Reich, which he felt, being a mental health professional in some ways fostered the sadism that was to come a few years later, but Reich also felt all this was to gain more control over the German people by turning Germany into ” A patriarchal mechanistic society ” to quot Reich’s own words, and he used the goose steping German soldier as a symbol of man acting like a machine. John Masino ..Morton , Pa.
John Masino
18 May 05 at 8:17 pm
Mr. Clarkson i forgot to add what to my email to you what a former CIA agent named Michael Phillip’s said a few years back ” We didn’t defeat the Nazis we just forced them to move..here. ” John Masino
John Masino
18 May 05 at 8:30 pm