Friday, July 27, 2012
The Blaze Series on David Barton
The Blaze is associated with Glenn Beck who has associated himself with David Barton. So we are dealing with something that is trying to rehabilitate Barton's reputation. Here is part 1 which explores the criticisms. And here is part 2 where Barton goes on the attack.
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4 comments:
Part one is certainly a hoot; framing the "debate" as largely differences of opinion.
They quote "Darek H. Davis, the director of church-state studies at Baylor University," as saying, in part,
"'But the end product is a lot of distortions, half-truths and twisted history.'"
They then follow that with, "These [apparently referring to the above and previous quotes from Barton's critics], of course, are only anecdotal examples." Yes, facts are disposable if you don't actually care to look at he facts. Oy.
To balance out the input of trained, experienced and professional historians, the Blaze counters that "many prominent individuals revere his take on the nation’s founding" and then lists partisan Republican politicians. Duh, ya think. Barton, the conservative Republican operative, feeds conservative Republican politicians a narrative that fits their political agendas and they're supposed to not profess great admiration? Oy.
Part one does not present an accurate framing of the issue, instead, they set up the "debate" as largely about opinions and then they go on to the diamonds-in-the dung argument. Oy.
Of course, who would expect anything other than a setup for Barton to win the day in Part 2. Which, I'm sure he does. Oy.
You may have found it already, but Throckmorton has some commentary on Part 2.
http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/26/david-barton-takes-aim-at-his-critics-in-part-two-of-the-blaze-series/#comments
Suffice it to say that Barton, completely unphased by irony or reality, keeps right on deceiving.
This discussion is so erudite that most of our friends cannot follow or contribute. Still, we try. Please understand that most of us, "the people" are preoccupied with caring for and providing for only our own families.
And keeping your free exercise of religion safe from the encroaching state. Keep on keepin' on, brother.
All you need to know is Barton blahblahblahblah distortion blahblahblah pseudo-historian blahblahblah church and state.
BTW, Dr. Derek Davis isn't the director of anything anymore at Baylor. He was a typical blahblahblah church and state secularist drone and resigned over plagiarism.
http://www.fairness.com/resources/relation?relation_id=49932
December 2006: 'The United States is not a Christian state or even a generically religious state,' says Derek Davis, a church-state expert at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. 'We've worked hard for 200 years plus to uphold a principle of religious freedom for all citizens.'
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1207/p01s03-uspo.html
October 2006: '"The willingness of the federal courts to accept these arrangements increased considerably under the influence of William H. Rehnquist when he was chief justice of the Supreme Court, said Derek H. Davis, until recently the director of the J. M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies at Baylor University in Waco, Tex.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/business/08religious.html
September 2006: "In a new twist, Mr. Beckwith alleges that the then-chairman of the church-state-studies department, Derek H. Davis, never provided him with its tenure guidelines and encouraged colleagues to vote against his tenure. Mr. Davis denies this. Mr. Davis is involved in a controversy of his own. He resigned from the university at the end of the spring semester following allegations that he neglected to properly cite sources for two of his articles..."
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