WallBuilders
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Barton also brought up the strawman of [[Deconstruction]] as being the motivation behind his critics' opposition to [[American exceptionalism]] despite the fact that Barton's use of the word "deconstruction" seems more than a trifle <s>oblivious</s> idiosyncratic. That, or those same <s>atheist monsters</s> "elitist academics" just hate Jefferson and the other founding fathers.<ref> http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/06/david-bartons-700-club-interview-the-things-we-didnt-say/]</ref> | Barton also brought up the strawman of [[Deconstruction]] as being the motivation behind his critics' opposition to [[American exceptionalism]] despite the fact that Barton's use of the word "deconstruction" seems more than a trifle <s>oblivious</s> idiosyncratic. That, or those same <s>atheist monsters</s> "elitist academics" just hate Jefferson and the other founding fathers.<ref> http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/06/david-bartons-700-club-interview-the-things-we-didnt-say/]</ref> | ||
| − | Barton has also gotten more petulant in tone as criticisms by | + | Barton has also gotten more petulant in tone as criticisms by Throckmorton and William Coulter<ref>In Throckmorton and Coulter's ''Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims about Our Third President''</ref> of Barton's ''The Jefferson Lies'' have apparently begun to sink in. Barton actually seems to think that there's something ''less legitimate'' about criticisms of his work that can be downloaded electronically (via Amazon, in this case) despite the obvious fallacy that a valid criticism of a work is made no less valid by the format it's published in. Barton has also asserted that "jealousy or liberalism" play major parts in adverse criticism of his work and that he's not particularly concerned about criticism of his work by historians.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of,] Barbara Bradley Hagerty, ''All Things Considered''</ref> Add to this the aforementioned ''kvetching'' about "elitist academics" and Barton's claims that he's a "historical expert" (despite his own previous statements that he's ''not'' a historian), and what you have is a really profound example of [[Dunning-Kruger effect|Dunning-Kruger]] at work.<ref>http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/17/david-barton-logical-fallacy-machine/</ref> |
Barton's suspect approach to valid criticism of his work has apparently backfired in a truly epic fashion; not only did he get a massive dose of adverse publicity on NPR's ''All Things Considered,''<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of,] Barbara Bradley Hagerty, ''All Things Considered''</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/npr-looks-into-david-bartons-bunk-history-refusal-to-respond-to-criticism NPR Looks Into David Barton's Bunk History, Refusal to Respond to Criticism,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> but Thomas Nelson - the publisher of Barton's ''The Jefferson Lies'' - announced that they were pulling his book due to "historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-bartons-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day David Barton's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> | Barton's suspect approach to valid criticism of his work has apparently backfired in a truly epic fashion; not only did he get a massive dose of adverse publicity on NPR's ''All Things Considered,''<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of,] Barbara Bradley Hagerty, ''All Things Considered''</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/npr-looks-into-david-bartons-bunk-history-refusal-to-respond-to-criticism NPR Looks Into David Barton's Bunk History, Refusal to Respond to Criticism,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> but Thomas Nelson - the publisher of Barton's ''The Jefferson Lies'' - announced that they were pulling his book due to "historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-bartons-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day David Barton's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> | ||
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WallBuilders is a Texas-based dominionist Christian book publisher which appears to mainly serve as the in-house publishing vehicle for the writings of evangelist David Barton. Barton is a Texas Republican, and holds a B.A. from Oral Roberts University, and an honorary Ph.D. from the unaccredited Pensacola Christian College. He has no credentials in history or law.
Contents |
Fundamentalism and pseudohistory
Barton's main thesis appears to be that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, the Founding Fathers being fundamentalist Christians, and not the historical assortment of Deists, liberal Protestants, Quakers, freethinkers, etc. Barton's writings extensively quote mine from the Founders to make his point, and he has gone so far as to even fabricate some quotes completely (this resulted in him pulling and then re-issuing his book The Myth of Separation under a different title, after his forgery of at least one James Madison quote was outed).[1]
Barton's works, such as America's Godly Heritage, are widely sold by a variety of religious right groups. America's Godly Heritage is in audio and video formats as well as a small book, and features an illustration of George Washington on the front cover kneeling in prayer in a pose suggesting he is engaged in spiritual warfare. Other books include The Bulletproof George Washington ("[a] riveting account of God's providence and protection"), Original Intent (originally titled The Myth of Separation, asserting the principal of separation of church and state was not intended by the Founders), a biography of Declaration of Independence signer Benjamin Rush, reprintings of early Puritan educational texts for the homeschooling market such as the New England Primer, and dozens of others.
Despite being considered a "pseudohistorian" by mainstream scholars, Barton is unsurprisingly very popular with the religious right, and his publications are frequently used by Christian private schools and homeschoolers (from which Barton has made quite a bit of cash, might we add). His name keeps popping up more and more frequently in the background of current religious right activities - most recently he has been "discovered" by Glenn Beck as a frequent guest "expert".
Barton has also played a role in influencing the Texas Board of Education's decision to approve of public school textbooks which give a more favorable image to Christian conservatism.
White supremacist connections
In 1991, David Barton gave a speech presentation at white supremacist Rev. Peter J. Peters' "Rocky Mountain Bible Retreat", where he spoke alongside Canadian Holocaust denier Malcom Ross, and conspiracy theorist and POW-MIA huckster James "Bo" Gritz.[2] He also spoke at Kingdom Covenant College in Oregon in 1992, another Christian Identity group with ties to Peters. In 1993, Barton's spokeperson Kit Marshall released a statement claiming that Barton "had no idea that they were part of the Nazi movement".[2][3] Right, Dave...
It should also be noted that Barton's upcoming book The Founder's Bible quotes 19th century Governor of South Carolina James Hammond approvingly on the subject on his belief that America is a Christian nation. Unfortunately, Barton tends to gloss over the fact that Hammond also advocated Slavery as a completely acceptable Christian institution as well. Oops.[4][5]
Critics
Chris Rodda, author of Liars for Jesus, specializes in refuting Barton's bunk.
In response to some of Rodda's criticisms, Barton's radio co-host Rick Green also issued a direct challenge to Rodda to back up the "image" of Barton created by his "critics (sic) innuendo" and included the usual snarl worlds concerning "elitist professors" and "leftwing bloggers" as well as some cheerful Godwin-variety fun thrown in free of charge.[6][7] Rodda responded and took up Green's challenge;[8] Green's "response" was, as you might guess, a veritable whine-fest less than charitable in its wording.[9]
Barton's (non-)answers to other critics
It's all because they hate God[10], of course. Especially those SOBs from the Freedom From Religion Society[11], whoever they may be.
The "critics of Barton hate religion" canard is a ploy that Barton commonly makes use of. He and radio co-host Rick Green conveniently ignored the possibility that criticism of Barton's work is accurate and chalked up attacks on him to a continuing effort to "disenfranchise Christians"[12] despite the fact that some of Barton's most vocal critics (such as Warren Throckmorton) are practicing Christians. Barton (with the "assistance" of theocratic wackjob Bryan Fischer) even went so far as to attack Throckmorton's religious beliefs,[13] which indicates that Barton will always find a reason to dismiss criticism of his work regardless of the motivations of the author or the accuracy of the critique.
Barton also brought up the strawman of Deconstruction as being the motivation behind his critics' opposition to American exceptionalism despite the fact that Barton's use of the word "deconstruction" seems more than a trifle oblivious idiosyncratic. That, or those same atheist monsters "elitist academics" just hate Jefferson and the other founding fathers.[14]
Barton has also gotten more petulant in tone as criticisms by Throckmorton and William Coulter[15] of Barton's The Jefferson Lies have apparently begun to sink in. Barton actually seems to think that there's something less legitimate about criticisms of his work that can be downloaded electronically (via Amazon, in this case) despite the obvious fallacy that a valid criticism of a work is made no less valid by the format it's published in. Barton has also asserted that "jealousy or liberalism" play major parts in adverse criticism of his work and that he's not particularly concerned about criticism of his work by historians.[16] Add to this the aforementioned kvetching about "elitist academics" and Barton's claims that he's a "historical expert" (despite his own previous statements that he's not a historian), and what you have is a really profound example of Dunning-Kruger at work.[17]
Barton's suspect approach to valid criticism of his work has apparently backfired in a truly epic fashion; not only did he get a massive dose of adverse publicity on NPR's All Things Considered,[18][19] but Thomas Nelson - the publisher of Barton's The Jefferson Lies - announced that they were pulling his book due to "historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported".[20]
Send zem to ze CAMPS!
Barton recently decided that the only way stop looking like an attention-seeking fundamentalist ideologue is to look more like a attention-seeking fundamentalist ideologue. How? He and old buddy and patron Glenn Beck apparently want to establish indoctrination education camps intended to protect the precious bodily fluids of American youth from the evils of Liberal education, that's how. There's no truth to the rumor that all of the re-educators instructors will talk like General Burkhalter or Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes, though.[21]
See also
External links
- Barton's Texas influence
- A critique of Barton's America's Godly Heritage
- Liars for Jesus - Chris Rodda's website thoroughly debunking Barton
- Right Wing Watch profile of David Barton
- The Quixotic Task of Debunking David Barton, Paul Harvey, Religion Dispatches
- Warren Throckmorton's page on David Barton's claims concerning John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
- Questions arise in Alabama after Public TV Employees were Fired after Rebuffing David Barton Programming, Right Wing Watch, June 14th, 2012
Footnotes
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9W4I_NL7rI
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 David Barton: Master of Myth and Misinformation
- ↑ http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/36137_Glenn_Beck_Promotes_Theocracy_and_Interviews_David_Barton_-_Speaker_at_Neo-Nazi_Rallies
- ↑ http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/19/bartons-new-book-cites-slavery-defender-as-christian-leader/
- ↑ http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/16/founders-bible-cites-pro-slavery-leader-as-proponent-of-america-as-a-christian-nation/
- ↑ Rodda To Get Book on Barton Website? Dispatches from the Culture Wars
- ↑ Another Conservative Denounces David Barton's 'Prevarications' while Rick Green Compares Criticism of Barton to the Holocaust, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Barton Radio Co-Host Issues Challenge; I’ve Accepted, FreeThoughtBlogs.com, August 11th, 2012
- ↑ Barton Co-Host Fails His Own Challenge, Dispatches from the Culture Wars
- ↑ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-christians-who-criticize-me-are-just-parroting-their-secular-professor
- ↑ Barton probably meant the Freedom From Religion Foundation, of course
- ↑ The David Barton-Rick Green Pity Party Drags On, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-and-fischer-defend-jefferson-lies-attacking-warren-throckmorton Barton and Fischer Defend 'The Jefferson Lies' by Attacking Warren Throckmorton,] Right Wing Watch
- ↑ http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/06/david-bartons-700-club-interview-the-things-we-didnt-say/]
- ↑ In Throckmorton and Coulter's Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims about Our Third President
- ↑ The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of, Barbara Bradley Hagerty, All Things Considered
- ↑ http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/17/david-barton-logical-fallacy-machine/
- ↑ The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of, Barbara Bradley Hagerty, All Things Considered
- ↑ NPR Looks Into David Barton's Bunk History, Refusal to Respond to Criticism, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ David Barton's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Barton and Beck to Run Two-Week Indoctrination Camps for College Students, Right Wing Watch