OK, it's official...I'm not voting for Mike Huckabee (I'll pause while you laugh....OK, finished (?).). At the recent Rediscover God Conference GOP presidential hopefuls like Mike rub elbows with prominent Christian pastors to reaffirm their unchanging and correct message "One nation under (our) God." When it was time for Mike to speak he opened with some funnies, like this gem...
"I almost wish that all Americans would be forced at gunpoint to listen to every David Barton message..." That is a joke, right(?). Regardless, the crowd laughed. So who is this David Barton and why does Mike want to shove him down our throats. Because he is all christian-y and a pseudo historian that propagates historical accuracies like, the founding fathers did intend for America to be a Christian nation, that U.S. of A is a Christian nation, the very ideas of the framers were a direct result of Christianity and that the bible is supposed to be taught in public schools (actually I don't recall if Barton said that or Chuck Norris).
A Catholic FB friend, when I post my really awesome and devastating critiques of religion (and humble and grammatically mistake free), always says "Why do you care." My friend, and she is my friend, somehow thinks that I'm attacking religion, when what I'am really doing is responding to religion. Why do we do this and why is the battle for secular society important. Because of the Mike's, the Bartons and others like, Michele Bachmann.
Among other issues that should be passe the Xtian and republican right are still fighting the Scopes Monkey Trial and Roe v Wade. With gov. resources becoming scarce in many needed areas (social services), it is such a waste of tax payer money to fight the same battles, over and over, like gays in the military or feminism. The war on reason is in the science classroom with the creationists trying to promote their version of the origin of life (Genesis) and it is also in the history classroom.
What I fear is a whole generation of mostly homeschooled kids (Bartons history books are THE books to get if yer a homschooled Christian) learning an incorrect history and not having the critical thinking skills or desire to question what they have learned. Mike is a presidential candidate and so is Bachmann. Bobby Jindal, Gov. Louisiana, believes that creationism should be taught in schools while real science is taught at inadequate levels already. The Texas school board is endorsing history books that sound like history revisionists David Barton and Glenn Beck. When the Texas School Board decides to endorse and buy a certain book, the rest of the country follows (and ya know, I don't know why that is. anyone, anyone...). The peeps mentioned are very influential and it is very easy to accept and not question people of authority. That combined with rogue homeschoolers and cuts in education spending, makes for a very dangerous future, not just for the children, but for the world.
How will this future HS generation treat the GLBT community or how will they feel about abortion or American history. This is why it is so important to have a secular public square, a place where everyone is equal and no one group is favored over others. A needed public square where on groups ideology is promoted over others and in the place of the truth. The war on history and science classrooms will probably last forever just as the fights for civil rights, feminism and the GLBT community. They are determined and single minded. They will have their way, it is their mission and I don't know if hearts and minds can be changed on this one. Our only hope is reason, but will it prevail?
"34.Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35.For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
History is written by the winners. We need to win this one. Their motivation...what's yours.
* Chris Rodda in Huff Po
* The vid in Religion Dispatches
* Rediscover God in America, who's motto is the very yucky Bring God Back To The Center Of American Life. OM(nonexistent)G.
* Matt 10
* Liars For Jesus. Rodda's book where she destroys Bartons history. If ur a history buff you'll like it. It was really document-y for me, but it is still really good. She takes claims from his books and shows how he distorts the truth.
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