This morning Glenn Beck’s news site, The Blaze, launched a three-part series examining criticism of David Barton. Today was given to a description of some of Barton’s critics while the next two days, Barton will have the platform.
My book with Michael Coulter, Getting Jefferson Right, was mentioned as well as a couple of blog posts. Stephen Prothero’s USA Today column was mentioned as was criticism from a NYT’s article about Barton. I was glad to see the links to the articles so readers can follow them out and evaluate the at least some of the evidence. I do wish it would have been made clearer than the negative evaluation of Barton’s history is coming from people all over the ideological spectrum.
This series comes just ahead of Beck’s Restoring Love conference in Dallas where Barton will unveil his Founders Bible published by a division of Windblown Media.
I suppose Barton is a “threat” to historians’ paradigm, at least as far as book sales go. I am amazed by how many persons buy his books, but then I imagine these titles are being bought in bulk to boost sales rankings, as I have heard has been the case with religious conservative literature. I don’t imagine too many religious conservatives actually read these books.
Hey, did you know that David Barton has read more historical documents than like anyone else in history. And there’s no need to listen to Dr. Throckmorton because he’s only a psychologist? These, and other fascinating “rebuttals” in part two today.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/david-barton-part-2-historian-responds-to-critics-claims-academics-extreme-hostility-toward-faith-obamas-alleged-king-george-iii-like-behavior/
Oh, and anyone who criticizes him does so because he threatens their “paradigm.” I guess that includes people like me who are quite possibly to Barton’s right. I guess I’m just a pinko communist after all.
My favorite part of the article is where Hallowell writes that Prothero “claims” that Jefferson labeled the Virgin birth a fable or denied the divinity of Jesus. He uses the word “claims” as an implication that Prothero is just pulling these ideas out of thin air. I don’t think you can label these as “claims” when in fact Jefferson explicitly stated these things in his writings.
This bulk-buying is pretty common now. Conservative groups buy 10s of 1000s of these books, offering them at fundraiser events, with the expressed aim of boosting sales ranks. This is why Beck, O’Reilly, Barton, and others are at the top of amazon and other sales charts. I well imagine most of these books go unread. Lots of blogs noting this phenomenon, but of course the conservative groups deny it,
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/027281.php
Paul – You learn the darndest things when Mr. Barton opines.
This bulk-buying is pretty common now. Conservative groups buy 10s of 1000s of these books, offering them at fundraiser events, with the expressed aim of boosting sales ranks. This is why Beck, O’Reilly, Barton, and others are at the top of amazon and other sales charts. I well imagine most of these books go unread. Lots of blogs noting this phenomenon, but of course the conservative groups deny it,
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/027281.php
@James Ferguson tell me more about the bulk buying of religious religious literature . I have often wondered how such one sided history by unqualified authors sell in such volume. Most of Barton’s readers don’t know the difference between true historical scholarship and religiously bent propaganda.
@James Ferguson tell me more about the bulk buying of religious religious literature . I have often wondered how such one sided history by unqualified authors sell in such volume. Most of Barton’s readers don’t know the difference between true historical scholarship and religiously bent propaganda.
I suppose Barton is a “threat” to historians’ paradigm, at least as far as book sales go. I am amazed by how many persons buy his books, but then I imagine these titles are being bought in bulk to boost sales rankings, as I have heard has been the case with religious conservative literature. I don’t imagine too many religious conservatives actually read these books.
Paul – You learn the darndest things when Mr. Barton opines.
Unfortunately for most poeple who have open minds (a rapidly shrinking group in the USA) proponents of delusions like Beck and Barton are the norm and not the exception.
Hey, did you know that David Barton has read more historical documents than like anyone else in history. And there’s no need to listen to Dr. Throckmorton because he’s only a psychologist? These, and other fascinating “rebuttals” in part two today.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/david-barton-part-2-historian-responds-to-critics-claims-academics-extreme-hostility-toward-faith-obamas-alleged-king-george-iii-like-behavior/
Oh, and anyone who criticizes him does so because he threatens their “paradigm.” I guess that includes people like me who are quite possibly to Barton’s right. I guess I’m just a pinko communist after all.
Unfortunately for most poeple who have open minds (a rapidly shrinking group in the USA) proponents of delusions like Beck and Barton are the norm and not the exception.
It seems that Beck has become ever more schizophrenic over the years. What is this “Restoring Love” thing? I read the first chapter to his new book, “Cowards,” and not much love being expressed here. He is extremely harsh on past Republican presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and others. He even tries to link TR to Hitler through a racist book by Madison Grant, as if to say “Progressivism” and Nazism” are intertwined. Apparently, Grant supported Roosevelt and Hitler read Grant’s book. Seems the only “love” Beck shows are for those who agree with him, like Barton, who he has been defending to no end.
It seems that Beck has become ever more schizophrenic over the years. What is this “Restoring Love” thing? I read the first chapter to his new book, “Cowards,” and not much love being expressed here. He is extremely harsh on past Republican presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and others. He even tries to link TR to Hitler through a racist book by Madison Grant, as if to say “Progressivism” and Nazism” are intertwined. Apparently, Grant supported Roosevelt and Hitler read Grant’s book. Seems the only “love” Beck shows are for those who agree with him, like Barton, who he has been defending to no end.
I read this article. The tone of it is that people are just picking on Barton because they don’t like what he says, rather than because he is distorting history to say what he wants.
My guess is that this series is just going give Barton another platform from which to continue his distortions.
However, I would suggest, Warren, that you (and/or Michael) post to the comment section of the part one with SPECIFIC questions about what Barton has written. Ex: why did you edit the 1782 Virgina law on manumisson? If the law said Jefferson couldn’t free his slaves, why was Robert Carter able to do so?
I was thinking of posting my own, but I think it would be better coming from you or Michael .
My favorite part of the article is where Hallowell writes that Prothero “claims” that Jefferson labeled the Virgin birth a fable or denied the divinity of Jesus. He uses the word “claims” as an implication that Prothero is just pulling these ideas out of thin air. I don’t think you can label these as “claims” when in fact Jefferson explicitly stated these things in his writings.
I read this article. The tone of it is that people are just picking on Barton because they don’t like what he says, rather than because he is distorting history to say what he wants.
My guess is that this series is just going give Barton another platform from which to continue his distortions.
However, I would suggest, Warren, that you (and/or Michael) post to the comment section of the part one with SPECIFIC questions about what Barton has written. Ex: why did you edit the 1782 Virgina law on manumisson? If the law said Jefferson couldn’t free his slaves, why was Robert Carter able to do so?
I was thinking of posting my own, but I think it would be better coming from you or Michael .