Comments on: World Magazine on the David Barton Controversy

By: Teresa

Teresa — Wed, 30 May 2018 20:29:21 +0000

Warren, the following quote from Mike Lofgren defines David Barton’s cognitive dissonance on his version of American History:

The GOP cult of Ayn Rand is both revealing and mystifying. On the one hand, Rand’s tough guy, every-man-for-himself posturing is a natural fit because it puts a philosophical gloss on the latent sociopathy so prevalent among the hard right. On the other, Rand exclaimed at every opportunity that she was a militant atheist who felt nothing but contempt for Christianity. Apparently, the ignorance of most fundamentalist “values voters” means that GOP candidates who enthuse over Rand at the same time they thump their Bibles never have to explain this stark contradiction. And I imagine a Democratic officeholder would have a harder time explaining why he named his offspring “Marx” than a GOP incumbent would in rationalizing naming his kid “Rand.”

By: TxHistoryProf

TxHistoryProf — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:52:54 +0000

Paul,

Glenn Beck cited and pushed Ayn Rand’s work when his show was on FNC. Would I be correct in asserting that when you refer to “conservatives” not having a strong interest, you would be referring to moderate conservatives rather than right wing evangelicals?

Mark

By: TxHistoryProf

TxHistoryProf — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:52:54 +0000

Paul,

Mark

By: Paul Zummo

Paul Zummo — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:26:18 +0000

That Lofgren quote is a bit disingenuous itself. Yes, there is certainly a contingent on the right that lauds Rand, but generally it is the more libertarian-leaning right-wingers who cite and applaud her. Generally speaking, conservative enthusiasm for Rand is not quite that widespread.

And, for what it’s worth, I don’t believe that Ron Paul named his son after Ayn Rand.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:18:12 +0000

Warren, the following quote from Mike Lofgren defines David Barton’s cognitive dissonance on his version of American History:

The GOP cult of Ayn Rand is both revealing and mystifying. On the one hand, Rand’s tough guy, every-man-for-himself posturing is a natural fit because it puts a philosophical gloss on the latent sociopathy so prevalent among the hard right. On the other, Rand exclaimed at every opportunity that she was a militant atheist who felt nothing but contempt for Christianity. Apparently, the ignorance of most fundamentalist “values voters” means that GOP candidates who enthuse over Rand at the same time they thump their Bibles never have to explain this stark contradiction. And I imagine a Democratic officeholder would have a harder time explaining why he named his offspring “Marx” than a GOP incumbent would in rationalizing naming his kid “Rand.”