DAVID BARTON'S CHRISTORY: AN UNDER- REPORTED 2006 OHIO CAMPAIGN STORY

I've been away for quite awhile and am trying to catch up. Below is an article I wrote for the upcoming issue of the Columbus Free Press. I'll be posting a couple other pieces of "old news," this month. Though it's old news, I think it's worth documenting theoconic activity pre-and post election. Remember, just because "they" didn't win doesn't mean "they" are going away! David Barton's appearance, which I write about below, garnered a short piece in the Dispatch. I doubt if MSM even knows who Barton is, much less why he's important.

Photos of David Barton by the author.

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Republican operative, and self-made “chistorian” David Barton blew into Potter’s House Church of God on the city’s West Side on October 26 for an early morning meet and greet pre-election history lecture cum get-out-the-vote rally. The event was sponsored by Cincinnati-based Citizens for Community Values (CCV), Ken Blackwell’s infantry which 2 years ago brought out “values voters” in droves to pass Ohio’s Draconian “marriage protection” amendment. CCV director and public moralist, Phil Burress, father-in-law of Potter House pastor Tim Oldfield, was on hand for the introduction.

Barton, the former vice chair of the Texas Republican Party, an adviser and close friend of George W. Bush, is a seminal figure in the Christian Reconstruction movement, He is the force behind much of what I call “Christory“--the revision and re-order of US history to fit the Christian Domionist agenda. Barton and his organization Wallbuilders are dedicated to “educating” the nation on its “Godly foundation;” developing public policy based on Biblical values, and encouraging evangelicals to be involved in the public fora. The establishment of so-called Biblical principals in US culture and government, Barton believes, can be had by rejecting the “1960s economic view of history,“ and returning to “Providential perspective” of history as moral and governmental principles guided by a Divine hand.

This may seem pretty heady and unlikely talk for an early morning voter drive meet-up, but the 75 or so who attended the event were eager to learn more.


To help them out, Barton unloaded a bag of 19th century history books and law commentaries, school readers, and documents, including what he claimed was an original letter from John Adams, to aid in his Power Point lecture on “real” American History that placed God smack in the center of the American Revolution and the Constitution. Props without context, outside their own history, to desecularize the state. Barton’s history included the “facts“ that the Declaration of Independence is “about God,” written in response to George III‘s rejection of the Bible and the royal banning of missionaries to the colonies; Benjamin Franklin joined the cause of the Revolution to oppose slavery; and the assertion that Quakers and Episcopalians killed Baptists in Pennsylvania for preaching the Gospel.

Would you be surprised to learn that David Barton has no formal training in history or historical method.? He, in fact, holds only a BA in Religious Education from Oral Roberts University and an honorary doctorate from Pensacola Christian College. Although Barton’s “history” has been embraced by Presidential hopeful Sam Brownback as joining God and the Republican Party (Barton’s “research provides the philosophical underpinning for a lot of the Republican effort in the country today -- bringing God back into the public square) and Bill Frist (“detailed research into the religious heritage of our nation.”). Barton has no credibility among genuine historians. Derek Davis, director of the JM Dawson Institute of Church-Studies at Baylor University, complains that Barton presents a “distortion of the truth.” The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty trounced his work, tearing apart numerous “facts” concluding that his “history lessons are laced with exaggerations, half-truths and misstatements of fact.” Arlen Specter wrote in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy that many of Barton’s arguments “range from the technical to the absurd.” Barton himself admits that he’s been unable to locate the primary sources of many of the quotes that he attributes to James Madison, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and other historical figures, but says it doesn’t matter since they are in line with the views of the Founders. (Go here to see criticism of Barton).Incredibly Barton has been appointed to state education History standards boards of Alabama, Texas, and Kentucky and acted in an advisory capacity in other states.

Barton says that the Christian’s duty is to vote So while he may have been talking history at Potter‘s House, his immediate job was to get out the vote--though he was careful to not say for who, for what issues, or for what party. And, despite the best laid plans of the Patriot Pastors, and the Ohio-invested Arlington Group (and here), “values voters” Barton feared would stay home. If they don’t vote, he warned, the “culture war“ is over. “Go to Sunday School and break fingers,“ he urged. “You’re accountable to God, if you don’t vote,” As if that weren’t scary enough, Barton lamented that 45% of Christians who do vote, vote economic issues over morality. What’s an evangelical to do?

In a discussion with me post-pep talk, Barton, in a strange self-contradiction, called the Ohio gubernatorial election for Ted Strickland. He admitted that “values candidate “
Ken Blackwell had little chance of winning. “Blackwell is the right man for the job, but with a governor with a 15% approval rating, everybody wants change.”

I have also written about Barton in My Evening with Rod Parsley...
More about CCV and Phil Burness is in Ohio Christian Alliance...

TRANSCRIPT: ROY'S ROCK TOUR, OCTOBER 15, 2004

On October 15, 2004, Roy's Rock--Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore's 10 Commandments monument removed by force from the Alabama Supreme Court buiding --arrived in Columbus. The tour was sponsored by American Veterans in Domestic Defense and locally by Reform America.The rock's first appearance was at noon at City Hall. Mark Harrington, director of Reform America, Coach Dave Daubenmire, founder of Minutemen United, and Hollis Summers from AVDD spoke. State Representive Linda Reidelbach (R-Columbus) and the president of the Christian Coalition of Ohio were scheduled to speak, but didn't show. After the ceremony, the monument was taken to Potter's House Church and the High Street Baptist Church in Worhington. I audio taped the downtown event. A summary appeared in the Jan-Feb 2005 issue of the Free Press

NOTE ON TRANSCRIPTION: There are a few gaps in the transcript. The event was outside and traffic interfered with recording. Also, for part of the event a portable generator was running next to the truck bed, which occasionally drowned out recording. Hollis Summers was difficult to transcribe as well. He spoke softly with a deep Southern accent.

OPENING BIBLE READING (recorded in progress)
In the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous all together. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold. They are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned and in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalms 19: 8-11)

AUDIENCE:
Amen (followed by inaudible sounds)

SPEAKER/SHOFAR BLOWER: (no name; middle aged man wearing yarmulke)
Many of you may not know what this is. It’s a shofar, the oldest wind instrument in the world. Actually created not by man, but by God Himself.
So, when was the first time the shofar was mentioned in scripture? You can read it in Exodus Chapters 19 and 20. When the shofar sounded loud and long it was then the presence of God came down on the mountain and it was then-- after the shofar—that these 10 Commandments—the 10 words—were given to mankind, giving us more than commandments, they gave us instruction how to live righteously together and in peace among all nations.

I’m going to play the traditional sounds of the shofar. They’re a little bit like Morse Code, so if you know the code you will know what the shofar is saying.

The first sound is ta-daaaa and it causes us to be awakened from our sleep and to recognize the awesomeness of God.

And when we see that awesomeness in God you’ll hear other sounds—short sounds—ta-da-ta-da-ta-da. That symbolizes our crying, our mourning over our sins. The sounds also represent God’s mourning. Rabbinical thought is that God Himself mourns when He sees us in unrighteousness. So these sounds remind us of that.

Also, you’ll hear short staccato sounds—ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta. It’s like a warning. It is a warning. When we recognize what God says as opposed to what many men thinks, we want to warn people what is right.

And then you’ll hear a long note at the very end. It’s called a tekiah haguadlah (sp?), and it’s a long long sound. And it simply means that when we get right with God there’s gonna someday be a kingdom on earth where that righteousness and right-doing will be forever and forever. So that’s the purpose of playing the nice long note. Just to remind us symbolically that the Kingdom of God is on its way. It’s in our hearts now and someday we’ll be (will be?) eternal. These are the codes and the message of the shofar.

Plays shofar.

MUSIC STARTS:
(guitar and singing in background) Music performed by (first name unknown—maybe John) Hermis, a woman (wife?) and the shofar blower who also plays a horn. I didn’t note what kind).

SONGS:
(Note I didn’t transcribe the lyrics except for Song #2 since it seemed significant as an imprecatory ritiual.. The other songs were pretty standard).

SONG #1:
Old Testament-oriented song: “This is the God of Israel....”

SONG #2:
(folky-type song possible titled “We Take a Stand”)

INTRODUCTION:
HERMIS:
This song says takes a stand, and we declare this city, this state, and this nation belongs to Jesus. Whether we acknowledge it or not is up to us. So that’s the way it is. That’s reality.

Song:
We take a stand
And we declare
This city belongs to Jesus
We take a stand
And we declare
Columbus: Columbus belongs to the Lord

(Hallelujah)
We take a stand and we….
This state. This state belongs to Jesus
We take a stand and we….
Ohio: Ohio belongs to the Lord
Now is the time
Now is the time
To rise and be counted
Now is the time
To take the land
Now is the time
For sin to surrender
Now is the time to take a stand
For …oh

Oh we take a stand
That we: This nation….
This nation belongs to Jesus
We take a stand
That we: America….
America belongs to the Lord

Halleluiah
Now is the time
To march into battle
Storming the gates
Of evil’s reign
Turning the tide
With power from Heaven
Taking this city in Jesus’ s name

We take a stand
Oh we take a stand
And we: this nation….
This nation belongs to Jesus
We take a stand
And we declare
America belongs to the Lord

Thank you Lord!

SONG #3:
“My Jesus, My Savior…. I sing for joy…. Shout to the Lord…. Nothing compares to the prize I have in you. (don’t know name of song but I’ve heard at Teen Mania

SONG #4
INTRODUCTION:
This is our prayer. Isaiah 64: Lord rend the heavens and come down for us. Turn the hearts of this country back to you.

(duet) Shine down on me Lord…..push back those clouds…

***Stopped recording songs for awhile***
(Note” They seemed to be killing time and I had to change batteries)

MARK HARRINGTON: (no introduction---pictured right)
50 years now….1963. The assault on religious freedom and the 10 Commandments began. Now we find ourselves in 2004. The 10 Commandments were removed from the Alabama Supreme Court last year. Now the US Supreme Court is going to hear the case now finally now 24 years after the decision of 1980. What we see that almost 50 years from that…almost 50 years now…. 41 actually since the first real decision taking prayer out of the schools, we’ve had the systematic elimination of references to God in public life.

Let me read a few of the decisions that led to where we stand today in 2004. These are the 7—7 I would say, major decisions that have gotten us to this point.

In 1962: Engle v Vitale The Supreme Court disallowed prayer in public schools.

1963: US Supreme Court in Abington v Schempp removed God’s word from the education of the children in the public schools

1973: Roe v Wade. The Supreme Court decriminalized killing unborn children.

1980: The Supreme Court case decided to take the 10 Commandments--Stone v Graham-- The US Supreme Court took the 10 Commandments from the walls of our public schools.

2003: Lawrence v Texas. The US Supreme Court declared that a man has the Constitutional right to sodomy.

(Inaudible remark from audience)

All right!

There’s 2003 as well. US District Court Byron Thompson ordered then Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was the Chief Justice of Alabama, the top judicial officer of the state to remove the 10 Commandments. It was actually more than that. They forbade him from the acknowledgment of God which you find right here in the front… (turns to monument) The Constitution of Alabama talks about the acknowledgement of God in civil government-- must acknowledge God.

Then in 2003 as well, the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalized homosexual marriage.

I say this: What God has called an abomination we will never be able to call marriage.

Now, 50 years later, where to we find ourselves? We sow bloodshed in the womb, we’re gonna sow it in the streets and in our school system. If we sew sexuality, fornication, and Sodom, we’re gonna reap the breakdown of this civilization. If we sow the removal of God from the hearts of men that allow us to govern ourselves then it will be taken over by government itself, and become tyrannical and encroach upon our ability to govern ourselves.

So basically the idea is this. We’re in a crisis in this country. Our presidential candidates won’t address the main issues. They talk about the economy. Remember the old phrase. What was it? “It’s the economy stupid?” Right? Well, I’ve got a new campaign phrase for them this year. “If you think it’s the economy then you’re stupid” “Cause we don’t have economic problems. We got moral problems in America. And neither presidneital candidate really, for the most part, is dealing with those.

DAVE DAUBENMIRE (interjects):
If you’re stupid, it’s the economy!

MARK HARRINGTON:
If you think it’s the economy. …well, either way. Either way you get my idea here. So basically we’re here today to uphold the law of God and to attempt to draw attention to it, to restore it the halls of civil government whether it beat the Statehouse, at the City Hall, and at the Federal Courthouse. And to use this rock as it goes around the country with these folks from AVIDD, which by the way is American Veterans in Domestic Defense for taking this…. for about a year now, and will take it for another year. So, you know the idea is to try to draw attention to the need to draw—to bring that back into the civil government.

Now, let me say this. Before it’s restored into this house, the Federal Courthouse, the State House, and the Alabama Supreme Court, we gotta restore it into our own house. That’s where it began long ago, the church, Jesus Christ…really beginning with the father in the home, to be honest with you. The father in the home who began to neglect his responsibility to teach his family to follow the law of God. And therefore, it went into the church. No longer is the law of God taught or esteemed in the church house, from the pulpit. No wonder we don’t have it held up in the halls of our government today. So I call for us—for us—the Church, as Christians, to restore the teaching of 10 Commandments in the church and in the home as a precursor to restoring it in of civil government.

By the way, my name is Mark Harrington with Reform America. Also head up a group called the Bioethical Reform and host Mark Harrington Live on Saturdays. (WRFD-AM)

Now, I had a couple people call me today and say they couldn’t make it today. I had Linda Reidelbach, State Representative who was gonna make it down here. State Director for Christian Coalition is gonna be here a little later. This thing will be here until 2:00, I think, or so, and then we’re gonna move it to four churches this weekend. Saturday and Sunday. So, you’re welcome…anybody is welcome obviously to go up and take a look at the monument, take pictures, whatever.

I’d just like also just introduce Dave Daubenmire, for a moment. Dave Daubenmire, by the way if running for state representative

DAVE DAUBENMIRE: (interjects):
State School Board!

MARK HARRINGTON:
State School Board!

DAVE DASUBENMIRE:
9th District

(applause)

DAVE DAUBENMIRE (right):
Thanks Mark!

20 (?) of my closest friend and I spent several nights sleeping on the steps of the Montgomery, Alabama last (inaudible) trying to take it out of the Judicial Building, and be down there and be a part of….

You can throw a stone from about here to the bridge to the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, which where many of you know, is where the Civil Rights Movement began. Where Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. sat at the table in the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and joined—began the boycott of the buses. That all happened within a stones’ of where this monument was sitting. And I really believe, even though we don’t understand it, the second great civil rights movement began in Montgomery, Alabama a year ago. And those who think that now that this has been removed from the Judicial Building and Judge Moore ahs been removed from office…. those who think the battle is over are greatly deceived, because I believe the battle is just beginning. But just to really…. back to what Mark said…. we’re told in Matthew that it would be better for you if they were to put a millstone around your neck and throw you into the deepest part of the ocean that you would you would (harm?) one of these little ones who believe in me.

(inaudible) What I’d love to have happen in this government as far as God teaching our children the truth, and teaching them that they were created, or not created rather. …came from the apes, and we all know how that story goes. Those of us who continue to allow our tax dollars to go to teaching of ungodly doctrine…. things that we know are not true, I believe that we are going to stand before almighty God (inaudible) for our willingness to allow those things to happen.

It’s an honor to be down every time Harrington does something with the 10 Commandments it rains. There must be a message there! But I was saying to Mark and the few of us that are gathered here, remember this: we are not responsibly for the result. We’re responsible to declare, to plant, to water. God’s the one’s who’s responsible for the fruits. So I salute all of you who came down here. John’s lovely wife, and shofar blowers and everybody…. we appreciate you being down here.

Evil spirits in high places! This is what we’re wrestling with (inaudible). Praise the lord

MARK HARRINGTON:
Let me just...Like I said, this thing will be here until Sunday. Tell your friends to come on down to the Potter’s House tomorrow. Hollis Summers who is heading this up…. (inaudible)

He’s the guy and his buddy Brian—the one driving the truck. I’d like to introduce him to you. By the way, this group is a non-profit organization. OK. (inaudible) receive a few donations here. I know we got a few numbers here. But we really can tell… I want to help these folks. And if you’re able to put a few dollars in the basket, Hollis is gonna pass it around right now. We’ve gotta help them keep this thing on the road, put fuel in his truck, keep this thing moving. So, let’s let’s do that. right now.

DAVE DAUBENMIRE:
Talking about the Ohio Marriage Amendment. You understand we’re not trying to change the law. Everybody else is changing the law. We’re trying to reestablish the law. We’re trying to hold the fort on the law. We’re trying to stick our thumbs in the dike on the law. Because if we loose because (inaudible)

So they try to say we’re trying to change the law. And that’s absolutely not the truth.

MARK HARRINGTON:
All right. I just want to take a moment to introduce my friend now, Hollis Summers, whose been with this truck and the monument…. for how long now?…. 11 weeks, and plans on doing it for another year or so, God willing, with an organization called American Veterans in Domestic Defense, website: standingforgod.org. But also AVIDD…avidd.org if you’re interested in finding out more. But Hollis is the man He and Brian, and others and his wife have been traveling the country with this monument. We’re privileged have him in Columbus for this weekend. Hollis Summers.

HOLLIS SUMMERS: (right)
Thanks! My name is Hollis Summers (inaudible)

I’d just say that we are traveling the United States. We’ve been in 12 states: up in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. We plan to keep on traveling until we’ve been to all he states (long inaudible) It’s great to bring it out for all you folks to see it. (long inaudible, car horn blowing). …welcome to go up, take pictures, anything you want to do. It’s cold up here! (laugher!)

MARK HARRINGTON:
OK. That’s it. Let me pray and then, Joan (?) do you want me to…. mostly (inaudible…was taking pictures of prayer circle, fire engine going down street with loud siren). Picked up a few word and phrases: White House, Statehouse, courts, school board……salt of the earth….salt of the earth….trampled underfoot. We’re seeing that right now in our.the Word of God…. restoration of the Bible…. in Jesus name we pray, Amen. Thank you for coming guys The itinerary is on the website. God Bless!