Posted on 09/24/2004 4:33:52 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
BEN BARNES:
I think the country is probably more divided today then it's been since the Civil War. I certainly was not alive, although some people probably think I was alive at the conclusion of the Civil War. So I wasn't there firsthand.
But I believe that this country is very severely divided. Families are divided. Friends are divided. Communities are divided. Churches, schools. It's not healthy.
I have a letter in my possession from my grandfather who wrote to my uncle who was on Iwo Jima. And in the first paragraph, he talks about the crops are in the ground. We've had ground rain. He's trying to write a kind of letter to cheer my uncle up. But he says in the next paragraph that, "I'm very concerned about the fact that the religious right in this country--" and he talked about a person that was on the radio that was talking about the religion and politics had to mix. And that we should get involved because God was telling us to do this. And God was telling us to do that.
And I'm like-- my grandfather in 1943 speculated that he was very concerned because he thought it was very important in this country to keep the separation between church and state. And I believe that very strongly also.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
"I'm very concerned about the fact that the religious right in this country--"
Is this a term that would have been used in 1945?
Dems are always concerned about the country being 'divided' when they are losing. When they're shoving the Republicans out the door, 'division' is never a concern of theirs.
And WHO's doing the dividing, Clymer?
And by the way, Opie, how interesting is it that just by mentioning our name, you acknowledge that we are right?
I don't believe it. I very seriously doubt the phrase "religious right" had ever been used prior to the 80s, 70s at the earliest. He is lying about this letter.
If he does have such a document, I bet it was written in proportional spacing Times New Roman font!
Be the first person to find a legitimate use of the term "religious right" from the WWII era, used in its present sense. I will personally send you $5.
Is it really his assertion that we are suffering from too much religion in our country? That doesn't pass the straight face test.
What nonsense. We're more divided than in the 1960s? Gimme a break.
I agree, Barnes is lying right through his teeth. How can we call him on the carpet? Any ideas?
the left most fears religion. this has been a cosistent dnc taling poit against bush. the fear that bush's example will allow people to speak of God without fear of legal cosequences
Though most of Barnes' screed is unmitigated bullsqueeze, he is correct in this. The Second Civil War draws near.
First thing I saw! Is Burkett typing for him, too?
Back then, even Democrats believed in God, so no, it wouldn't have been used. Besides, there really was no such thing as "the right," or a conservative movement, as we know it. And there was no separation of church and state movement back then. Madalyn Murray O'Hair was the leader of that, and she didn't start until the early 60s. I never even heard the "religious right" term used until the 1980s.
As for "and he talked about a person that was on the radio that was talking about the religion and politics had to mix. And that we should get involved because God was telling us to do this. And God was telling us to do that," the only person that could have possibly been was Father Coughlin, but he stopped his broadcasts in 1940, three years before this alleged letter. And Couglin started out an FDR fan, but became disillusioned with him for not being radical enough!
Who can ask Barnes for a look at this alleged letter?
'I think the country is probably more divided today then it's been since the Civil War"
Apparently you were out of the country during the Klintoon years, (!)wipe
What do you bet it's a fake?
I dunno, but you ought to send this to one of the bloggers (instapundit or powerlineblog.com or something) and publicize this. Very good catch on your part.
I don't agree
No, I don't believe "religious right" was coined then. They certainly wouldn't have been frightened by the "right" at the time, either. The Left was dominant, FDR loyalties.
And, then, people in both parties actually believed in God. Right now I count only Zell and Joe that still practice their faith with sincerity.
I highly doubt this is a phrase that was in use then. It hasn't even been mainstreamed for more than 30 years at best.
Barnes was hand picked by LBJ to be the next Senator or Governor of Texas and then President. Unfortunately Barnes had no sense of moral certainty and got caught with his other post modern Texas RAT brethern in a fraud. His political career ended and he has been resentful since --after all what is a psychopath to do if he cannot enter public service?
Is the Joe you mention Joe Lieberman?
He has such a dandy press office. He was one of the few Dems who voted against the partial birth abortion ban, for example. He isn't nearly as moral as he would like folks to think.
I sent powerlineblog.com an email, and a summary of what's wrong with the letter, including the Iwo Jima reference and the "religious right" comment.
But of course it is only the republicans who have "turned right" over the past 40 years. The democrats are "mainstream", like Kerry.
Check this out.
If Barnes grandfather was a Texas Democrat he would have been a segregationist and he would hardly have been the type to separate religion and politics since they were linked in the South.
It is doubtful that Father Coughlin would have been listened to by many southern whites as he was a crusading Catholic and I find it hard to believe he could have found a radio station in the south to give him airtime.
This is just more making it up as you go along. Like Clinton remembering burning black churches in Arkansas when it never happened there. These people must believe that we're all mindless to fall for this nonsense. Maybe they're right about enough to give them the White House.
Ben Barnes has got a lot of Dick Gephart in him.
And even more of Bill Clinton.
If his lips are moving...
In the 1940s hardly anybody was worried about the influence of religion in politics, especially in the South, where if they had thought about they would have wanted more religious influence.
In 1943, there were a lot more important things to worry about.
RELIGIOUS RIGHT
gees what's up with these people- definitely not the language in the 40's
ground rain?
First time, I have ever heard of suchathing and I thought I was good on Southern sayings.
But Ben simply lies so much he can't keep his stories straight. He got GWB a spot in the TANG when he was Lt. Governor. But GWB joined the TANG in 1968 and ol' Ben wasn't Lt. Gov. until 1969.
As in this story, Ben's grandfather is writing to his uncle on Iwo Jima in 1943. But we didn't land on Iwo Jima until 1945.
Ol' Ben never lets the facts get in the way of a good story. Especially one that grinds a political axe...
....religious right......
WOW. Is Lucy Ramerez that old?
Thanks, NYCV.
....Not to mention he's a pond slug.
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