Losman-McGahee-Evans Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Unfortunately, this is a complete lie. The teacher was FORCING his students to listen to and read "Christian Nation" propaganda. The school asked him to stop. The teacher is suing the school with the help of a right-wing "Christian Law" organization, the Alliance Defense Fund. (http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/) Also see this : http://www.alliancealert.org/ The school did NOT "ban the Declaration of Independence" -- that is just a lie. This story is like when you hear that a man was "arrested for praying" and you find out he was kneeling in the middle of a busy intersection at rush hour and refused to move. This was a BIG STORY today, on Rush, and Drudge, and the rest of the Usual Suspects. And it is a carefully planned and carefully timed lie. The story was timed for this afternoon so that it cannot be refuted until Monday. It is timed to cause fights and hatred at family Thanksgiving dinners across the country. It is part of a strategy to reinforce a "conventional wisdom" notion that "liberals" are "going too far" with their demands of separation of church and state. People For the American Way has a web page about the Alliance Defense Fund if you are so inclined : http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=4457 ADF's Founders: Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ Larry Burkett, founder of Christian Financial Concepts Rev. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family Rev. D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Ministries Marlin Maddoux, President of International Christian Media Don Wildmon, founder of American Family Association (And 25+ other ministries) President and General Counsel: Alan Sears Date of founding: 1994 Finances: $15,411,093 (2001 budget) And note this: 'ADF defines itself by its ability to strategize and coordinate with lawyers all over the United States.' And this : 'ADF also defends the right of Christians to 'share the gospel' in workplaces and public schools, claiming that any efforts to curb proselytizing at work and school are anti-Christian.' "Strategize and coordinate." Sounds like what's happening with this story, planted on Rush and Drudge, in time for the holiday. I suspect many of you are going to miss how wrong and important this is -- how big of an effect this is going to have on things we care about. This story is designed as ammunition for family conversations tomorrow. In fact, O'Reilly was on the air on FOX saying "Another ruling by an activist judge that puts us all in danger." That's an exact quote. It isn't about this story, but it reinforces it: Yet more "liberals' who are "going too far." See the forest. See how this stuff works! To be clear about this story, the school said the teacher could not use handouts that INCLUDED quotes from the Declaration and other documents. A San Mateo Times story says, "She then prevented Williams from giving students several handouts including: - Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence with references to "God," "Creator," and "Supreme Judge." And from the Alliance's press release, 'Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit yesterday against the Cupertino Union School District for prohibiting a teacher from providing SUPPLEMENTAL handouts to students about American history because the historical documents contain some references to God and religion.' Supplemental handouts, huh? I wonder where he got those from? That's all this is. The rest is strategic disinformation -- agitprop. And for the Right's spin on the story -- how's suing for saying "Merry Christmas?" Update II - Digby's on it too. And the blogosphere is picking it up: Atrios, Daou Report. Now Blue Lemur, Liberal Oasis, Information Clearing House, First Draft, APJ, archy. We might just get the major media involved and beat this lie down before it does too much damage! 2 years from now, the right-wingers will still be talking about that story like it was true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wham Rocks Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 How could this be true? I thought liberals hated America and wanted the DoI banned in the classroom because it makes reference to "God" and "Creator"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 You mean to tell me that when something sounds too stupid to be true, it usually isn't???? You are rocking my world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 It doesn't matter if the D of I is banned or not - kids today can't read or understand all those "big words" anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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