Difference between revisions of "David Barton"
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| − | '''David Barton''' is known for reminding American audiences that the words "separation of church and state" do not appear in the United States Constitution. <ref>http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch1s9.html</ref> He has spent decades studying documents, letters, and transcripts of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, and personally owns a library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era, and his organization, Wallbuilders <ref>http://www.wallbuilders.com/</ref>, distributes historical, legal, and statistical information to educate interested citizens <ref>http://www.oru.edu/university/departments/schools/edu.old/Barton.html</ref> through books, videos, and public speaking events. | + | '''David Barton''' is known for reminding [[American]] audiences that the words "separation of [[church]] and [[state]]" do not appear in the [[United States]] [[Constitution]]. <ref>http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch1s9.html</ref> He has spent decades studying documents, letters, and transcripts of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, and personally owns a library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era, and his organization, Wallbuilders <ref>http://www.wallbuilders.com/</ref>, distributes historical, legal, and statistical information to educate interested citizens <ref>http://www.oru.edu/university/departments/schools/edu.old/Barton.html</ref> through books, videos, and public speaking events. |
== ''Original Intent'' And Other Works == | == ''Original Intent'' And Other Works == | ||
| − | One of David Barton's popular | + | One of David Barton's popular [[book]]s is ''Original Intent''. <ref>http://www.nccs.net/original_intent.html</ref> In this compelling compendium of organic utterances, Barton lays out the quotes of [[men]] and [[women]] who lived and breathed during the Founding Era of American History. The reader is acquainted with quotes from [[letter]]s, [[speech]]es, and the ''Congressional Record''. Also documented are some [[Court]] decisions which, Barton is convinced, have contributed to the eroding of [[First Amendment]] rights, including the removal of [[prayer]] in [[public school]]s. Barton's books and videos are primarily the presentation and juxtaposition of names and quotes of men who were there when the Constitution and [[Bill of Rights]] of the United States of America were written. Much effort has been made to discredit his work, and those who have read Barton's books and listened to his videos will understand why. |
| − | A theme of ''Original Intent'' would be Barton's view that the rights of American | + | A theme of ''Original Intent'' would be Barton's view that the rights of American [[citizen]]s are "God-given." If people can be convinced that faith in God is not foundational to our American government and way of life, then God-given rights are no longer protected but given and taken at will by the government itself. As ''The [[Declaration of Independence]]'' penned by [[Thomas Jefferson]] intones: |
| − | ''"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, | + | ''"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their [[Creator]] with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, [[Liberty ]]and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, [[Government]]s are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . ."''<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm</ref> |
According to Barton, the framers of the ''United States Constitution'' <ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html</ref> sweated and prayed together over the workings of that great document which has served the longest-lived government in the history of the world, and yet today young Americans - at sporting events and at graduation ceremonies - are summarily denied their Constitutional right to corporate, public prayer. Textbooks are cleansed of historical references to religion as a part of our nation's foundation, and any books in public schools that include those references are characterized as "controversial." These are issues to which David Barton speaks and which he documents in his books, videos, and lectures. | According to Barton, the framers of the ''United States Constitution'' <ref>http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html</ref> sweated and prayed together over the workings of that great document which has served the longest-lived government in the history of the world, and yet today young Americans - at sporting events and at graduation ceremonies - are summarily denied their Constitutional right to corporate, public prayer. Textbooks are cleansed of historical references to religion as a part of our nation's foundation, and any books in public schools that include those references are characterized as "controversial." These are issues to which David Barton speaks and which he documents in his books, videos, and lectures. | ||
Revision as of 01:22, November 25, 2008
David Barton is known for reminding American audiences that the words "separation of church and state" do not appear in the United States Constitution. [1] He has spent decades studying documents, letters, and transcripts of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, and personally owns a library of tens of thousands of original writings from the Founding Era, and his organization, Wallbuilders [2], distributes historical, legal, and statistical information to educate interested citizens [3] through books, videos, and public speaking events.
Original Intent And Other Works
One of David Barton's popular books is Original Intent. [4] In this compelling compendium of organic utterances, Barton lays out the quotes of men and women who lived and breathed during the Founding Era of American History. The reader is acquainted with quotes from letters, speeches, and the Congressional Record. Also documented are some Court decisions which, Barton is convinced, have contributed to the eroding of First Amendment rights, including the removal of prayer in public schools. Barton's books and videos are primarily the presentation and juxtaposition of names and quotes of men who were there when the Constitution and Bill of Rights of the United States of America were written. Much effort has been made to discredit his work, and those who have read Barton's books and listened to his videos will understand why.
A theme of Original Intent would be Barton's view that the rights of American citizens are "God-given." If people can be convinced that faith in God is not foundational to our American government and way of life, then God-given rights are no longer protected but given and taken at will by the government itself. As The Declaration of Independence penned by Thomas Jefferson intones:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . ."[5]
According to Barton, the framers of the United States Constitution [6] sweated and prayed together over the workings of that great document which has served the longest-lived government in the history of the world, and yet today young Americans - at sporting events and at graduation ceremonies - are summarily denied their Constitutional right to corporate, public prayer. Textbooks are cleansed of historical references to religion as a part of our nation's foundation, and any books in public schools that include those references are characterized as "controversial." These are issues to which David Barton speaks and which he documents in his books, videos, and lectures.
References
- ↑ http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch1s9.html
- ↑ http://www.wallbuilders.com/
- ↑ http://www.oru.edu/university/departments/schools/edu.old/Barton.html
- ↑ http://www.nccs.net/original_intent.html
- ↑ http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
- ↑ http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html
