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?
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.
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