More Historical Revisionism from the National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools
Chris Rodda printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Sun Mar 18, 2007 at 02:28:17 AM EST
Last weekend, I posted what will be the first of a number of pieces on the National Council On Bible Curriculum In Public Schools. I'm still waiting to see an actual copy of this extremely difficult to obtain curriculum, but should be receiving one this week. In the meantime, I decided to take a look at some more of the content on the organization's website.

One page of the site contains video files of "It's Coming Back...And It's Our Constitutional Right," a promotional television special in which the organization makes no attempt to mask the fact that their real goal is not the teaching of the Bible as literature, but the teaching of religion - unless, of course, they really think that an understanding of the Biblical references in Shakespeare will somehow prevent school violence and a host of other social ills.

One segment in this promotional television special contains the beginning of the video of a song called America Again by Christian recording artist Carman.

America Again

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson
Samuel Adams, First Chief Justice John Jay
Names synonymous with the spirit of our country
Founding fathers of the U.S.A.

Over 200 years ago they shook off the chains of tyranny from Great Britain by divine call
Citing 27 biblical violations they wrote the Declaration of Independence
With liberty and justice for all

But something happened since Jefferson called the Bible the cornerstone
For American liberty then put it in our schools as a light
Or since "Give me liberty or give me death", Patrick Henry said
Our country was founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ

We eliminated God from the equation of American life
Thus eliminating the reason this nation first began
From beyond the grave I hear the voices of our founding fathers plead
You need God in America again

Of the 55 men who formed the Constitution
Fifty-two were active members of their church
Founding fathers like Noah Webster who wrote the first dictionary
Could literally quote the Bible chapter and verse

James Madison said, "We've staked our future on our ability to follow
The Ten Commandments with all our heart"
These men believed you couldn't even call yourself an American
If you subvert the Word of God

In his farewell address, Washington said, "You can't have
National morality apart from religious principle," and it's true
'Cause right now we have nearly 150,000 kids carrying guns
To these war zones we call public schools

In the '40's and '50's student problems were chewing gum and talking
In the '90's, rape and murder are the trend
The only way this nation can even hope to last this decade
Is to put God in America again

These lyrics are, of course, full of the same Christian nationalist historical revisionism found elsewhere, although the misquotes were changed a bit by Carman to make them rhyme and fit into his song. One of the lies comes from the following popular misquote, attributed to Thomas Jefferson:

"The God who gave us life gave us liberty...Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction...that these liberties are the gift of God? The Bible is the cornerstone for American liberty."

The first phrase used to assemble this misquote, "The God who gave us life gave us liberty," comes from A Summary View of the Rights of British America, an essay outlining grievances against the British government, written by Jefferson for the use of the Virginia delegates who were being sent to the First Continental Congress in 1774. What Jefferson was referring to in the passage from which the phase in the misquote is taken were the property rights of the colonists and the restrictions on the free trade of the colonies with countries other than Great Britain.

...Accept of every commercial preference it is in our power to give for such things as we can raise for their use, or they make for ours. But let them not think to exclude us from going to other markets to dispose of those commodities which they cannot use, or to supply those wants which they cannot supply. Still less let it be proposed that our properties within our own territories shall be taxed or regulated by any power on earth but our own. The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them. This, sire, is our last, our determined resolution; and that you will be pleased to interpose with that efficacy which your earnest endeavours may ensure to procure redress of these our great grievances, to quiet the minds of your subjects in British America...

The second phrase, "Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction...that these liberties are the gift of God?," comes from Notes on the State of Virginia, originally written by Jefferson in 1781 as a response to a list of questions about Virginia from the French consul to the United States, the Marquis de Barbé-Marbois, and then expanded on a