Christian Radio Station Spreads "Obama's Grandmother was his Mother" Theory
Richard Bartholomew printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 06:20:38 AM EST
Crosstalk is a Christian radio programme described as a ministry of "VCY America", "VCY" standing for "Voice of Christian Youth". According to a blurb on its website:
Crosstalk covers the issues that affect our world, our nation, our families and the Christian church from a perspective centered in the Word of God. Whether we discuss the economy, the political scene, the continuing moral collapse of our nation, legislation that affects the family, or the state of evangelicalism, our authority is found in the unchanging standard of the Holy Scriptures. Veteran co-hosts Dr. Vic Eliason, Jim Schneider, and Ingrid Schlueter have worked as a team for over 20 years to bring solid information to the body of Christ.

This "solid information" now includes the remarkable conspiracy  theory that Madelyn Dunham was the true mother of Barack Obama, and that her daughter Ann colluded in a cover-up by pretending to be the one who gave birth.

The theory is propounded by a studio guest, Joseph Farah; curiously, despite running WorldNetDaily (which the Crosstalk website describes, absurdly, as "the world's leading independent Internet news source"), this is the only outlet where Farah has chosen to discuss the conspiracy:
Well, Madelyn Dunham is a very interesting person.  As you know, Barack ... the ... and I want to be careful when he identify people as "mother," "father," "grandmother," and so forth because honestly I don't think we know with any certainty whatsoever who those players are in Barack Obama's life. And perhaps he doesn't either. I suspect he does, but it's possible he doesn't know. And it is entirely within the realm of possibility that Madelyn Dunham was his mother and there's a lot of circumstantial evidence to suggest that.

Schneider responds (at 36:31) by calling these "interesting thoughts".

VCY promotes old-school fundamentalism;  its latest show is a critique of animal rights with the gloriously Landover-esque title "Worship Not the Creature"; other recent offerings include "Growing Government Tyranny" ("The Obama health care logo looks similar to the Nazi logo"); "Spiritual Warfare and New Ageism" (including the "role of the Jesuit Priests" and how Oprah Winfrey is "helping to lay the foundation for the coming of a one world religion, a one world political structure, a one world leader, and the new world order"); and an attack on Rick Warren entitled "Purpose Driven Islam: Rick Warren and the Muslims". There is an associated blog here.

Schneider himself is rather obscure, although he did gain some attention last year, when he was moved to wrath against a "Wacky Week" event at an elementary school:

An elementary-school event in which kids were encouraged to dress as members of the opposite gender drew the ire of a Christian radio group, whose angry broadcast prompted outraged calls to the district office.

"We believe it's the wrong message to send to elementary students," said Jim Schneider, the network's program director. "Our station is one that promotes traditional family values. It concerns us when a school district strikes at the heart and core of the Biblical values. To promote this to elementary-school students is a great error."


The station's founder, Vic Eliason, has been involved in various public campaigns in Wisconsin over many years; in 1990 he persuaded the UPI to fire a lesbian reporter on the grounds that as a UPI subscriber he should not be "helping finance Brienza's work for a publication aimed at homosexuals" (although he has also spoken against Rev Moon, who now owns UPI).

But Crosstalk and VYC are not without critics; this blog believes the station is too liberal:

Why is it that Vic would not have Ron Paul, or even a Paul representative (I offered Vic several alternatives) on CrossTalk, but he does have Alan Keyes? Ron Paul is a Baptist, who believes the things Eliason purports to believe himself and holds for WVCY. Keyes, as a Catholic, rejects salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

WorldNetDaily, meanwhile, has promoted the idea that Obama is either the Anti-Christ or his forerunner; that he recently sent a secret message to Muslims in a speech, promising to extermine the Jews; and that he created swine flu as a "bio weapon".

(Hat tips: Jesus' General; Right Wing Watch; ConWebWatch)




Display:
America and rest of the world gets it already: these 'ig'nurnt birthers' are a rabid herd of overt racists who are simply pissed that there is now a qualified, erudite, LEGALLY ELECTED black man in the Oval Office of the Whitey House who isn't there to push a broom. For them, that sucks. So, these cretinous lobotomized bigots have to scandalize the name Obama in every way they possibly can, no matter how ridiculous their efforts make them look. They now have their long awaited reason to restart the Civil War to get a raging redneck throng of overwrought Jesus-y hillbillies their rightful AmeriKKKa back, with things properly segregated the way their Bibles tell them trailer court life in twister alley ought to be. Yes, we get it. GOD never ever intended for there to be any HUMAN inter-ethnic relations, as it conflicted with generations of their incestuous relations enjoyed in the antebellum red states for time immemorial. So, to assuage the wrath of their god for the Nation's sin of human inter-ethnic sex, they had to go and let that cat outta the bag: Granny was actually mommy. Well, now, look, fanatical pseudo-religious idiot farce, that would still make Barack HUSSEIN Obama an American citizen, and your legitimately elected PRESIDENT, antichrist or not.

Can we please give this outrageous collective of mind-numbing buffoonery less and less media attention? These idiots are an embarrassing national disgrace on a galactic scale. Currently, other planets in our own solar system are snickering at that 24% of the voting populace who still resent never having had the chance to have that beer with a Rove animated figment of the GOP imagination that the SCOTUS gave power to tank the global economy.

by covertrage on Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 02:02:37 PM EST


I wish Obama was pushing a broom. Someone needs to clean up this racist mess once and for all.

by kaori on Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 07:29:01 PM EST

It sounds as if the "Crosstalk" hosts need to return to studying their Bibles and refresh their collective memories about the prohibition against bearing false witness, also known as lying.

by khughes1963 on Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 09:30:38 PM EST
You have to keep in mind the two-pronged test of Truth that they use:

  1. You can't prove with absolute 100% certainty that it is false, as human reason is fallible.

  2.  If people believed it, the Kingdom would be advanced.

Therefore it qualifies as Truth (with a capital T).  So to them, they are not bearing false witness, but merely doing the Lord's work.

by brother maynard on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 01:51:35 AM EST
Parent
A keen observation, by my lights. A painful one too.

by Bruce Wilson on Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 11:00:28 PM EST
Parent


Couldn't this nonsense about President Obama's mother and grandmother be considered slander? Methinks that the Birthers and Deathers are getting so desperate that they've finally lost ALL their marbles. And, the Quitter isn't helping things at all. But, then, the wolf cub murderer has always been weird.

by hypatiab7 on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 06:15:31 AM EST
Parent
President Obama is a public figure, the argument will go that the matter is one of public controversy (even if it's a lie) and the President would have to prove actual malice meaning the "statement was knowingly made falsely or with reckless disregard for the truth," see New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 84 S. Ct. 710, 11 L. Ed. 2d 686 (1964.) The President would have a hard time proving it. There are different standards for defamation claims depending upon whether the person is a public figure, the matter is one of public or private interest, the person is a limited public figure, or the person is a private figure and the matter is one of private interest.

by khughes1963 on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 09:13:35 PM EST
Parent
Your comment is a masterwork in practical brevity.

by Bruce Wilson on Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 11:03:36 PM EST
Parent




It is time, long overdue, that we Real Americans do to the likes of Vic Eliason and all of the Radical Right what Barry Goldwater said all good Christians should do to Jerry Falwell: "kick them in their asses."

by Bonatti on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 02:06:35 AM EST

This is most likely a direct result of claims that Bristol was the real mother of Trig. So they've just changed the claim a bit.

by sovereignjohn on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 10:16:53 AM EST

Using people to make a ruckus while the public option in healthcare is discarded. Obama really didn't consider it important anyway. And the continuation of fascist polices by previous administrations continue and some are augmented by Obama too. Makes you wonder if the two party system is just two heads of the same monster? I do, in fact I consider Obama to be continuing the march to a theocratic based fascist state. Even if the ones behind him hate blacks they can see where one can aid them in the destruction of the republic. A magician gains your attention with one hand while the other quietly does the trick fooling you and me.

by Nightgaunt on Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 01:47:01 PM EST
But I think there are other, more mundane explanations.

by Bruce Wilson on Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 11:05:16 PM EST
Parent



WWW Talk To Action


Cognitive Dissonance & Dominionism Denial
There is new research on why people are averse to hearing or learning about the views of ideological opponents. Based on evaluation of five......
By Frederick Clarkson (374 comments)
Will the Air Force Do Anything To Rein In Its Dynamic Duo of Gay-Bashing, Misogynistic Bloggers?
"I always get nervous when I see female pastors/chaplains. Here is why everyone should as well: "First, women are not called to be pastors,......
By Chris Rodda (195 comments)
The Legacy of Big Oil
The media is ablaze with the upcoming publication of David Grann's book, Killers of the Flower Moon. The shocking non fiction account of the......
By wilkyjr (110 comments)
Gimme That Old Time Dominionism Denial
Over the years, I have written a great deal here and in other venues about the explicitly theocratic movement called dominionism -- which has......
By Frederick Clarkson (101 comments)
History Advisor to Members of Congress Completely Twists Jefferson's Words to Support Muslim Ban
Pseudo-historian David Barton, best known for his misquoting of our country's founders to promote the notion that America was founded as a Christian nation,......
By Chris Rodda (113 comments)
"Christian Fighter Pilot" Calls First Lesbian Air Force Academy Commandant a Liar
In a new post on his "Christian Fighter Pilot" blog titled "BGen Kristin Goodwin and the USAFA Honor Code," Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan......
By Chris Rodda (144 comments)
Catholic Right Leader Unapologetic about Call for 'Death to Liberal Professors' -- UPDATED
Today, Donald Trump appointed C-FAM Executive Vice President Lisa Correnti to the US Delegation To UN Commission On Status Of Women. (C-FAM is a......
By Frederick Clarkson (126 comments)
Controlling Information
     Yesterday I listened to Russ Limbaugh.  Rush advised listeners it would be best that they not listen to CNN,MSNBC, ABC, CBS and......
By wilkyjr (118 comments)
Is Bannon Fifth-Columning the Pope?
In December 2016 I wrote about how White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who likes to flash his Catholic credentials when it comes to......
By Frank Cocozzelli (250 comments)
Ross Douthat's Hackery on the Seemingly Incongruous Alliance of Bannon & Burke
Conservative Catholic writer Ross Douthat has dissembled again. This time, in a February 15, 2017 New York Times op-ed titled The Trump Era's Catholic......
By Frank Cocozzelli (64 comments)
`So-Called Patriots' Attack The Rule Of Law
Every so often, right-wing commentator Pat Buchanan lurches out of the far-right fever swamp where he has resided for the past 50 years to......
By Rob Boston (161 comments)
Bad Faith from Focus on the Family
Here is one from the archives, Feb 12, 2011, that serves as a reminder of how deeply disingenuous people can be. Appeals to seek......
By Frederick Clarkson (176 comments)
The Legacy of George Wallace
"One need not accept any of those views to agree that they had appealed to real concerns of real people, not to mindless, unreasoning......
By wilkyjr (70 comments)
Betsy DeVos's Mudsill View of Public Education
My Talk to Action colleague Rachel Tabachnick has been doing yeoman's work in explaining Betsy DeVos's long-term strategy for decimating universal public education. If......
By Frank Cocozzelli (80 comments)
Prince and DeVos Families at Intersection of Radical Free Market Privatizers and Religious Right
This post from 2011 surfaces important information about President-Elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. -- FC Erik Prince, Brother of Betsy......
By Rachel Tabachnick (218 comments)

Respect for Others? or Political Correctness?
The term "political correctness" as used by Conservatives and Republicans has often puzzled me: what exactly do they mean by it? After reading Chip Berlin's piece here-- http://www.talk2action.org/story/2016/7/21/04356/9417 I thought about what he explained......
MTOLincoln (253 comments)
Fear
What I'm feeling now is fear.  I swear that it seems my nightmares are coming true with this new "president".  I'm also frustrated because so many people are not connecting all the dots! I've......
ArchaeoBob (107 comments)
"America - love it or LEAVE!"
I've been hearing that and similar sentiments fairly frequently in the last few days - far FAR more often than ever before.  Hearing about "consequences for burning the flag (actions) from Trump is chilling!......
ArchaeoBob (211 comments)
"Faked!" Meme
Keep your eyes and ears open for a possible move to try to discredit the people openly opposing Trump and the bigots, especially people who have experienced terrorism from the "Right"  (Christian Terrorism is......
ArchaeoBob (165 comments)
More aggressive proselytizing
My wife told me today of an experience she had this last week, where she was proselytized by a McDonald's employee while in the store. ......
ArchaeoBob (163 comments)
See if you recognize names on this list
This comes from the local newspaper, which was conservative before and took a hard right turn after it was sold. Hint: Sarah Palin's name is on it!  (It's also connected to Trump.) ......
ArchaeoBob (169 comments)
Unions: A Labor Day Discussion
This is a revision of an article which I posted on my personal board and also on Dailykos. I had an interesting discussion on a discussion board concerning Unions. I tried to piece it......
Xulon (156 comments)
Extremely obnoxious protesters at WitchsFest NYC: connected to NAR?
In July of this year, some extremely loud, obnoxious Christian-identified protesters showed up at WitchsFest, an annual Pagan street fair here in NYC.  Here's an account of the protest by Pagan writer Heather Greene......
Diane Vera (130 comments)
Capitalism and the Attack on the Imago Dei
I joined this site today, having been linked here by Crooksandliars' Blog Roundup. I thought I'd put up something I put up previously on my Wordpress blog and also at the DailyKos. As will......
Xulon (330 comments)
History of attitudes towards poverty and the churches.
Jesus is said to have stated that "The Poor will always be with you" and some Christians have used that to refuse to try to help the poor, because "they will always be with......
ArchaeoBob (148 comments)
Alternate economy medical treatment
Dogemperor wrote several times about the alternate economy structure that dominionists have built.  Well, it's actually made the news.  Pretty good article, although it doesn't get into how bad people could be (have been)......
ArchaeoBob (90 comments)
Evidence violence is more common than believed
Think I've been making things up about experiencing Christian Terrorism or exaggerating, or that it was an isolated incident?  I suggest you read this article (linked below in body), which is about our great......
ArchaeoBob (214 comments)

More Diaries...




All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments, posts, stories, and all other content are owned by the authors. Everything else © 2005 Talk to Action, LLC.