WallBuilders

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[[File:David Barton in 2016 -- photo by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Barton in 2016]]
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{{hatnote|Not to be confused with the people who want to build the [[Great Wall of America]].}}
'''WallBuilders''', founded by evangelist and [[Pseudohistory|pseudo-historian]] '''David Barton''' {{lived|1954}}, is a [[Texas]]-based [[Dominionism|dominionist]] [[Christian]] author dedicated to presenting the forgotten "history" they discovered of [[The United States as a Christian nation|an alternate universe United States]] in which only Christians get to enjoy the protections of the [[Bill of Rights|"Bill of Temporary Privileges"]], especially freedom of expression protected by the [[First Amendment]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100221125855/http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2010/02/religious_rights_for_christian.html Christian Right's attack on rights] ''The Washington Post'' Patel, Eboo.  17 Feb. 2010.</ref>  

WallBuilders would like nothing more than to see the [[America]] of our reality bend to what they imagine their weirdo, ''BioShock Infinite'' version of America must look like.  In action, it's just an in-house publishing vehicle for the writings of Barton.  

Barton is a Texas [[Republican]] (of course), and holds a dubious B.A. from the world-renowned institute of religious racketeering, fearmongering, tithe-raising, and guilt-tripping, the [[Oral Roberts University|Oral Roberts "University"]]; and an also-dubious Ph.D. from [[fundie school]] [[Pensacola Christian College]]. Barton contradicted himself over whether he has a Ph.D.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160227032059/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/02/23/christian-pseudo-historian-david-barton-cant-decide-whether-or-not-he-has-a-ph-d Christian Pseudo-Historian David Barton Can’t Decide Whether or Not He Has a Ph.D.]</ref> (which is actually about right, since he ''kinda'' holds a Ph.D. but not a real one). He has also boasted about holding a non-existent Doctorate in Education.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160808154333/http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2016/08/05/david-barton-told-glenn-beck-he-has-a-doctorate-in-education-he-doesnt David Barton Told Glenn Beck He Has a Doctorate in Education. He Doesn’t.]</ref> [[Professor of nothing|He has no credentials in history or law.]]

==Fundamentalism and pseudohistory==
Barton's main thesis appears to be that the [[The United States as a Christian nation|United States was founded as a Christian nation]]; he regards the [[Founding Fathers]] as [[fundamentalist]] Christians, and not as the historical assortment of [[Deism|Deists]], [[liberal]] [[Protestant]]s, [[Quaker]]s, [[freethinker]]s, etc. they were in [[reality]]. Barton's writings extensively [[quote mining|quote-mine]] from the Founders to make his point, and he has even gone so far as to fabricate some quotes completely (this resulted in him pulling and then re-issuing his book ''The Myth of Separation'' under a different title, after some nit-picking conspiracy outed his forgery of at least one [[James Madison]] quote).

Barton's works, such as ''America's Godly Heritage'' (1983), is available in audio and video formats as well as as a small book, and features an illustration of [[George Washington]] on the front cover kneeling in prayer in a pose suggesting he is engaged in 
oral sex
 [[spiritual warfare]]. Other books include ''The Bulletproof George Washington'' (1990; "[a] riveting account of God's providence and protection"), ''Original Intent'' (1997; originally titled ''The Myth of Separation'' (1989), asserting that the Founders did not intend to enshrine the principle of [[separation of church and state]]), a biography (1999) of Declaration of Independence signer [[Benjamin Rush]], re-printings of early [[Puritan]] educational texts for the [[homeschooling]] market such as the ''New England Primer'', and dozens of others. 

Although mainstream scholars consider him a pseudohistorian, Barton has become very popular with the [[religious right]] (unsurprising given his habitual mendacity), and his publications are frequently used by Christian private schools and homeschoolers (from which Barton has made quite a bit of cash, might we add). His name keeps popping up more and more frequently in the background of current [[religious right | religious-right]] activities — most recently, [[Glenn Beck]] "discovered" Barton as a frequent guest "expert". 

Barton also played a role in influencing the [[Texas Board of Education]]'s decision to approve public-school textbooks which give a more 
slante
favorable image of Christian conservatism.

==White supremacist connections==
In 1991, David Barton gave a speech presentation at white supremacist Rev. [[Peter J. Peters]]' "Rocky Mountain Bible Retreat", where he spoke alongside [[Canada|Canadian]] Holocaust denier {{wpl|Malcolm Ross (school teacher)|Malcolm Ross}} and conspiracy theorist and [[POW-MIA]] huckster [[Bo Gritz|James "Bo" Gritz]].<ref name="publiceye">[http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9606/barton.html David Barton: Master of Myth and Misinformation]</ref> He also spoke at Kingdom Covenant College in Oregon in 1992, another [[Christian Identity]] group with ties to Peters. In 1993, Barton's spokeperson Kit Marshall released a statement claiming that Barton "had no idea that they were part of the Nazi movement".<ref name="publiceye" /><ref>Charles Johnson, [http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/36137_Glenn_Beck_Promotes_Theocracy_and_Interviews_David_Barton_-_Speaker_at_Neo-Nazi_Rallies Glenn Beck Promotes Theocracy and Interviews David Barton - Speaker at Neo-Nazi Rallies]. ''Little Green Footballs'', April 2010.</ref> Right, Dave...

Barton's book ''The Founder's Bible'' quotes 19th century Governor of [[South Carolina]] James Hammond approvingly on the subject on his belief that America is a Christian nation. Unfortunately, Barton tends to gloss over the fact that Hammond also advocated [[Slavery|slavery]] as a completely acceptable Christian institution as well. Oops.<ref>Ed Brayton, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120722004940/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/19/bartons-new-book-cites-slavery-defender-as-christian-leader/ Barton’s New Book Cites Slavery Defender as Christian Leader]. Archived from freethoughtblogs.com, 19 July 2012.</ref><ref>Warren Throckmorton, [http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/16/founders-bible-cites-pro-slavery-leader-as-proponent-of-america-as-a-christian-nation/ Founders’ Bible Cites Pro-Slavery Leader as Proponent of America as a Christian Nation]. wthrockmorton.com, 16 July 2012.</ref>

==Critics==
Chris Rodda, author of ''[[Liars for Jesus]]'', specializes in refuting Barton's bunk. 

In response to some of Rodda's criticisms, Barton's radio co-host Rick Green also issued a direct challenge to Rodda to back up the "image" of Barton created by his "critics ''(sic)'' innuendo" and included the usual snarl words concerning "elitist professors" and "leftwing bloggers" as well as some cheerful [[Godwin]]-variety fun thrown in free of charge.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120812205106/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/08/11/rodda-to-get-book-on-barton-website/ Rodda To Get Book on Barton Website?] ''Dispatches from the Culture Wars''</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/conservative-denounces-barton-green-compares-criticism-holocaust Another Conservative Denounces David Barton's 'Prevarications' while Rick Green Compares Criticism of Barton to the Holocaust,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> Rodda responded and took up Green's challenge;<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120812205228/http://freethoughtblogs.com/rodda/2012/08/11/barton-radio-co-host-issues-challenge-ive-accepted/ Barton Radio Co-Host Issues Challenge; I’ve Accepted,] FreeThoughtBlogs.com, August 11th, 2012</ref> Green's "response" mostly consisted of whining.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120815231440/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/08/14/barton-co-host-fails-his-own-challenge/ Barton Co-Host Fails His Own Challenge,] ''Dispatches from the Culture Wars</ref>

==Barton's (non-)answers to other critics==
It's all because [[Atheists hate god|they hate God]],<ref>Kyle Mantyla, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120711032904/http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-christians-who-criticize-me-are-just-parroting-their-secular-professor Barton: Christians who Criticize Me are Just Parroting their Secular Professor]. Archived from ''Right Wing Watch'', 25 June 2012.</ref> of course. Especially those SOBs from the Freedom From Religion Society,<ref group=note>Barton probably meant the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]], of course.</ref> whoever ''they'' may be.

The "critics of Barton hate religion" canard is a ploy that Barton commonly makes use of. He and radio co-host Rick Green conveniently ignored the possibility that criticism of Barton's work is ''accurate'' and chalked up attacks on him to a continuing effort to "disenfranchise Christians",<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-barton-rick-green-pity-party-drags The David Barton-Rick Green Pity Party Drags On,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> despite the fact that some of Barton's most vocal critics (such as Warren Throckmorton) ''are'' practicing Christians. Barton (with the "assistance" of theocratic wackjob [[Bryan Fischer]]) even went so far as to attack Throckmorton's religious beliefs,<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-and-fischer-defend-jefferson-lies-attacking-warren-throckmorton Barton and Fischer Defend 'The Jefferson Lies' by Attacking Warren Throckmorton,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> which indicates that Barton will ''always'' find a reason to dismiss criticism of his work, regardless of the motivations of the author or the accuracy of the critique.

Barton also brought up the strawman of [[Deconstruction]] as being the motivation behind his critics' opposition to [[American exceptionalism]] despite the fact that Barton's use of the word "deconstruction" seems more than a trifle idiosyncratic. That, or those same "elitist academics" just hate Jefferson and the other founding fathers.<ref>[http://wthrockmorton.com/2012/07/06/david-bartons-700-club-interview-the-things-we-didnt-say/ The Things We Didn't Say]</ref> 

Barton has also gotten more petulant in tone as criticisms by Throckmorton and William Coulter<ref name=throckmorton /> of Barton's ''The Jefferson Lies'' have apparently begun to sink in. Barton actually seems to think that there's something ''less legitimate'' about criticisms of his work that can be downloaded electronically (via Amazon, in this case) despite the obvious fallacy that a valid criticism of a work is made no less valid by the format it's published in. Barton has also asserted that "jealousy or liberalism" play major parts in adverse criticism of his work and that he's not particularly concerned about criticism of his work by historians.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of,] Barbara Bradley Hagerty, ''All Things Considered''</ref> Add to this the aforementioned ''kvetching'' about "elitist academics" and Barton's claims that he's a "historical expert" (despite his own previous statements that he's ''not'' a historian), and what you have is a really profound example of [[Dunning-Kruger effect|Dunning-Kruger]] at work.<ref>Ed Brayton, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120719083542/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/07/17/david-barton-logical-fallacy-machine/ David Barton: Logical Fallacy Machine]. Archived from freethoughtblogs.com, 17 July 2012.</ref> Pay that man some Dunning-Krugerrands.

Barton's suspect approach to valid criticism of his work has apparently backfired in a truly epic fashion; not only did he get a massive dose of adverse publicity on NPR's ''All Things Considered,''<ref>[http://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of,] Barbara Bradley Hagerty, ''All Things Considered''</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/npr-looks-into-david-bartons-bunk-history-refusal-to-respond-to-criticism NPR Looks Into David Barton's Bunk History, Refusal to Respond to Criticism,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> but Thomas Nelson — the publisher of Barton's ''The Jefferson Lies'' — announced that they were pulling his book due to "historical details included in the book [[Deceit|that were not adequately supported]]".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-bartons-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-day David Barton's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref> Word has it that Barton's little collection of historical lies has now been picked up by the publishing company owned by an even more publically prominent loon, namely [[Glenn Beck]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120824021821/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/08/21/beck-to-republish-barton-book Beck to Republish Barton Book,] ''Dispatches from the Culture Wars''</ref> A second edition was published in 2016 by [[WND]] to try to counter Throckmorton's criticisms, and in 2023, Throckmorton responded with his own revised edition.<ref name=throckmorton>''Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson'' by Warren Throckmorton & Michael Coulter (2023) Salem Grove Press. {{isbn|0974670626}}.</ref>

Speaking of which...

==Send zem to ze CAMPS!==
The Barton/Beck "brain trust" (for lack of a better term) presumes that "God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural... fluids."<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/quotes Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb: Quotes], ''IMDB''.</ref>

The ironically-named "brain trust" decided that the only way to stop the pollution, contamination, corruption, and pre-version of Young America's fluidic, ideological, theological, and sexual purity from [[Liberal]] education (translation: whatever the "brain trust" says it is) was to establish 
indoctrination
 education camps. There's no truth to the rumor that all of the instructors will talk like Sergeant Schulz from ''Hogan's Heroes,'' though.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-and-beck-run-two-week-indoctrination-camps-college-students Barton and Beck to Run Two-Week Indoctrination Camps for College Students,] ''Right Wing Watch''</ref>

==Other fun stuff==
In addition, Barton is now getting into bed (pun intended) with other creeps, including the likes of [[Rick Santorum]] and Senator John Cornyn (R-[[Texas|TX]]), on the supposed connection between advocating [[gay marriage]] and [[bestiality]]. As to how he comes off when he gets on a subject like this, let's just say that his passing resemblance to ''30 Rock'' character Kenneth Parcell doesn't help matters much.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-messing-around-marriage-will-affect-economic-prosperity-nation Barton: 'Messing Around With Marriage will Affect Economic Prosperity in the Nation',] Right Wing Watch</ref>

Barton, as stated elsewhere, bangs the drum loudly for [[Christian economics]] at times; a good example is the aforementioned appearance on Kenneth Copeland's ''Believers Voice of Victory'' where he makes reference to the belief that allowing gay marriage will adversely affect economic prosperity. He also seems to think that [[God]] will come roaring out of the sky on his Motorcycle of Doom <sup>poetic license</sup> because we're not following the usual [[Prosperity Gospel]]-related crap, and because we're "using our money to reward those who aren't productive or bail out those who have run their business into the ground".<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-god-will-come-out-heaven-oppose-our-unbiblical-economic-system Barton: God Will Come Out of Heaven to Oppose Our Unbiblical Economic System,] Right Wing Watch</ref> This implies that Barton either doesn't know or doesn't care about the [[Great Recession]]; it also implies that he's just as clueless about [[economics]] as he is about everything else.

He also announced in January 2013 that "tolerance is a sin and hate is a virtue", especially when calling for appropriate levels of being "intolerant of liberalism", despite the fact that tolerance of opposing, non-violent political views is a hallmark of democracy. Needless to say, he wrapped this rather unveiled appeal to authoritarianism (if not flat-out fascism) in the usual fundamentalist Christian gobbledygook you'd expect from Barton.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130105174143/http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-hate-virtue-and-were-going-be-intolerant-liberalism Barton: 'Hate is a Virtue' and 'We're Going to be Intolerant of Liberalism']. Archived from ''Right Wing Watch'', 2 January 2013.</ref> Oddly, he doesn't seem to think hatred is such a good idea when it's leveled at ''his'' opinions.

On a different subject, Barton believes that the white man came to America to try to engage in warfare with the native tribes for civilizing them as opposed to the established narrative of white people committing genocide to steal resources. To be fair, attempts at "civilizing" the Native Americans have been done in history through converting to Christianity and assimilation, not similar to the "kill-to-civilize" narrative Barton is trying to push, though. He's also under the impression that the European invaders were also trying to "end [[torture]]" on the part of their enemies, because ''we'' never do that kind of stuff ''at all''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130327030502/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2013/03/25/barton-natives-had-to-be-killed-to-civilize-them/ Barton: Natives Had to Be Killed to Civilize Them,] Dispatches From the Culture Wars</ref>

He also believes that the United States was better off when women were second-class citizens without the right to vote.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140704162344/https://www.au.org/church-state/june-2014-church-state/people-events/religious-right-extremist-barton-bemoans-passage Religious Right Extremist Barton Bemoans Passage Of Women’s Suffrage]. Archived from ''Americans United for Separation of Church and State'', June 2014.</ref> According to him, allowing women to vote "hurts the entire culture and society", probably because he wants to order them around and not ever get challenged on it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140504191535/http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/05/02/barton-hates-women/ Conservative ‘Christian’ Calls For Banning Women From Voting,] Addicting Info</ref><ref> [https://web.archive.org/web/20140502075305/http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/01/christian-historian-allowing-women-to-vote-hurts-the-entire-culture-and-society/ Christian ‘historian’: Allowing women to vote ‘hurts the entire culture and society’], The Raw Story</ref>

He believes that [[Congress]] should have passed a bill "calling on people to be more religious" [[false dichotomy|instead of]] the [[Affordable Care Act]] because he apparently thinks that "using God's word and applying God's word" will automatically make you more healthy and will even cure you of being uninsured.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-instead-passing-obamacare-congress-should-have-called-people-be-more-religious Barton: Instead of Passing Obamacare, Congress Should Have Called on People 'to be More Religious',] Right Wing Watch</ref><ref group=note>Never mind that Congress making such a statement would be an egregious violation of the [[Establishment Clause]]…</ref>

He's also doing his utmost to inform other fellow [[wingnut|wingnut]]s of the menace posed to them by games like ''Bioshock Infinite.''<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-bioshock-infinite-teaching-kids-hate-conservatives-and-christians Barton: 'Bioshock Infinite' Is Teaching Kids to Hate Conservatives and Christians,] Right Wing Watch</ref> No, he really ''did'' say that.

Barton is also an [[AGW]] denier, claiming that while global warming occurs, it's completely free of any man-made causes. He references historical average temperature fluctuations in order to prove this, which it doesn't.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110920010638/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/ Barton Lies About Global Warming Too,] Dispatches from the Culture Wars</ref> In a near-perfect example of [[crank magnetism]] at work, he also used this occasion to assert (as usual, minus any sort of documents that would prove his point) that adoption of the Common Core educational standards would lead to students being implanted with biometric tracking devices.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-we-havent-had-global-warming-sixteen-years Barton: We Haven't Had Global Warming In Sixteen Years,] Right Wing Watch</ref>

Barton (along with fellow strange person [[Kenneth Copeland]]) has also convinced himself that members of the military are incapable of suffering from [[PTSD]] because they're "ministers of God" and therefore "guiltless before the Lord", and that anyone taking issue with that singularly bizarre assertion is intentionally taking things out of context only because of their raging hostility to religion and ''not'' because it seems like complete bullshit.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131128155415/http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2013/11/27/barton-defends-his-dangerous-ptsd-nonsense/ Barton Defends His Dangerous PTSD Nonsense,] Dispatches from the Culture Wars</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/david-barton-master-taking-things-out-context-complains-being-taken-out-context David Barton, A Master Of Taking Things Out Of Context, Complains Of Being Taken Out Of Context,] Right Wing Watch</ref>

Barton was a booster for the 2011 effort to replace practicing Jew Joe Straus as Speaker for the [[Texas]] House of Representatives with a Christian Conservative.
<ref>[http://www.texasobserver.org/srec-member-we-now-want-a-true-christian-conservative-running-the-house/ “Deplorable”: SREC member demands “true Christian conservative” Speaker], Texas Observer</ref>

Then Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] was, by the way, a [[Mormon]] ''and'' an [[atheist]] at the same time, largely for wanting to overturn the [[Citizens United]] ruling with a constitutional amendment.<ref>  
[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-harry-reid-supports-citizens-united-amendment-because-he-atheist-mormon Barton: Harry Reid Supports Citizens United Amendment Because He Is An 'Atheist Mormon',] Right Wing Watch</ref>

==External links==
*[https://archive.ph/CyhdS Barton's Texas influence]
*[http://candst.tripod.com/bjcpa1.htm A critique of Barton's ''America's Godly Heritage'']
*[https://archive.ph/GN7c9 Liars for Jesus] - Chris Rodda's website thoroughly debunking Barton
*[http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/barton-s-bunk-religious-right-historian-hits-the-big-time-tea-party-america Right Wing Watch profile of David Barton]
*[https://archive.ph/9MXMr The Quixotic Task of Debunking David Barton], Paul Harvey, ''Religion Dispatches''
*[https://archive.ph/rxUXG Warren Throckmorton's page on David Barton's claims concerning John Adams and Thomas Jefferson]
*[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/questions-arise-alabama-after-public-tv-employees-were-fired-after-rebuffing-david-barton-pr Questions arise in Alabama after Public TV Employees were Fired after Rebuffing David Barton Programming,] ''Right Wing Watch, ''June 14th, 2012
*[https://archive.ph/zvLZ8 American History Rewritten]: Posts debunking the historical inaccuracies of Barton's work.
*Fact Checking Barton: A Deconstruction
**[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fact-checking-barton-part-i-texas-textbooks Part I: Texas Textbooks]
**[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fact-checking-barton-part-ii-constitution-explicitly-references-religion Part II: Constitution Explicitly References Religion]
**[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fact-checking-barton-part-iii-first-amendment Part III: First Amendment]
**[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fact-checking-barton-part-iv-i-never-had-retract-single-thing Part IV: "I Never Had To Retract A Single Thing"]
**[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fact-checking-barton-part-v-treaty-tripoli Part V: Treaty of Tripoli]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Atheophobia]]
[[Category:Christian apologists]]
[[Category:Conservative deceit]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Fundamentalists]]
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Publishers]]
[[Category:Paleoconservatives]]
[[Category:Pseudohistory promoters]]
[[Category:Purity culture]]
[[Category:Sexists]]
[[Category:Shysters]]
[[Category:Tea Party]]
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:Theocracy]]

Categories: Atheophobia, Christian apologists, Conservative deceit, Conspiracy theorists, Crank magnetism, Fundamentalists, Global warming denialists, Homophobes, Publishers, Paleoconservatives, Pseudohistory promoters, Purity culture, Sexists, Shysters, Tea Party, Texas, Theocracy