EXODUS MANDATE-WV

2011 Articles, Letters and Op-Eds Urging Folks to Rescue Their Children (Plus some miscellaneous articles of interest to truth and enlightenment seekers.)

Notes:

1. Typos are fixed when found.
2. Some hyper-links were added on this page after article were published.
3. Be sure to see the reports of West Virginia public school test performance look for "Report of West Virginia public school test performance" on individual WV News pages (not all pages have the data).

Let Government Brainwash Tots (LGBT)

By Karl Priest 7 December 2011

In my book (see below) I disclose the sneaky tactics used by homosexuals to incorporate their agenda into the minds of public school students. They are relentless and our taxes are being used to help them.

At http://www.stopbullying.gov/ there are three main features:

Cyberbullying, Webisodes for Kids, and LGBT with a rainbow button over the caption:

“If you experience bullying or violence because you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) youth, or others think you are, there are resources available to help you.”

The “Resources and References” (http://www.stopbullying.gov/references/online_resources/index.html) for the entire site—not under the LGBT button feature the LGBT category. Of 24 sources, 7 (29%) are LGBT. The LGBT page has a sidebar with more resources including a message from Resident B. Obama.

Even though diversions such as “cyber bullying” are thrown in only someone educated in the public school system cannot see that this government site is devoted to perverted sexual lifestyles.

From Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party pgs.329-330.

Near the end of my career, I attended a Faculty Senate session for training in prevention of student bullying. The session was promoted by the office of the West Virginia Attorney General. An Attorney General’s office staff member was present to assist in conducting the meeting. The school principal had recruited the two faculty sponsors of the FCA as the teacher liaisons for the anti-bullying policy. The two teachers were unaware of what was under way. Early in the meeting it became obvious that the goal was to promote homosexuality. I created somewhat of a stir by pointing out the absurdity of deviant sexual behavior being considered normal. Soon thereafter, the two sponsors resigned from leading the program and the West Virginia Family Foundation fought the slick attempts to place this agenda in schools statewide. I cannot say for sure that there was a connection, but the West Virginia Attorney General cooperated with an evolutionist extremist in an attempt to have me arrested (http://www.insectman.us/testimony/henke.htm) a few years later.

Incidents like that stealth Faculty Senate meeting are not going to be noticed by parents. It is impossible for parents to monitor what is happening in the public schools. In fact, the word “public” is not appropriate for describing the schools. They are “government” schools and they are doing a great job of instituting the government’s ungodly educational goals.

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Crowning Censors

By Karl Priest October 17, 2011 (revised 10-18-11)

A Charleston Gazette Editorial Page Editor Dawn Miller (Note: During the evolution battles I conducted an email dialogue with a former Editorial Page Editor Dan Radmacher.) has allowed several of my op-eds to be printed. I like to think that she is a true liberal who has an open mind toward points of view that oppose her own. Another option is that she thought that running my articles would subject me to ridicule by Gazette readers. I will lean toward the former until more information is obtained. Although Mrs. Miller rejected some of my pieces the only thing that irritated me is when she allowed a rebuttal article that attacked me personally and she would not allow me to respond. Finally, Mrs. Miller rejected an article and I felt the rejection was blatant censorship.

The proposed op-ed was submitted on 8-31-2011. I telephoned Mrs. Miller on 9-2 and she acknowledged that she had my op-ed email, but had not read it. On 9-7 I emailed asking if she was going to run the piece. She responded, “I don't know yet." On 9-22 I wrote, “Banned Book Week (9/24-10/1) would be a good time to run my article.” and she replied, “Good thought. Thank you.”

On 9-30 I asked if the article had run and I missed it. She replied, “No, it hasn't run, and we're not going to use it. The biggest problem is that you misuse the word censorship. No one is prohibiting anyone from acquiring those books. If we don't run something, we're not censoring it. We're not publishing millions of things every day. Same with libraries. They have processes for how they put things in their collections. You or I may not like the process or agree with a decision, but that's not the same thing as a government telling us what we can and cannot read and physically prohibiting us from acquiring what we want. I appreciate the opportunity.”

To which I replied:

It strikes me as odd that it took you nearly a month to conclude that we differ about censorship.

You have been very generous in not censoring my point of view previously. I sensed that position was changing after my previous two or three pieces were refused. You have been a rare liberal--that is an open-minded individual. Most liberals are more dogmatic and censorious than any right-wing fundamentalist with whom I am acquainted. Perhaps I am wrong, but my guess is that since what I write brings rage with liberals that someone who controls the purse strings has influenced the Gazette position to censor my articles. It matters not the reason—censorship is censorship no matter the motivation.

I am not misusing the term “censorship.” Not in the least. Actually, I learned from liberals always ranting about conservative censors.

Perhaps you will be interested in a neutral opinion.

Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the general body of people as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body. (bold is mine) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship

Censor: An official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio and television programs, letters, cablegrams, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. (bold is mine) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/censor

Ironically, what ultimately revealed the censorship of the Gazette is an article about censorship.

I respect your forthright statements (even though they are misguided) because most liberal censors like those described in the proposed op-ed are sneaky censors. However, censorship from any source remains censorship.

On 10-1 I decided to try the Daily Mail. The Daily Mail claims to be conservative. It is published in the same building as the Gazette and the papers combine editions on the weekend. First I contacted the Editorial Page Editor Johanna Maurice. After receiving no response, I emailed Editor and Publisher Nanya Friend on 10-10:

I sent the following question to Mrs. Maurice and have not heard from her.

Will you please respond?

Is the Daily Mail free to print what it wants without intimidation from the Gazette?

If so, I have an article on censorship that was censored by the Gazette.

She replied, on the same day, “Hanna (Maurice) says you should just send the piece so she can take a look at it. We operate independently of the Gazette.”

I am still waiting on the article to be published and can only surmise that it has been censored.

During the Great Textbook War the protesters developed a respect for the Gazette over the reval (at the time) Daily Mail. The Gazette was open and honest about its liberalism. The Daily Mail pretended to be conservative, but did nothing (or very little) to counter the negativity of the Gazette.

The article that both “news” papers do not want you to read follows.

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A Tale of Two Censors

By Karl Priest

Soon it will be the “best of times”, or “the worst of times.” There will either be “wisdom” (based upon conservatism) or” foolishness” (based upon liberalism). We are in “a season of light” and “darkness” and a time of “hope” and “despair.” America will either come back to her foundation as a country or crumble due to her foolishness.

A conservative led modern French Revolution is brewing from coast to coast. Tea Partiers are united as a fraternity of patriots who are practicing equality with all loyal citizens and seeking to regain their liberty from the politicians who think of themselves as royalty. As it was in France in 1789, we are facing a dire financial crisis and crushing taxes. Liberals are credited with promoting the E nlightenment ideas of freeing mankind to think and read freely by the 18 th Century. Ironically, today it is the liberals who are in need of a New Enlightenment.

The Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities is about resurrection. America needs a resurrection of righteousness to overcome the raunchiness brought on by liberalism Liberals furiously fight to keep the masses under political oppression and religious ideology. Two bastions of the liberal bourgeoisie are adequately represented in academia by West Virginia State University (WVSU) and Kanawha County Schools (KCS).

On behalf of Dr. Jerry Bergman I offered to donate three of his books to WVSU and received a curt “No thanks.” Finding that the WVSU Drain-Jordan Library Mission Statement claims to promote “ discovery, and learning by acquiring, maintaining, and disseminating information” I appealed to administrative authorities. The result was the realization that at least one top administrator is either complicit in censorship or cowered by the censors. After about two months I gave up.

Dr. Bergman has nine degrees and has taught college level biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, anthropology, geology, and microbiology. He has written 860 published articles and 30 books and monographs. The rejection of Dr. Bergman’s kind offer is a perfect example of egregious liberal hypocrisy.

WVSU students who want to read the information feared by their liberal caretakers should get a copy of Slaughter of the Dissidents; Vestigial Organs Are Fully Functional: A History and Evaluation of the Vestigial Organ Origins Concept; and Persuaded by the Evidence: True Stories of Faith, Science, and the Power of a Creator.

The WVSU censorship is sickening, but the KCS censorship is slimy. The December 21, 2010 Charleston Gazette ran my article “Do you improve of blasphemy against Jesus?” in which I reported of my offer to donate a classroom set of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party to each county high school for use in an advanced placement classes. My offer was connected to the fact that KCS allows books that contradict Christian values and even blaspheme Christ. In late June I attempted to get KCS administrators to provide a statement telling me why my generous offer was refused. I was told, “All of the schools at this time have not elected to use the book.” That is simply sneaky censorship. See “Check and Checkmate”.

A board member who always speaks out on any subject has been strangely silent on this subject despite his pontifications that perpetually trick parents. (Added 3-3015. That board member, who I did not identify when I wrote this originally is Pete Thaw. See comments about Pete Thaw at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/resolution.htm. Thaw is a fake friend of Bible believing Christians.)

What is comical and classic is the liberal cry of “censorship” when conservatives try to protect children by objecting to certain literature.

Banned Books Week should feature Dr. Bergman’s books and mine.

Liberals are the kings of censors. I discovered that during my attempts to have the scientific facts taught about evolutionism.

Pro traditional marriage groups see a lot of attempts to censor their speech. One glaring example is a video of a banner being destroyed. “Imagine if a bunch of pro-family activists did this to a pro-gay banner banner! (CBS, ABC, NBC, and CNN would be lining up to tell the story.)" http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/what-we-do/street-campaigns/video-pro-homosexual-advocate-destroys-traditional-marriage-banner-in-new-york.html

A group of students tried to donate several books including Marriage on Trial: The Case Against Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting to school libraries in the past year. Even though the libraries contain pro sodomite books, the books with a different perspective were banned. http://thevalleytruth.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/censorship-protects-homosexuals/

Abortion is a major area of liberal censorship. Billboards reading, “The most dangerous place for a Latino is in the womb” were forced to be removed by baby killing supporters claiming the billboards were racist. A public library in Wisconsin refused to allow a pro-life group to show a documentary. http://www.lifeissues.org/connector/pdfs/Oct11.pdf

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The Elephant at the Tea Party Table

By Karl Priest August 5, 2011

In trying to work with two major Tea Party groups I have come to the conclusion that the movement could be closely compared to the Mad Tea Party encountered by Alice as she traveled through Wonderland. The leaders are so self-delusional that they are unable to see an elephant in the room that is sitting at the tea table with its trunk in the teapot.

At Lewis Carroll’s Mad Tea Party a Dormouse spends most of the time sleeping between the Hatter (usually called the “Mad Hatter”) and the March Hare (a la “Mad as a March Hare”) both of whom ran from reality. That is how I perceive the Tea Party Nation and Teabook groups. Most rank and file Tea Partiers are like the Dormouse, contently sleeping between the Hatter and Hare leaders (Judson Phillips and Brandon Todd).

I am not saying that Tea Party leaders and rank and file members (from this point, referred to collectively as the “Tea Party”) are of no value in the war against our current evil monarch. Perhaps the “Queen of Hearts” would not be a stretch to correlate with our national ruler. Certainly, our country resembles the crazy realm of Wonderland. However, if the “Tea Party” does not comprehend the elephant at the table, conservatives are destined to remain sipping tea while carrying on confusing conversations as was done at the Wonderland Mad Tea Party.

Why am I critical of the “Tea Party”? (1) Because I want to win the war against the cuckoo thinking (i.e., liberalism) that has consumed our culture. (2) Because I have contempt for the chieftains who have no respect for fellow citizens who have earned admiration for their character and courage.

Complete disclosure: I am the author of a book (Protester Voices—the 1974 Textbook Tea Party) which has naturally been unpopular with liberals, but sadly has been ignored by the “Tea Party”. Critics of this composition will cry, “You just want to sell books!” I do, but I offered both “Tea Party” groups an opportunity to sell the book and make some money (perhaps only pennies) after receiving emails requesting donations to each “Tea Party”. My offer was rudely rejected. Much more than merely making money, I am motivated in having the message conveyed. That message is the elephant at the table that the “Tea Party” refuses to face.

It was in Kanawha County (WV) that the foundation was laid for the contemporary conservative movement. In 1974 a group of mostly parents participated in an effort to eradicate the charging elephant. Today’s “Tea Party” stands upon the shoulders of those heroes.

Two tremendous conservative ladies touted by the “Tea Party”, Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, could not hold the tea cup of Alice Moore. Mrs. Moore is the lady that led America’s first modern Tea Party. She describes the danger of the elephant quite eloquently in the following quotes. Also, Mrs. Moore delineates the praise the 1974 Tea Party people deserve. Her closing comments disclose the elephant at the table.

“Writing about all this would not be important if what happened over thirty-five years ago in Kanawha County was just a blip in time--a passing event in history. But that is not the case. What happened did not just impact our school system of 48,000 students, which was one of the fifty largest in the nation at that time. It impacted the entire country. This debate changed the direction of national politics, and the debate continues to have a rippling effect to this day. It brought to the surface the great cultural divide that exists all over this nation between those of us who hold to the original intent of the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence and those who seek to destroy our heritage as a Christian nation, take away our freedom and turn us into one more socialist country in the great global economy. They are using our tax-supported school system to do it. I have no doubt if what happened in Kanawha County had not taken place, we would have lost our country to socialism and globalism many years ago. Kanawha County stopped the advances of the radical-left agenda on our schools by exposing it to the world. Parents were put on notice as to what their children were actually being taught, and textbook writers, editors, publishers and Progressive Educators were forced to retreat. Every generation has the duty to defend and preserve their own destiny. I hope the story of our experience in Kanawha County will encourage this generation of parents to never back down to the elitists who think they know better than we how to rear our children.” (From pages 189-190 of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party . The statement is from Alice Moore)

“I am so grateful to all the people I came to know in Kanawha County who stood so firm. They literally changed the direction of a nation. Our one little county stopped, at least for a few years, the advancement of the radical agenda of the Progressives to use our classrooms to destroy the faith of our children and our heritage.

“What happened in Kanawha County was a battle in the cultural war. It is a war that will never end. It has gone on since the beginning of time. It can’t be won by bullets. Every significant disagreement we have originates from our view of the world and its origin. Until the war of ideas has finally played itself out with no options left except total conquest and defeat of one side or the other, we will be fighting this war. We will continue to fight the war of ideas, not just to defeat those who don’t recognize there is a greater authority than their own reasoning, but also to educate those people who basically agree with us, as far as the desired outcome. Unfortunately, many parents do not understand that the philosophy behind what is creating all this turmoil in our country is coming from our own government run public school system. We are paying with our taxes for the support of our own destruction. As parents,we are teaching our children about God and his Word on Sunday and sending them to school five days a week to learn that nothing we have taught them is true.” (Pages 209-210, ibid. The statement is also from Alice Moore. Emphasis added.)

The elephant at the table is the government (wrongly referred to as “public”) school system and it must be confronted. I continue to communicate that any political victories will be meaningless is we lose the hearts and minds of our children. For the “Tea party” to conquer the curse of liberalism the elephant at the table must be eliminated.

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Karl Priest is a retired school teacher who now condemns government schools. He took the “Tea Party” to task in a previous article, “The Tea Party Two Step ”. Karl stands with and supports the rank and file Tea Partiers and hopes they will not be lulled to sleep by their leadership.

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Saving America Must be Built upon a Firm Foundation

By Karl C. Priest July 9, 2011

Some conservative groups have caught on to the move toward a One World Government led by the United Nations. One aspect of the UN strategy is the United Nations Agenda 21. Agenda 21 is, the “UN blueprint for Global Governance.” Where conservative groups come up short is calling Agenda 21 “the” thread rather than “a” thread that makes sense with what is happening to America. There is an intricate web of threads of which Agenda 21 is a major part.

Yes, “America is experiencing a silent revolution of ideology.” Yes, “the clash of ideology has resulted in chaos in all aspects of American life.” Yes, “America is now at an ideological crossroad.” Yes, “Choices must be made that will dictate our future and that of our children.” Yes, what is happening will cause “the downfall of America.” Yes, many Americans are “too involved with sports, movies, video games and other mindless distractions.” (http://agenda21today.com/)

Maybe only a minority of patriotic citizens understand the dire situation that is sinking America. Probably just a small segment of them will have the courage to stand up and try to stop the slide. It is not the concern of any citizen to convince others to act. It is the responsibility of each individual to proclaim the truth and proceed as guided by personal convictions and God’s guidance.

What can be done?

Conservative groups across the country have for decades had a plan to “save America. There are the usual steps which are not wrong. Unfortunately they are doomed to failure because the only thing that will lead to victory has been overlooked. Consider a military force that has all of the best weapons, but sends its soldiers to boot camp conducted by the enemy. That is an analogy of what conservatism has always done in this Culture War. That is why conservatives are taking heavy causalities and is on the verge of collapse.

An excellent article (The Sad State of Education) makes some great points, but misses the obvious point. The article laments the Obama “Race to the Top” program. Race to the Top is just the latest of a never ending boondoggle to keep control of the education of America's children. In other words, it is a new technique for the enemy’s boot camp to train our children. Even if (and it IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN) Race to the Top is eliminated, the boot camps will still operate.

Whatever victories conservatives gain with the battle to “retake” public schools (i.e. government schools), which were never ours to begin with, will need to be monitored beyond the capacity of hundreds of volunteers. The teacher unions and their allies such as the ACLU own government schools. They will quickly take back any lost ground and they will not hesitate to do it in an under-handed manner while our side operates honestly and ethically.

The aforementioned article asks, “ Are dumbed down students becoming dumbed down adults who become our dumbed down Congress?” The answer is, YES!! That is why we experienced the unthinkable election results in 2008. Conservative groups have correctly concluded that America is at a crossroads. If America continues down the course conservatives have cruised for most of modern time, the results will be the conclusion to the country as our fore fathers founded.

As a retired public school teacher I am convinced that our only hope is to rescue our children from the government schools and raise a non-brainwashed generation. Public schools cannot be redeemed. Saying we should not abandon them is like saying the passengers of the Titanic should have stayed aboard because the band was playing good music and the captain was a good man. Please see http://insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/index.htm .

We must RESCUE OUR CHILDREN!

Once conservative children are rescued (that should be where we spend time and money) we can begin to try to help those children who are left behind.

NOW, is the time to move! Conservatives cannot seem to get it, but our opposition sure does. See http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/they-understand.htm .

The foundation upon which America must stand and survive is one of children not brain-washed by government schools. Those children will become the voters and leaders of America. Upon that foundation rests our future.

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The Liberal Heart

By Karl Priest July 3, 2011

The time has come to call it like it is. Americans can no longer look at a liberal and smile at the liberal’s looniness. The heart of a liberal is full of hate. Liberal ideas are loathsome and, if liberal dumb dogmas prevail, they will lay waste to America.

It is nice to see that conservative Ann Coulter has caught on. The title of her book, “Demonic: How the Liberal Mob Is Endangering America”, conveys a truth that conservatives must not allow to be concealed.

Recently Glen Beck was a victim of a demoonic liberal mob. In 1974, America’s first modern Tea Party patriots were marked as a malicious mob by liberals because they showed liberals for the lowlifes they are.

“In 1974 (ending in 1975), an event occurred in Kanawha County West Virginia that has been referred to as the first shot in the cultural war. Christians, and their conservative allies, objected to anti-Christian and anti-American textbooks.” (From page 1 of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party http://www.insectman.us/testimony/protester-voices.htm.)

“The first parental uprising against the influx of liberalism into public schools asked that textbooks not ‘Demean, encourage skepticism, or foster disbelief in the institutions of the United States of America and in Western civilization.’ The set of requested standards that sentence was in was opposed by liberals. We (conservatives) learned that the public schools cannot be redeemed and conservatives are wasting valuable time and money trying to do it.” (page 140, ibid)

Liberals are more dangerous than Muslims.

Only a fool or someone who is intentionally ignorant or someone who is brain-washed or someone who is a liberal—wait, the word “liberal” is a synonym for each of the first three categories—does not realize that Islam is at war with America. Actually, Muslims are at war with the world. They know that if America falls, the rest will too. Any Muslim who is not a strong believer in Jihad is the same as a lukewarm (or fake) Christian. He is not following what his Book says.

I am a Christian and I know how things will turn out so it is not scary at all. However, since no one knows the date of the end, conservatives need to fight the foremost foe. The hate that we most need to eradicate is not terrorism—it is liberalism!

“Honest liberals know that there is no ultimate compromise with those who have values and viewpoints different than theirs. Liberals will fight for their pantheistic, or atheistic, religious dogma and their socialistic political agenda. Regarding the public school curriculum in 1974 (and to this day), liberals..and conservatives…have two opposing worldviews and neither wants the other to control the up-bringing of their children.” (page 27, ibid)

America’s first modern Tea Parry (the 1974 Kanawha County Textbook Protest) sounded the alarm. If conservatives keep their children in “public” (i.e. “government”) schools more liberals will be produced. The first step to victory (if the Lord delays) is to Rescue the Children!

Liberals control the education of most of America's children.  In the end liberals will win if we do not rescue our children! No matter how many political gains or wins are made in the next couple of years it will all be for naught if conservatives leave their children in government schools. Government schools are brainwash centers and their effectiveness is apparent to all who are not willingly blind.

The first modern Tea Partiers proved that conservatives cannot compromise with liberals because liberals are liars in their hearts. Compromise leads to confusion which ends in collapse. The Courageous Corps of ’74 will echo for evermore! Today’s Tea Partiers had better take heed! “ Tea Partiers can learn from and be inspired by the 1974 Tea Party. In 1974, it was about a county. Now it is about our country.” (page 84, ibid)

An American Thinker article expresses the need for a Militant Conservative Movement. There has already been such a movement. The courageous folks that participated in it have been mocked and maligned by liberals and discounted and distained by conservatives.

The group that started this Culture War in 1974 knew the heart of the enemy. The Courageous Corps of ’74 knew the enemy is going after the hearts of America’s children. It is heart-breaking to see liberals succeed with that strategy. When conservatives face the truth they can get to the heart of the matter.

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Lying Liberals and Crazy Conservatives

By Karl Priest June 8, 2011

In “Things That Bug Me” I devote a section to liberalism, however I wanted to see the thoughts of others about what motivates liberals. The search naturally moved into liberals’ tendency to lie. Here is the summary of one article:

Why Liberals Lie. There are basically two reasons.

1. At the lower levels, Liberals are just ignorant and/or following orders. They don’t really have any understanding of what (or why) they say the things they do, they are really just parroting what they have heard or been told. Of course, they are too stupid to know that they are ignorant.

2. At the upper levels and for the elite, “truth” is irrelevant. All that matters is the Progressive Socialism that they must continually march toward. They truly believe that the “ends justifies the means” and that it doesn’t matter if what is said it true or not.
http://michael-e.com/2010/05/why-liberals-lie/

The next article was an oldie-goldie titled "Why Democrats Lie." (A group I served with during the 2004 election, WV Vets, will really like the first paragraph.) The author, Evan Sayet, also wrote " Why Jews Support the Democratic Party."

Besides being insightful, Mr. Sayet is really funny.

One of his speeches is worth listening to if you want to understand liberals. It is a great explanation of liberal illogic. Also, he points out that liberals indoctrinate our children so that when they reach voting age they are “incapable of critically judging the merits of the positions they hold.” He calls public schools “leftist indoctrination centers.” He pounds home this point at about point 25:00 even saying the longer kids stay in the indoctrination centers the more “morally inverted” they become.

He was speaking at a Heritage Foundation function. Evidentially the Heritage Foundation missed what I think is the main point of his speech. Unfortunately, Mr. Sayet did not spell it out, but it is obvious. Conservatives need to get their children out of the indoctrination centers known as “public” schools. Actually, the proper name is “government” schools. The Heritage Foundation has forgotten its roots. The modern conservative movement began during a 1974 battle over the education of children.

Only someone out of touch with reality does not realize that we are in a war for the hearts and minds of our children. There is plenty of proof that the enemy clearly understands that concept.

Conservatives think the war is about the next election. Using an historical analogy, that is like having had no plan to win the Pacific part of WW II except to try to take the next island no matter the multitudes of casualties because the replacement troops would come from Tokyo Rose training centers. That would have been crazy!

We need an A-bomb to win the culture war and reduce casualties. The A-bomb (Abandonment Bomb) we need is a mass exodus out of liberal ondoctrination centers. If conservatives do not get this done quickly, no matter how many battles we win—the war will be lost!

Government schools cannot be redeemed. Saying we should not abandon them is like saying the passengers of the Titanic should have stayed aboard because the band was playing good music and the captain was a good man.

It is crazy to continue the present conservative course.

Liberals will likely lie. Conservatives don’t have to make crazy choices.

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The FOIA Flashlight

By Karl Priest May 19, 2011

"It was an eye-opener to me."

"They told me they could not find it."

Those are just two of the comments from an official at the West Virginia State Archives regarding the fact that Kanawha County Schools (KCS) tried to hide a video that was requested for use in the soon to be released movie IndoctriNation (http://www.indoctrinationmovie.com/). Here is the story.

During the 2000 Pandas and People battle (http://www.insectman.us/testimony/pandas.htm) I taped (from a television program) a board meeting. An amazing segment is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DtmWYiC0yQ. Due to the copying process the quality of the tape was not good enough for IndoctriNation. The original video is in color and my copy was in black and white. Joaquin Fernandez ( co-producer/writer/director ) had been working with the WV Archives on a professional basis to obtain some documentation of the Great Textbook War (http://insectman.us/testimony/text-book-war.htm). Both men tried to get a copy of the 2000 BOE meeting video from KCS and were told by more than one person that it could not be found.

I presented the superintendent with a Freedom of Information Request (FOIA) and--you guessed it--the video turned up.

The quotes above were made during a telephone conversation with the WV Archives gentleman who has not expressed his political or religious viewpoint to me.

During the historical 1974 event, at a special board session, board member Alice Moore asked the chair of the textbook selection committee (a teacher) to read a selection from one of the books being protested. Following is an account of that incident as told by Mrs. Moore.

The night of the pubic board meeting, the room was filled with administrators and teachers leaving little room for the actual public. Several teachers made presentations in support of the books stating why they had made these particular selections. The chairman of the committee, Nellie Wood, praised the selection highly, so I told her I had a poem I thought the board members should hear, but I couldn’t read it in public. I asked her, “Since you like the books so well, would you please read the poem for me?” She responded, “Well, Mrs. Moore, just because I think it is a beautiful program, doesn’t mean I approve everything in it.” I said, “That’s alright. You don’t have to approve of it. I just want you to read it.” She said, “Well, Mrs. Moore, there are parts of the Bible I wouldn’t read in public.” She pulled out a prepared list of Bible quotes she wouldn’t read publicly and talked about two minutes about that. I said, “That’s alright. I’m not asking you to read the Bible. I just want you to read this poem. Will you read it?” She sputtered a bit and then said emphatically “No. No. I won’t read it.” (From page 196 of Protester Voices--the 1974 Textbook Tea Party http://www.insectman.us/testimony/protester-voices.htm.)

Although recordings of all 1974 meetings are extant--that one is missing. I'll let someone else file a FOIA, but my guess is the tape has been destroyed.

Interestingly, during the Pandas Battle I found out, thanks to a FOIA request, that the teacher textbook selection committee had been unduly influenced by the California based, atheist led, National Center for Science Education. The teachers rescinded their recommendation of Pandas and People (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Of_Pandas_and_People) which had been made solely on the academic and scientific qualifications of the book.

Those battles were about a county, but now it is about our country. There is a close correlation. Liberals loathe the light.

The FOIA has focused light on liberal flimflam.

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The Tea Party Two Step

By Karl C. Priest May 9, 2011

After the 2010 elections Tea Party folks rightfully danced the jig because it was a joyous occasion to see America waking up to the lunacy of liberalism. As conservatives (no longer doing the GOP shuffle) look to 2012, they realize that it will not be a waltz to victory because liberals are famous for dirty dancing. Unfortunately, conservatives appear to be doing a dance often referred to as the “Two Step.” The Two-Step dance proceeds around the dance floor and even if the tempo changes it is the same steps ending up at the same place repeatedly until the music stops.

The first modern Tea Partiers were the Kanawha County textbook protesters and those fine folks kicked up their heels to a tune liberals did not like. The “Corps of ‘74” patriots proved that conservatives cannot compromise with liberals because liberals do not loathe lying. Compromise leads to confusion which ends in collapse. That is one major lesson learned by the Corps of ’74. Today’s conservatives need to listen to the message of that 1974 Tea Party music.

No matter how many conservative political gains are made in the next couple of years it will all be for naught if conservatives leave their children in government schools. Government schools are brainwash centers and their effectiveness is apparent to all who are not willingly blind. Conservatives can win everything and lose it all! If conservatives do not win the hearts and minds of the next generation—it is all a waste!!

Liberals understand the issue better than most conservatives. Proof of that can be found at http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/they-understand.htm.

Conservatives must rescue their children!!!

By ignoring ’74 some conservatives think that by expending their time, talent, and treasure--government schools can be eformed. Any victories conservatives win will need to be monitored far beyond the abilities of hundreds of volunteers per school district. Liberals will eventually take back any lost ground and they will not hesitate to do it in an under-handed manner.

Conservatives are correctly concerned about those children who do not get rescued. Once children from conservative families are safe, conservatives can begin to try to help children who are left behind.

Thanks to the 1974 Kanawha County textbook protesters (the Corps of ’74), American conservatives began to slow dance out of government schools. Now, the beat must pick up considerably because the decision about how fast to move will fix the future of America’s children.

[The article above was submitted to the Charleston, WV Gazette. So far the Gazette has not printed the article. The article was censored from the website (where I have a personal blog) of Tea Party Nation. See my comments about that censorship under “Conservatives” at “Things that Bug Me.”]

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War in Kanawha County by Donald Means (Copyright 1981 but published in 2010 posthumously by Donald’s son, Judson.)

Review by Karl C. Priest 3-22-2011 (note added 10-10-11

I knew the late Donald Means personally. He was a man of integrity and courage.

His book provides an insight into one of America’s major historical events—the “shot” that launched the modern “cultural war.”

Not only did Donald tell you facts that the mainstream media has censored, but he also related incidents that only a few ever knew about firsthand. And he did it in an entertaining, want to keep turning the page, novel format.

My favorite part (and I quoted it in my own book about the Kanawha County Textbook War) is his description of liberals. “I smiled when I read Donald’s description of liberals as having the knack to ‘accuse everybody else of what you, yourself, are doing, without ever giving them the opportunity to argue the point’.” (page 109 of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party).

Donald discovered what he called “The Plan” early in 1974. His book relates what a bunch of parents and other people did to try to prevent The Plan from being launched on America. History has proven The Plan was only delayed. Now, as America is engulfed in The Plan, readers should be inspired to follow the lead of men like Donald Means.

Get the book from Amazon, iUniverse, ValoreBooks, The Book Depository, eBook Pie, and other sources. Check all links for the best price.

Note: Donald’s desire to write a novel unfortunately caused him to portray some of the preachers in a light with which I disagree.

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Sending Suicide Squads into Schools

By Karl C. Priest February 28, 2011 (updated 5-25-2019)

Note: The reference to “suicide squads” is unrelated to the “homicide bombers” of terrorism. The term is used to refer to brave soldiers who undertake a mission that is almost certain to end in their deaths.

I have admired Mike Riddle since I first met him in person during some training at the Institute for Creation Research in Santee, CA. He is an articulate, intelligent, and inspirational speaker. Being a former Marine officer adds to his ability to get an audience to pay attention and take action.

On January 27, 2011 Mike gave a talk, hosted by Foundations in Genesis of Boise, ID, entitled “Taking Back American Education.” (1) I watched a video of that presentation and have much to compliment along with a serious point to criticize.

Mike is part of the Answers in Genesis (AiG) ministry and stayed true to the AiG message. I learned a lot from watching Mike’s presentation. He provided a lot of solid material about why evolution is a lie and why atheists are so adamant about forcing children to learn the dogma of evolutionism in “public” (2) schools. I liked how Mike pointed out that atheists, using a pseudo-biblical cloak, have launched a strategy to infiltrate Christian schools and homeschool curriculum with the doctrine of evolutionism. Also, Mike used Barna Group research to support his statement that middle school aged (about 13) children are the most critical need for evangelism. (3)

He introduced a new arm of AiG which I think is a great idea except for one major component.

The new thrust for AiG is to build an army of Christian educators. The goal is to have 50,000 people trained within the next few years. They want them to serve as teachers to work in Christian and “public” schools. If “public” schools continue to exist (I think they should not, but that is a topic for another time.) the goal is commendable. With the current paganization of America we certainly need missionaries on our own soil.

Like a good Marine, Mike uses military terminology to make his points. I agree with his analogy choice and it provides a good example of where Mike, and AiG, are in serious error. Their want to train children to enter what Mike calls the “spiritual battlefields” called “public” schools. Mike equated the educational system as a battle front. He asked the audience if their church high school group was in an army (meaning trained to be spiritual warriors). He lamented that parents were sending their children into those “public” school war zones unprepared. He expressed sincere grief over the high rate of casualties that are the result.

Mike touted an AiG promoted Equipping Course which is used to train students from the ninth grade up. Also, they plan to have a summer camp which will provide intense training.

Using a slide of young students raising their hands in a schoolroom, Mike claims that children can control the classroom conversation. He wants children trained to ask questions “in a very polite manner” that refute evolutionism. He joked that he doesn’t want them to get their teacher in a headlock. In reality, it would be an attempt to get the teacher into a mental headlock. Raising anti-evolution questions in class will not likely lead to (as Mike said without offering any proof) “changed lives” for teachers. It will almost certainly lead to causing the teacher to be embarrassed and/or angered. In some cases the teacher will mock the student. No matter how well trained a child (even a high school senior) is, he does not know as much science as a classroom teacher. That teacher can easily use the usual evolutionist tactic of twisting of truth to make the student look stupid. The best case scenario would be that the teacher will say, “That is fine that you believe that way. I have to teach what the huge majority of real scientists say. You don’t have to believe it. Just learn it and pass the test.” A savvy teacher will nip discussion in the bud after the first question. Most teachers will already have made a similar statement before the first question gets asked. If the student persists in asking the questions the student is subject to disciplinary action.

Parents can bluster all they want about free speech, but they will lose the argument. Even if they gain a small concession, the class will be long over with before the issue is decided by board of education bureaucracy.

Mike understands the Marine Corps and Marines. I understand (due to over 34 years experience) “public” schools and “public” school teachers.

There are far worse dangers in “public” schools than a few classes of evolutionism. The suppressing stream of humanism flows through all of the classes. The evils of our culture are in the hallways and social groups. I have seen (with my own eyes) the so-called salt and light of Christian students. It doesn’t work! Unless a parent wants to be willingly ignorant because they want the pampering of “public” schools and the prestige of the programs like sports and band, all that needs to be done to see the need to keep children out of “public” schools is to read the articles that are on my website.

To keep with Mike’s military theme, adults may very well be trained to enter “public” school classrooms as Christian soldiers with a mission to accomplish. The reality is that few will do it. When they do, they will likely be punished (4) or waste their time refighting battles I have already proven cannot be won.

According to Mike, it is time to go on the offensive and take back American education. Unfortunately, that would be like an American military officer preparing to take back Brazil. We never had Brazil and we never had the “public” schools. We have Americanized Brazil to some extent just as we Christianized “public” schools a little. But both are not, and never will, belong to us (either to America in the case of Barzil or to Christianity in the case of “public” schools).

In closing Mike said, “It’s up to you where your children are going to go. Will they still belong to the church when they graduate?” That was a poor choice of words. The children never belong to the church even if they officially join a church. I know that was not Mike’s intention, but the statement is alarming for other reasons. He is assuming that Christian parents are going to send their children into situations that he describes as dangerous. According to the theme of his talk, those children only have a chance of survival (spiritually) if they are trained with Answers in Genesis apologetic material.

What AiG will end up doing is equipping students with some light weaponry and basic training in order to fight against much better trained, armed, and battle experienced forces. Some of the students may reach their objective and capture (the heart of) a teacher. Most of them will just be suicide squads. I liken it to sending Eagle Scouts to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The hearts of AiG and Mike Riddle are in the right place, but their heads are lost in the fog of battle. (5)

The best strategy, and our only hope to win the war for the hearts, minds, and souls of American children is to launch a Call to Dunkirk.

(1) This talk was a briefing on the American education system. It covers 5 main points:

1. The foundation for the American education system
2. The Bible and warnings about false teachers
3. Where is the battleground?
4. How the American education system was taken over
5. A solution

(2) “Public” School” is a misnomer. The correct term should be “Government Schools.” Mike adequately pointed out that first 200 years of American education was Christian based. Where he was wrong was referring to that period as containing what we call “public” schools. In that day the concept of schooling using the word “public” was that the public (children not already in church schools) would have the opportunity to have a Christian education. There was no interest in government controlled schools until the Unitarian Horace Mann came on to the scene. The atheist John Dewy established the concepts incorporated into modern “public” schools. “Public” schools have never belonged to the public let alone to Christians.

(3) Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions: Why Children Should Be Your Church's #1 Priority by George Barna (2003). Barna found “only 3% of the nation’s 13-year-olds have a biblical worldview, which serves as the foundation for their decision making.” Another view of that data is that the teens reflect the position of their parents. I agree that evangelism directed toward middle school children should be a high priority. However, I don’t think it should supersede or stand alone from preaching to parents. (The reason why parents have slide down the slippery slope of compromise is because they started to see that their shepherds did not have a Pure and Sure Bible, but that is a subject of another time.) Parents need to take responsibility for their children’s education. The first step is to remove the children from the barrage of several hours a day of humanism and worse while in “public school.” Parents certainly can use their church and groups like AiG for help.

(4) Although some teachers get away with teaching creation science (to varying degrees) many face the consequences:
Larry Booher
Roger Dehart
John Freshwater
Kris Helphinstine
Pamela Hensley
Rod LeVake

In Slaughter of the Dissidents Dr. Jerry Bergman relates that even college professors are not safe if they question evolutionism.

(5) Ken Ham missed an opportunity when he wrote Already Gone because he did not call for parents to remove their children from “public” schools.

A prominent homeschool leader, David D’escoto, pointed out that “Answers in Genesis may have a plethora of reasons why they should not ‘call Christian parents to pull their children out of the godless evolutionary indoctrination centers,’ the only reason that really should matter is what God's Word has to say on this topic.” See David's entire article at http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/answers-no-answer.htm. There is some hope in the notes at the end of that article.

Mr. Ham is frequently invited to speak to homeschool groups. What he says has a powerful impact on audiences. He can change the church and culture by urging parents to rescue their children. His silence is deafening.

NOTE: In October 2011 Ken Ham endorsed the powerful anti-government school/rescue your children movie IndoctriNation.

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Who is responsible for America’s mess?

by Karl C. Priest January 21, 2011

Excerpted from Chapter 19 of Protester Voices—The 1974 Textbook Tea Party (available at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/protester-voices.htm and on Amazon)

We Christians are largely responsible for the current cultural mess. Political and judicial battles may temporarily slow the de-Christianizing of America, but these efforts are doomed to failure. The true battle is not for control of Congress, the Supreme Court, or the White House, it’s for the hearts and minds of our children. We foolishly focus on electing a few Christian politicians, while millions of new voters graduate each year saturated in the secular humanism taught in government schools. Political action and strong voting have failed. We shouldn’t give up that strategy—just recognize how limited it is.

In Ephesians chapter six, we are told to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Nurture means “education and training”, and admonition means “advise to avoid danger.” Therefore we have a biblical mandate—a command—to educate our children in a way that does not endanger their souls. To do that, we must get our children out of the government schools. Our goal must not be to reform, or take over government schools. The government has no constitutional or God-ordained role in education. Our goal must be complete educational independence.

We must work toward the development of a new system of Christian education that is open to the public, but not controlled by teacher unions or politicians. Our heart’s desire is to raise respectable and contributing members of society who uphold the basic freedoms and moral standards upon which America was established. This plan will result in a return of Christian values that will dramatically benefit our country. We hope to preserve a Godly remnant to rebuild America. Graduates of Christian education could reverse the trend of this nation’s moral decline. We may be in a state of emergency like that which occurred in Germany in the 1930s.

We need to become evangelistic about Christian education. That means that we should enthusiastically encourage others to join the exodus out of government schools.

Christian school students perform very well on standardized achievement tests such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress which is known as the nation’s report card.

Homeschooled children excel in overall academic achievement and government school officials are envious of homeschooled student scores on the ACT college entrance test.

Each of us needs to search our hearts and consider how we can use our time, our talent, and our treasure for rescuing our children. The words spoken to Esther apply to everyone: “Who knoweth whether thou (you) art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) We must rouse ourselves with repentance and radical change as we come to terms with the severe situation that has shaken this nation.

We are not faced with a tough decision—it is obvious. We are engaged in spiritual warfare! The 1974 textbook protesters bravely entered that war and now is not the time for silence and compromise. The last battle for the soul of the nation will be fought over who will educate our children.

Martin Luther said, “If we are correct and right in our Christian life at every point, but refuse to stand for the truth at a particular point where the battle rages—then we are traitors to Christ.”

“But whoso therefore shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mt. 18:6) Offend means to “harm, damage, cause hardship, impair, diminish in strength, commit an injustice, or cause to sin.” When we send our children to government schools we put them in serious risk of all of those things.

This is our moment of truth. Let us not offend any of our little ones.

The exodus out of Pharaoh’s schools began in 1974 with the Kanawha County Textbook War. Like the children of Israel, most Christians have been looking back at Egypt and wandering in the wilderness for almost forty years.

In the book of Numbers we can read of the scouts who saw how wonderful the Promised Land was, but ten of the twelve scouts only saw overwhelming obstacles. God wasn’t happy with the children of Israel. Instead of being engrossed with excuses---let’s focus on ways to overcome the obstacles. To overcome means to “rise above.” Jesus told us that we will have tribulation, but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world (John. 16:33) and in I John (5:4) we are told, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” Let’s take a look at Christian education and see how Christian schools and homeschools can overcome stumbling blocks and rescue our children.

Our consummate concern must be to protect our children.

What we decide to do today will affect the voices of the children who are America’s future.

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DARWIN IS DEAD DAY

By Karl C. Priest February 7, 2011

Darwin devotees are evangelizing for evolutionism vigorously this month. As close to February 12 as possible they will celebrate the birthday anniversary of former theology major (who never attained a degree in science) Charles Darwin.

The Darwin Day website features a video with moving music and thrilling testimonies from the International Darwin Day Foundation and the American Humanist (i.e. “atheist”) Association. I have always said that evolutionism and atheism go hand-in-hand. It is a sad story that compromising congregations will provide pro-evolution sermons during Evolution Weekend (February 11-13).

In 2009 there was much hoop-la about the150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. I have a copy of the book and have read it. I urge people to read it—it makes no mention of origins of life. It is chocked full of speculations and common sense observations. The book is the basis of atrocities of despots, eugenics, abortion, and racism.

Because Darwin is dead, I suggest a “Darwin is Dead Day.”  In a symbolic gesture—sort of like "hanging in effigy"-- the long overdue interment of evolution will be completed.  Appropriately, there should be several days of viewing an open, empty (except for a copy of Darwin’s book) casket.  Incense should be burned nearby to overcome the stench evolutionism has caused since being dumped out of Darwin’s deceived mind.

The choir should sing two hymns: "Poor Darwin Is Dead," sung to the tune of "Poor Judd Is Dead" from the musical, Oklahoma; and "Ding, Dong Evolution Is Dead," sung to the tune of "Ding, Dong, the Witch Is Dead" from the Wizard of Oz.

Skunk cabbage is the plant of choice for anyone who wishes to send an adornment for the service.

The burial will need to be done at an undisclosed location to prevent Kanawha County Schools’ practitioners of yoga from performing mystical chants and to prevent delusional Darwinists from coming (at future times) during a full moon to engage in occult rituals.

If a human must be remembered in regard to evolutionism, it should be Francesco Redi who scientifically disproved the superstition of creating life from non-living things, like maggots from dead meat in 1665.  Darwin ignored Redi's science, but American school children should not.

Credit goes to Dr. Joseph Mastropaolo for providing the directions for the funeral including song and flower selection.

This article was submitted to (and censored by--there were "many pressing submissions") the Charleston Gazette (WV).

Revised from previous article.

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Fundamentalism and Education in the Scopes Era—God, Darwin, and the Roots of America’s Culture Wars by Adam Laats. (New York, NY:Palgrave/MacMillan,. 2010) A Review

By Karl C. Priest February 8, 2011

Preface, Acknowledgements, and Introduction

There is much to learn a lot from the book.

The author appears to be a scholar without an agenda other than to record facts of history.  That would be a refreshing experience for me.

On page 7 Dr. Laats refers to terms such as "infidels", "atheists," and "skeptics" as being derogatory.  It is my observation that those who have such beliefs wear those labels with pride.  In fact, they advertise themselves as being any of those terms.

Part I: (Chapters 1-2) Fundamentalism and Fundamentalists

This book will definitely be a keeper for my small library. Only the best books find a place on my limited shelves. The book has several pencil marks per page. Those marks are what I do when I see a point of which I want to note.  It contains a lot of history and I was amazed at how some of the statements closely correlate with some statements in my own book. I loved the reference to the “confused middle” on page 37. I discuss the same group in the last chapter of my book and wished I had used that term.

There were two items that I found somewhat disconcerting. The first could have been avoided by inserting the simple word “perceived.” On page 13 Laats wrote, “For example, critics pointed to the (perceived) discrepancy between the first two books of Genesis.” That discrepancy only exists in the minds of those with an anti-Bible believer agenda or the inability to read with comprehension. See http://carm.org/bible-difficulties/genesis-deuteronomy/dont-genesis-1-and-2-present-contradictory-creation-accounts .

The most egregious complaint I have with ther book is the inclusion of the Ku Klux Klan as part of the fundamentalist Christian movement. On page 24 it would take a discerning reader not to include the KKK in that category because the context of “conservatives” is referring to Christian conservatives. Ditto on page 34. The last paragraph on page 36 does not alleviate this matter. Latter in the book the subject is clarified a little better.

Let would revise a sentence on page 24 (last in the first full paragraph): Thus, in spite of meticulous boundary-work on the part of many undamentalists, many fconservatives, including Pentecostals, Ku Klux Klan members, conservative Lutherans, and even conservative Catholics often use the term fundamentalist to describe themselves. to Thus, in spite of meticulous boundary-work on the part of many professors, many liberals, including politicians, Black Panthers, liberal Marxists, and even liberal religionists often use the term liberal to describe themselves.  You can imagine how liberals would react to that statement.

Just because the KKK wanted to influence public schools and a rare fundamentalist preacher spoke favorably of the KKK does not warrant including the KKK in a book on religious fundamentalists in a way that makes it appear the two groups worked closely together.

As Laats is prone to say, the matter is complicated. A leading liberal U.S. Senator, the late Robert Byrd, was a mover and shaker in the KKK not too far past the Scopes Trial era.

Mentioning the KKK to me in the context of Christian fundamentalists (in my book the term is clarified as Bible-believers since liberals are actually extremely fundamentalist about their own dogma) is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I see it as a slur and without merit.

I am yet to see a paper or book about the efforts liberals have made to control public education from the Unitarian Mann through the atheist Dewey and on to the anarchist Bill Ayers. How about the immense influence of the Masons in American education?

Part II: God and School (Chapters 3-5)

Chapter 3 contains a wealth of information. I was made to realize that the battles over higher education of that era (1920s) is almost identical to the battles over K-12 education fought in the 1970’s to present.

I found it amusing that the liberals used the argument of academic freedom as a major weapon during the battle back then. History has proven that the liberal concept of academic freedom only applies to those with a worldview of liberalism. That is adequately documented in Jerry Bergman’s Slaughter of the Dissidents: The Shocking Truth about Killing the Careers of Darwin Doubters and numerous writings from the ex-radical liberal David Horowitz. Also, in my small corner of the world I experienced the “open-mindedness” of liberalism during my battles to have scientific facts about evolution taught in Kanawha County schools.

Latter I was threatened with arrest for challenging an evolutionist to back up his bluff.

Also, while serving with a group of military vets who  opposed the 2004 presidential candidacy of the traitor John Kerry. It was personal, not political, with us--the group was formed by me, a life-long Independent, and a friend, a life-long Democrat. The first time we appeared, on a public sidewalk, outside of a John Edwards event, we were cursed and even nearly run over by a swerving SUV. Several times, union thugs hassled us by attempting to block our signs from view.

I have a lot of praise for Chapters 4-5. If I had to guess if Dr. Laats leaned toward either aliberal or conservative worldview based only upon Chapters 4 and 5, I could not. Of course, that is the way it should be in a book like this.

As I read, it crossed my mind to check the Index for Dr. Richard M. Cornelius who is arguably the chief historian of the Scopes Trial. Not finding his name caused some concern.

I learned quite a bit of history and found confirmation of several points that I made in my own book.

William Jennings Bryan proved to be a prophet when he predicted (pg. 62) that society as a whole could not survive the results of atheistic teaching that was spearheaded by evolutionism. Headlines have confirmed that this has happened with Columbine being the most prominent, but West Virginia (which I was unaware had rejected Bryan’s personal pleas for legislative action) has plenty of sad stories as I document in WV News on my website.

A great point that the book discloses is that Bryan and other fundamentalists did not object to a truthful, non-dogmatic version of evolution being taught. Also, fundamentalists at that time highly valued true science. That was my own position as I engaged in skirmishes with Kanawha County schools. In fact, almost all current creationists and Intelligent Design leaders advocate teaching about evolution—but not in the way evangelical evolutionists insist upon. Note: I have moved away from that to the positron that evolution should not be taught at all because it wastes valuable time from teaching true science.

It was interesting to learn that (as in 1974) non-fundamentalists and conservative Catholics united with fundamentalists (Bible believers) in the worldview battle.

I noted that the NEA and ACLU (I was already aware of the latter) groups were key players in support of evolutionism.

As in 1974, and my aforementioned true-science endeavors, the opposition brought in “experts” and many of them were clerics. Also, radical liberals spewed their usual hate-speech and called Bible believers names such as ignoramuses, primitives, boobs, strange, weird, fanatics, and various other degrading descriptions in phrase form. The only thing that has changed is that now, we have lots of credentialed scientists that will go head-to-head with the best of true believers in evolution. A prominent one, Dr. Joseph Mastropaolo, has proven that evolutionists have no real science behind their Darwinian dogma.

The book does not disclose the deceit of Scopes and the ACLU in that Scopes never really taught evolution in class and Darrow reneged on an agreement to take the stand for Bryan to cross-examine. Also, will you disclose the racism that was in the book Scopes (the gym teacher) would have used?

I appreciate the fact that Laats clearly pointed out how the press lied about what they observed, particularly the lack of racism in Dayton. I hope this future work will describe how Darwinists now control science classrooms by censorship and authoritarian power—both things that liberals screamed that fundamentalists wanted to do in 1925.

Dr. Laats documents (perhaps unintentionally) that the two opposing sides will never be able to compromise. I stress that in my book. One side or the other will prevail. That is why I now urge Christians to rescue their children from government (fondly, but inaccurately, called “public”) schools.

Part III: Monkeys and Modernism (Chapters 6-8)

As always, and well documented in these three chapters, fundamentalists (Bible believers) were relentlessly attacked after they dared to try to protect their children and institute the will of the majority into the “public” schools. Some of their most formable foes were those who wore the label “Christian.”

Fundamentalists were not a monolithic group led by a charismatic leader. Even if Bryan had not died soon after the Scopes Trial, that would have remained true. Some wanted to shun the accusations that they were simply dogmatic Southerners while others embraced that identity.

I may have to dampen my criticism of the Ku Klux Klan. It appears that the group was much more than simply a violent, hate-filled lynch mop. Nevertheless, it is clear that few fundamentalists accepted the Klan as an ally. That was true in 1974 Kanawha County.

Over a dozen state legislatures debated the teaching of evolution and there was some debate on the issue in Congress, but the focus was on local boards of education and universities (mostly denominational).

Evolution was merely the icon of what was really happening then (and today—an all-out attack on the basic beliefs of most Americans (not just fundamentalist Christians).

There was not a unified strategy embraced by fundamentalist leaders.

Fundamentalist focus on local (K-12) school was largely a missions program where free literature was offered (I used the Moody material in the 1990’s) to teachers, Bibles were distributed to students (the Gideon’s were still striving to do this in the 1990’s) and afterschool programs (such as Child Evangelism clubs in the 9190’s)were provided at nearby sites such as private homes.

Many schools of the 1920’s and beyond still exhibited the Christian culture that was predominant throughout America. During my term as a student teacher in 1971 the supervising teacher started her class daily with the children reciting “ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalms 51:10)

I have mixed emotions about having the Bible in public schools. I smirk at the fear of liberals that children will study a book that is indisputably the greatest book ever written and a book that is integral to understanding Western civilization. On the other hand, I have concern that the Bible taught by Bible unbelievers will do more harm than good. That is basically the position of major creation groups (such as the Institute for Creation Science) regarding the teaching of creation science in public schools.

I chuckled when I read that the goal of many 1920’s nonfundamentalist institutions of higher learning was to train “students to think critically about the world around them.” Actually (today’s universities only teach students to criticize Bible-believing Christians. And, as I proved in my evolutionism battles, the powers that control secondary public education censor any critical thinking regarding evolutionism.

Another amusing statement from 1925 was when a fundamentalist leader pointed out that states give Bibles to prison inmates, so it makes since to give the Bibles to school children and perhaps help them avoid prison.

The lessons learned after the Scopes Trial was that any success in maintaining a Judeo-Christian culture in public schools change would be difficult and slow. Fundamentalists of that era predicted what would happen should they fail, but they did not live to actually see it. That remained for the 1974 Kanawha County, WV protesters to disclose as they made the last great effort to control public education. After 1974, the focus of fundamentalists was to build their own K-12 schools.

Part IV: Fundamentalism Transformed (Chapters 9-10)

The last two chapters deal mainly with key figures in fundamentalism and how they tried to deal with liberal hostility and disagreements among their own ranks. They all wanted to convey the fact that fundamentalists were not ignorant, but a few did not mind having the label of being narrow-minded (in the sense of not embracing every progressive idea) and somewhat militant. One leader tried to equate fundamentalists as being progressive although the evolution of progressivism caused that term to be the antithesis of fundamentalism.

Dr. Laats brings out that fundamentalists were not isolated in rural areas only. Fundamentalists were more inclined to have open discussions on controversial subjects than were liberals. Also, fundamentalists were leaders in a lot of so-called progressive causes such as equal treatment for women and removal of racial restrictions.

A keeper quote from page 180 is by fundamentalist Alfred Fairhurst. “I believe that the teaching of evolution is mostly dogmatic, and that the result of teaching it is a new crop of dogmatists. I am aware that there are those who hold that the subject of evolution greatly expands the mind. I think that, as taught, it warps the mind and closes it against much truth.”

Conclusion and Epilogue (Into the Future)

Dr. Laats summarizes his research in a little less than four pages. The endeavors of fundamentalists Christians in the 1920’s-1930’s time period are difficult to describe. Fundamentalists themselves were not always unified and their successes or failures could be interrupted as not being total either way. For example, a failed campaign to pass a law was counterbalanced by textbook publishers that did self-censorship in order to avoid controversy.

Fundamentalists (i.e. Bible believers) came to the conclusion that their worldview was rapidly decresing as the predominate view held by the majority of Americans. They took harsh and bitter criticism from the liberals (i.e. Bible non-believers) who proclaimed themselves the holders of truth and morality.

From 1930 through the 1950s public schools retained some form of a Christian basis. In the 1960s liberals used the Russian launch of Sputnik as a means to con Americans into adopting a book series that was featured evolutionism. Actually, the science of launching spacecrafts has absolutely nothing to do with evolutionism. Also during the 1960’s the Supreme Court banned prayer and Bible-reading from public schools. The decision that banned Bible reading was instigated by Unitarians. It was Unitarians that led the resistance to my efforts to get truthful and accurate science taught in Kanawha County (WV) Schools. See “Religion Rules Kanawha County Schools."

By the time of the 1981 McLean v. Arkansas trial the situation was reversed. Liberals attacked and eliminated a law that called for equal time for teaching evolution and scientific creation. Laats referred to that event as a “flare-up” in the cultural wars of the latter twentieth century. Regrettably, he did not mention the Kanawha County Textbook War, but did reveal that there was a tremendous increase in Christian K-12 schools in the late 1970s.

The term “culture war” is used in this book and it is a term that accurately describes the current situation. There is a war for the hearts and minds of America’s children. The education of American children was Christian based from the earliest days of settlement. That remained the case until Unitarian Horace Mann slyly watered it down in the 1830s and John Dewey started the process of choking the Christian foundation of American education in the early 1900s. Fundamentalists started fighting back and that history is aptly recorded in this book. From the 1920s until the 1960s, Bible believers were able to plug the holes. A full frontal attack occurred in 1974 and a group of fundamentalists in Kanawha County, WV launched the battle (the greatest ever fought in the Cultural War) that caused a resurgence in conservatism. Regrettably, that 1974 battle proved that the public schools could not be redeemed. Now, the only hope for America is to rescue children from public schooling. Will there be enough Bible-believeing (fundamentalists) Christians to make a difference?

Also see "FIRMly FUNdamentalist."

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"Lest We Forget"

By Karl C. Priest February 13, 2011

Current conservatives have forgotten the courageous citizens who laid the foundation for the modern conservative movement. 

 Liberal scholars realize the importance of what happened in 1974.  Either today's conservatives are unable to comprehend (perhaps because they mostly were educated in government schools) or, more likely, they are ashamed of those on whose shoulders they stand (most likely due to the immense amount of propaganda).

A monumental uprising of citizens resulted over liberal attempts to ram un-American and un-godly textbooks into public schools in Kanawha County West Virginia. The result was the 1974 Great Textbook War.

There is an excerpt from the widely acclaimed radio documentary about the Textbook War at http://www.dupontawards.org/WinnerDetails.aspx?id=609.  As has been done for over 35 years, the segment focuses on the violence.  The truth is that violent acts were miniscule and committed by both sides. Actually the most serious incident was when a liberal shot an innocent bystander. The media NEVER reports those details.

The paragraph below the video is eye-opening. (Use the vertical scroll bar beside the video if necessary.) It provides an excellent example that demonstrates the importance of the Textbook War to today's Tea Party. 

The first sentence in the paragraph reads (emphasis added):

“In this evenhanded, painstaking and eye-opening documentary, Trey Kay explores the complex and volatile 1974 debate over multicultural textbooks in a West Virginia community that set the stage for today’s Tea Party movement. The events in the documentary foreshadowed today’s populist revolt and polarizing political debate.

Tea Partiers of 2011 and beyond should learn from and be inspired by those who courageously rose in rebellion in 1974.  More details of the story are at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/text-book-war.htm.

A book that tells the story from the viewpoint of those who stood for country, children, and Christ is Protester Voices—the 1974 Textbook Tea Party which is available at Amazon or at http://www.insectman.us/testimony/protester-voices.htm .

God of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

(First stanza of “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling.)

Let us not forget!

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