Dutko's flat-out dishonesty, again and again.

Saturday, July 4th WMUZ used an earlier interview Bob had with Michele Goldberg once it was edited as material for “Duking it out with Dutko.”

Following is excerpt one of two I want to expose to the revealing light of day.

(1)Dutko:…… It was the government that printed the Bibles for the schools in this country and as a matter of fact the guy who coined the language in the first amendment Fisher Ames – he argued that bibles need to remain textbooks – required reading in the schools in this country – that’s the guy who authored the language for first amendment. I don’t understand how you can say this is not true….

(2) Goldberg: First of all (cross-talk) it was Madison working from language that Jefferson used in the Virginia statue of religious freedom…

(3)D: (cutting her off) No as they were having this debate (summer of 1791 during development of Bill of Rights) -- they were crafting all of the language and Madison was the one who finally accepted the final language – the language that he used came from Fisher Ames: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

(4) G: Can I ask a question? Do you disagree that the first amendment was based on the 1786 statute establishing religious freedom in Virginia? That’s what most mainstream historians argue. Do you disagree with that?

(5)D: You know, honestly I don’t really have a strong opinion about that I, I think it’s irrelevant I honestly consider it irrelevant whether it does or does not.

(6)G: It is not irrelevant! Because here’s what Jefferson wrote in his autobiography about that statute. He wrote that someone wanted to refer to Jesus Christ as the source of religious liberty: He wrote that it was “rejected by the great majority in proof that they meant to comprehend in the mantle of it protection, the Jew and the gentile the Christian and the Mohamden, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination. “ (Bob’s response is unknown since the editor terminated this exchange and went to commercial)

Background: On hearing some years ago the Fisher Ames story I was nonplused at somehow overlooking in my reading, so I thought, a major player in the development of the First Amendment (FA) . A few mouse clicks showed Fisher Ames was but a minor contributor to the processes. Yes, the record shows on August 20, 1789 he did indeed introduce language, largely developed by others, onto the floor of the House of Representatives.

I promptly sent Bob an email with a paste of what I had easily found (posted 8:26 PM) and receiving no response, was surprised and angered when he continued to tell the same story again and again. I then sent a large envelope via USPS with full source documentation plainly showing Ames as the minor player he was. David Barton in his book “Original Intent,” even describes Ames as a “helper.” Ain't that faint praise? (Wallbuilder Press, 1996 p 365)

Bob must insist on the Ames story as he falsely tells it because to those who see the FA as Garry Wills, Randall Balmer, Michael Shermer, Harry Cook, Dan Barker and I do, he likes to rip into us with this: “Now, who knows more about the FA, you and the ACLU or the guy who wrote it?” Should he be truthful about Ames, his favorite rhetorical cudgel collapses.

Back to the dialogue:

In (2) above, Goldberg swiftly and correctly picks up the trail of the facts surrounding the source of FA language. Whenever, for the sake of brevity, FA language is attributed by mainstream authors to a single person, it’s Madison. She knows that.

In (3) Dutko omits not only the early but wordy and less-focused contribution of Madison (June 7, 1789) also fails to note the important late addition of the expansive term, “respecting,” after Ames’ “help” of August 20.

In (4) Goldberg further homes in on the blatant falsity of his Ames story and presents Dutko with a simple and inescapable question.

Look at his response.

(5) Here it is, classic Dutko: Evading the direct question by summarily branding as “irrelevant” any hint that he might be in error. This is a typical hostile, demeaning, ham-fisted stunt of Dutko’s – keep pounding a bewildered guest with nonsense while steering the conversation to where Dutko can continue to dominate, intimidate and overwhelm , thus burying the threatening question apart from the minds of the audience.

Now think of what we are to believe: So it’s important that we understand Fisher Ames was the author of the FA, but the philosophy and derivation of its language, which leads us forthwith to Madison and Jefferson, is not worth a “strong opinion” or it’s “irrelevant.” Dutko, you are a trip.