Jim Hinton – 7/14/10

This page was last updated on July 14, 2010.

Don’t know much about history; Jim Hinton; Beaver County Times; July 14, 2010.

I believe Mr. Hinton began his letter-writing in March 2009 with “We should keep an eye on Limbaugh.” Subsequent letters were entitled “AP article got health care right,” “Put the blame where it belongs,” “Fox News shows its real priorities,” “Get facts straight before criticizing,” “Tax dollars can’t be used for abortion,” “Making money while hurting nation,” and “Will marriage change Limbaugh?”

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Glenn Beck has found another way to make money.”

[RWC] Mr. Hinton is hung up on Mr. Beck making money. This is Mr. Hinton’s second letter on the topic in two months.

Beyond that, Mr. Hinton appears obsessed with Mr. Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Fox News Channel. Of his at least nine letters since March 2009, five of them addressed Messrs. Beck, Limbaugh, and FNC.

Mr. Hinton has a habit of complaining about the facts presented by others while having fact problems of his own. This letter continues that trend. I could be wrong, but it appears Mr. Hinton got his info secondhand.

“It’s his on-line university where you can learn more in one hour than you did in all your life. It will only cost you $79. (The first hour class lasted only 34 minutes, so that would equal about half your life.)”

[RWC] “Beck University” (BU) is simply a new feature of a previously-existing offering, “Glenn Beck Insider Extreme.” According to the website, “Insider Extreme” costs $74.95/year. I am not a subscriber.

“Religious historian David Barton explained that 29 of the founding fathers did not intend for a separation of church and state because they were ministers. It has never been confirmed that all 29 were ministers. None of them signed their name as a minister or priest, so it is not accurate to assume they were ministers.”

[RWC] As background, this “class” (entitled “Black-Robed Regiment”) of BU was about the influence of the clergy on our founding documents and The Revolution.

Surprise, Mr. Barton didn’t say what Mr. Hinton claims. I found the subject class in a Torrent file and here’s what it said on this point: “29 signers held seminary or Bible school degrees.” Nowhere did the presentation claim all of these men were practicing ministers.

As for “29 of the founding fathers did not intend for a separation of church and state,” again that’s not close to what Mr. Barton said. Mr. Barton draws a distinction between today’s creative and incorrect reading of the First Amendment and the intent of the Founders. Mr. Barton said, “Now wait a minute. We’ve got signers of the Declaration and Constitution and they’re bringing in preachers to talk to state government? What about separation of church and state? No, no, no, that’s a brand new doctrine as far as this kind of stuff goes. Back then, yeah, separation meant you kept the two institutions separate. We don’t want the church running the government, we don’t want the government running the church, but we do want the influence in there.” Given the content of our founding documents, Mr. Barton is clearly correct.

“On his TV program, Beck asked why during the coverage of Senator Robert Byrd’s wake, no film of Byrd filibustering against the 1964 civil rights legislation was shown anywhere?”

[RWC] As background, Mr. Beck was pointing out how Mr. Byrd’s racist history had been mostly whitewashed (no pun intended) by the press and even by Bill Clinton (“He [Byrd] was a country boy from the hills and hollers of West Virginia, he was trying to get elected.”) and Barack Obama in their eulogies. Mr. Beck noted the different ways the NY Times treated the deaths of Mr. Byrd (“Robert Byrd, Respected Voice of the Senate, Dies at 92”) and Strom Thurmond (“Strom Thurmond, Foe of Integration, Dies at 100”). Both were written by the same writer. The difference? Though both men were Democrats, Mr. Thurmond became a Republican after repudiating his past bigotry.

“That’s because there isn’t any film. Prior to December 1974, no cameras were permitted in the Senate chamber.”

[RWC] It’s interesting to see where Mr. Hinton’s priorities lie. Mr. Hinton is more concerned that Mr. Beck didn’t know or forgot about the history of TV cameras on the Senate floor than he is about a racist senator filibustering and voting against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Though I knew the answer when I heard Mr. Beck make his comment, it’s easy to understand why he didn’t know the answer. You see, there has been TV coverage of Senate committee hearings since 1947.

“Beck’s knowledge of history must have some holes in it. He should go to Google to fact check his questions before he goes on TV and embarrasses himself.”

[RWC] Mr. Hinton appears to live in a glass house or is walking a fine line. According to the Senate website, TV coverage of Senate floor proceedings didn’t begin until June 2, 1986, though the Senate “telecast Nelson Rockefeller’s December 19 [1974] swearing-in as vice president.”