There's an new book called '48 Liberal Lies About American History' that
I want to read. The author, Larry Schweikart, talked about his book on Book
TV and The Dennis Prager Show. I thought I would post the lies. I haven't
read yet so I'm not sure how he debunks these "myths." Also to be fair, I
don't think all these lies are solely "liberal." There are probably some right
leaning people that believe these things. For example, some Ron Paul supporters
believe in the whole 9/11 conspiracy stuff. Well, here is the list of lies:
1) The first presidents intended for the United States to be isolationist.
2) The Mexican and Spanish-American wars were imperialist efforts drummed
up by "corporate interests."
3) FDR knew in advance about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
4) Harry Truman ordered the atomic bombing of Japan to intimidate the Soviets
with "atomic diplomacy."
5) John F. Kennedy was killed by LBJ and a Soviet team to prevent him from
getting us out of Vietnam.
6) Richard Nixon expanded to Vietnam.
7) The 'Peace Movement' activists were dupes of the KGB.
8) Ronald Reagan knew "Star Wars" wouldn't work but wanted to provoke a
war with the USSR.
9) Mikhail Gorbachev, not Ronald Reagan, was responsible for ending the Cold
War.
10) September 11 was not the work of terrorists: it was a government conspiracy.
11) No terrorists or weapon of mass destruction were hiding in Iraq.
12) The founders envisioned a "wall of separation" between Church and State,
keeping religious influence out of government.
13) Thomas Jefferson favored "small government" and was a pacifist.
Terry's note: I noticed this particular portrayal of Thomas Jefferson
in the HBO movie John Adams.
14) Women had no right in early America.
15) Restrictions on the right to vote kept voter participation low.
16) Prohibition was unpopular from the beginning and failed in all its objectives.
17) Sacco and Vanzetti were innocent and wrongly executed.
18) Senator Joseph McCarthy concocted the "Red Scare" and there was nothing
to fear from communist subversives.
19) The Rosenbergs were not spies and were wrongfully executed.
20) Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK because he was deranged Marine, not because
he a communist.
21) Columbus was responsible for killing millions of Indians.
22) The early colonies were intolerant and racist.
Terry's note: If I remember correctly from his interviews his argument isn't
that the early settlers weren't intolerant and racist but that intolerance
and racism was global and not isolated to America.
23) Early America home of few guns or gun owners.
24) Abraham Lincoln only freed the slaves to beef up his troop strength.
I will post the rest tomorrow. Please discuss the first 24 if you wish.