All, certainly true, but a couple of caveats.  First, the idea of a "Christianity
Amendment" began, to my knowledge, in the 19th century.  It was
"finally" defeated in the 1890s, only to be raised on and off in the
20th, and now the 21st century.  The fundamentalist and
evangelical Protestant movement has often (or always) maintained
that the foundation of the United States was Christian.  The
omission of recognition of this "fact" in the Constitution was and is
an embarrassing oversight.  (Think about the efforts to sanitize the
biographies of the Founders, as a secular version of Christian
hagiography, and you may determine that what we are talking
about now resonates with something we discussed very recently.)
  Second, the real assault on public financing of cultural matters
took place in the 1980s, and while we took some defeats, we also
won some significant victories.  The NARA and LC are still in
operation and expanding.  And when you turn on your TV (if you
do) PBS is still there.  So, while specific agencies are threatened
with cutbacks, let us not cry wolf until the wolf is at the door.


Date sent:              Thu, 26 Apr 2001 17:33:59 -0400
From:                   Ned Heite <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Re: NHPRC Budget Cuts
To:                     [log in to unmask]
Send reply to:          Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
        <[log in to unmask]>

> At 10:58 AM -0400 4/26/01, Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. wrote:
> >Mr. Forsythe's remarks are *absolutely* true, and
> >*very* eloquently stated.  Thanks for making
> >them!
>
> The problem, of course, is that people like Rep. Istook have made
> ignorance a way of life and a badge of honor.
>
> He keeps introducing a proposed Constitutional Amendment to destroy
> the first-amendment freedom of religion. He calls it the "religious
> freedom" amendment, and it would have the exact opposite effect.
>
> It's not just the NHPRC that is being savaged. Look at the Advisory
> Council on Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, and
> other quality-of-life programs that are being savaged by the Bush
> budget.
> --
> Ned Heite  ([log in to unmask])
> *************************************************
> *    Today's compost wisdom:                    *
> *    Think about your fertilizer bill before    *
> *    you throw out that biodegradable garbage!  *
> *************************************************
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Harold S. Forsythe
Assistant Professor History
Director:  Black Studies
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06430-5195
(203) 254-4000  x2379

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