Palin's New Book Cites Debunked George Washington Myth As Fact

[Joanne98]

Ah, Thanksgiving! - What better time to promote American history revisionism? Enter Sarah Palin. Did George Washington, pledging his oath as the first president of the United States, swear upon a Bible the words "so help me God"? You betcha, claims Palin in her new book "America By Heart: Reflections On Faith, Family and Flag." Bunk, say historians.


Palin chirpily writes, on page 193, "The very first thing Washington as president was to offer a prayer to God to secure the liberties of the new nation... put his hand on the Bible as he was sworn in. And he added the words "so help me God" to the presidential oath."
Wrong, says Beth Hahn, historical editor for the U.S. Senate Historical Office. As described by Beliefnet,

"once made a video describing how George Washington began the tradition of saying "So help me God" during a presidential swearing in. Then she did some research -- and changed her mind. "When I made the video, it was common wisdom that he said it, and I did not check it," Hahn told Cathy Grossman of USA Today. "After investigating this, I would say there is no eyewitness documentation that he did -- or did not -- say this."
Wrong, says Military Religious Freedom Foundation Head Researcher and Talk To Action contributor Chris Rodda, who writes,

"all of the historical evidence points to the opposite. Not a single newspaper article from the time or any other contemporary account of Washington's inauguration has him adding these words. The myth was started by Washington Irving while writing his biography of George Washington in the 1850s, and first appeared in Rufus Wilmot Griswold's 1854 book The Republican Court, or, American Society in the Days of Washington.
Rodda presents a detailed debunking of the claim that Washington's presidential oath contained the pledge "so help me God" in a September 2, 2008 story concerning a fake history-packed book, So Help Me God: A Reflection on the Military Oath that was endorsed by then Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers who, as Rodda describes, has called for "a spiritually transformed U.S. military, with Ambassadors for Christ in uniform, empowered by the Holy Spirit."
The Antwerp-endorsed book, edited by a member of Campus Crusade For Christ (which states the goal of turned armed forces members into "government-paid missionaries for Christ"), printed with all 5 emblems of the branches of the U.S. military on the cover, was at the time being sold at military PX's.

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/11/23/143111/40/Front_Page/Palin_s_New_Book_Cites_Debunked_George_Washington_Myth_As_Fact

[COLGATE4]

1. Sarah is so f----ing dumb that she thinks that Mt. Vernon is a

bottled ginger-ale type drink.

[briteleaf]

2. Education and gullibility

Until Americans wake up and begin looking at facts, a large percentage of us will continue to listen to fabrications like Palin's. Wake up! If someone fabricates "facts" like she does, YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DISMISSING WHATEVER ISSUES FROM HER MOUTH! Unfortunately, many indiscriminating folks accept lies as gospel and forward them to their friends who also accept them as factual. Friends wouldn't send you lies would they?

Perhaps it will take many generations evolving to dull our gullibility. Many of the gullible still don't recognize evolution as a fact. Remember when almost half of the republican candidates for president stated that they did not believe in evolution. Maybe it will take 100 generations but the day will come when liars and fabricators are pitied and dismissed. Until then, folks like Palin will have credibility with idiots who don't check facts.

[Enthusiast]

5. Plus one nt

[Historic NY]

3. Sarah the scholar strikes again.....now you know why

people are clueless about history. We always say it makes a nice story, but its not factually true at all.

[yurbud]

4. I thought she was going to say Washington cut down the cherry tree to build a fire...

to cook the turkey for the first thanksgiving.

[4dsc]

6. Palin and Bush went to the same school. nt