madfloridian
madfloridian's JournalSome shocking views of the group known as The Family or the Fellowship.
There are reasons why some have concerns about their goals.
Interestingly enough the group was founded as an anti-union movement.
While 700 plus policemen patrolled the 1934 union strikes, The Family founder prayed with the elite.
These are a couple of paragraphs I transcribed from Jeff Sharlet's book The Family.
This part showed a sharp contrast between the wealthy and the workers. They seemed to take the efforts of the unions to gain power very personally...or as Sharlet once said Abram Vereides considered it a challenge to God's sovereignty. From page 104 about the 1934 union strikes:
From page 104 about the 1934 union strikes:
Seven hundred policemen in dark blue patrolled the waterfront on foot and in black cars and on high chestnut horses. Twice that number and more picketed and searched for strikebreakers. The middle class began contemplating last minute vacations. The wives of the wealthy bunkered up at the Union Club, where Abram led prayer meetings for businessmen. As the blue tear gas sent tendrils up the hill, they must have felt frustrated by his optimistic lessons in biblical capitalism. Scripture has much to say about honest dealing and even more about handling the heathen, but not once does it mention organized labor.
From page 108:
The strike went on, but the shippers were defeated by the time the coffins went into the ground. Their old beliefs could not compete. Management-capital-would require a new faith if it was to survive.
The strike of 1934 scared Abram into launching the movement that would become the vanguard of elite fundamentalism, and elite fundamentalism took as its first challenge the destruction of militant labor. Destruction was not the word Christians used however. They called it cooperation.
Abram Vereides was given much power by the end of WW II.
In 1944, Vereide had foreseen what he called 'the new world order.' 'Upon the termination of the war there will be many men available to carry on,' Vereide wrote in a letter to his wife. 'Now the ground-work must be laid and our leadership brought to face God in humility, prayer and obedience.' He began organizing prayer meetings for delegates to the United Nations, at which he would instruct them in God's plan for rebuilding from the wreckage of the war. Donald Stone, a high-ranking administrator of the Marshall Plan, joined the directorship of Vereide's organization. In an undated letter, he wrote Vereide that he would 'soon begin a tour around the world for the (Marshall Plan), combining with this a spiritual mission.'
In 1946, Vereide, too, toured the world, traveling with letters of introduction from a half dozen senators and representatives, and from Paul G. Hoffman, the director of the Marshall Plan. He traveled also with a mandate from General John Hildring, assistant secretary of state, to oversee the creation of a list of good Germans of 'the predictable type' (many of whom, Vereide believed, were being held for having 'the faintest connection' with the Nazi regime), who could be released from prison 'to be used, according to their ability in the tremendous task of reconstruction.' Vereides met with Jewish survivors and listened to their stories, but he nevertheless considered ex-Nazis well suited for the demands of 'strong' government, so long as they were willing to worship Christ as they had Hitler.
More from a Salon article in 2009.
Sex and power inside “the C Street House”
The Family likes to call itself a “Christian Mafia,” but it began 74 years ago as an anti-New Deal coalition of businessmen convinced that organized labor was under the sway of Satan. The Great Depression, they believed, was a punishment from God for what they viewed as FDR’s socialism. The Family’s goal was the “consecration” of America to God, first through the repeal of New Deal reforms, then through the aggressive expansion of American power during the Cold War. They called this a “Worldwide Spiritual Offensive,” but in Washington, it amounted to the nation’s first fundamentalist lobby. Early participants included Southern Sens. Strom Thurmond, Herman Talmadge and Absalom Willis Robertson — Pat Robertson’s father. Membership lists stored in the Family’s archive at the Billy Graham Center at evangelical Wheaton College in Illinois show active participation at any given time over the years by dozens of congressmen.
Today’s roll call is just as impressive: Men under the Family’s religio-political counsel include, in addition to Ensign, Coburn and Pickering, Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, both R-S.C.; James Inhofe, R-Okla., John Thune, R-S.D., and recent senators and high officials such as John Ashcroft, Ed Meese, Pete Domenici and Don Nickles. Over in the House there’s Joe Pitts, R-Penn., Frank Wolf, R-Va., Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., and John R. Carter, R-Texas. Historically, the Family has been strongly Republican, but it includes Democrats, too. There’s Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, for instance, a vocal defender of putting the Ten Commandments in public places, and Sen. Mark Pryor, the pro-war Arkansas Democrat responsible for scuttling Obama’s labor agenda. Sen. Pryor explained to me the meaning of bipartisanship he’d learned through the Family: “Jesus didn’t come to take sides. He came to take over.” And by Jesus, the Family means the Family.
In 2007 the Miami Herald quoted Grace Nelson, wife of Florida's Senator Bill Nelson.
Mother Jones, the progressive politics magazine, delves into Dem prez contender Hillary Clinton's religious and political life - and among the few in her inner circle who would talk for the story was Grace Nelson, wife of Florida Sen. Bill Nelson.
Nelson, the magazine notes, was one of Clinton's "cell mates" in the DC-based Fellowship, described by the magazine as "a network of sex-segregated cells of political, business and military leaders dedicated to 'spiritual war' on behalf of Christ."
The magazine quotes Nelson - whom it describes as "a piety broker in Florida politics" because of her role as organizer of the Governor's Prayer Breakfast - as cautioning that she's not "at liberty" to reveal much.
Here's what the story says:
"Clinton's prayer cell was tight-knit, according to Nelson, who recalled that one of her conservative prayer partners was at first loath to pray for the first lady, but learned to 'love Hillary as much as any of us love Hillary.' Cells like these, Nelson added, exist in 'parliaments all over the world,' with all welcome so long as they submit to 'the person of Jesus' as the source of their power."
There are two more shocking statements from the Salon article. The statement by the son of the present head of The Family is especially shocking in light of recent news stories.
But David Coe, Doug Coe’s son and heir apparent, calls himself simply a friend to men such as John Ensign, whom he guided through the coverup of his affair. I met the younger Coe when I lived for several weeks as a member of the Family. He’s a surprising source of counsel, spiritual or otherwise. Attempting to explain what it means to be chosen for leadership like King David was — or Mark Sanford, according to his own estimate — he asked a young man who’d put himself, body and soul, under the Family’s authority, “Let’s say I hear you raped three little girls. What would I think of you?” The man guessed that Coe would probably think that he was a monster. “No,” answered Coe, “I wouldn’t.” Why? Because, as a member of the Family, he’s among what Family leaders refer to as the “new chosen.” If you’re chosen, the normal rules don’t apply.
Their support of dictators around the world who commit atrocities is also a shocking stance, and it seems to prove the point about the group being about power....not about religion.
If the Family men who stood over John Ensign as he wrote a baldly insincere breakup letter to his mistress were naive about hearts that want what they want, they don’t claim ignorance about the strongmen with whom they build bonds of prayer and foreign aid. They admire them. Counseling Rep. Tiahrt, Doug Coe offered Pol Pot and Osama bin Laden as men whose commitment to their causes is to be emulated. Preaching on the meaning of Christ’s words, he says, “You know Jesus said ‘You got to put Him before mother-father-brother sister? Hitler, Lenin, Mao, that’s what they taught the kids. Mao even had the kids killing their own mother and father. But it wasn’t murder. It was for building the new nation. The new kingdom.”
Arguing with climate change deniers. Cartoon says it well.
I grew up Southern Baptist, and I must have been a really obnoxious teen. We had been made to believe we were right, everyone else was wrong.
As the saying still goes today among fundamentalists:
The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.
This cartoon reminded me.
Been through some rough primary wars here. To me now, though, this one is different.
I guess life's perspectives change every few years. When there are losses of loved ones too close together it puts a different slant on life and events.
In 2004 my late hubby and I were way too passionate about a candidate. He was saying things we longed to hear about the direction we were heading in this country. None of us were prepared for the media takedown and the way our local and national parties perceived us when it was over. There was a condescension that was heartbreaking. We would never again feel part of the local Democratic community.
In 2008 we were less passionate, but we were hard workers locally for our candidate. We were a little more jaded, a little less enthusiastic. But we donated to our candidate, bought and distributed yard signs, and replaced them when they were stolen which was nearly all the time.
I am a strong supporter this time of Bernie Sanders. I think some Republicans locally are liking him also. They are the type of Republicans my family was, sensible and moderate. Still too many tea party types in my neighborhood, but a few are getting tired of the bigotry and ignorant statements.
It's different this time. It's so nice to see the support Bernie is getting from young people. I was a little surprised by that, but I guess I shouldn't have been. They are tired of trite and meaningless political talk. They sense it is different with Bernie Sanders.
The hard part now though is that our country is so much now under control of corporate money and power that it may not matter who wins. Huge amounts of money buy huge amounts of loyalty from politicians.
I'm for Bernie, but I will try to keep things positive.
I have fought hard like many other bloggers to make people aware of the great harm being done to education. It's hard to be hopeful that the privatization of schools can be stopped now after 7 years of steamrolling. So far Bernie Sanders seems pro public school, but he has not made it a major issue. His issue is the economic condition of our nation, and that's the biggie right now.
So I think this one is different, this primary. I believe I can sit back and read the vitriolic posts mostly without getting too upset.
I do think it matters who wins, but I have a fear it won't matter that much.
I think what really does matter so much right now is that there not be a wing of the party that puts those of us supporting Bernie in a different box so to speak with a different label...like we are not really actually part of it all.
A very important person here posted recently that they were not aware that so many Democrats hated the Democratic party. That really concerned me. That goes very deep into why there might be division. I have posted a lot about policies of this administration that bother me. But I don't hate the party, don't hate anyone in it. I want to support my candidate but I would like to still feel a part of it all.
Interesting conversation about Bernie Sanders. The "guy with the fly away hair".
Someone who regularly comes my home is Republican...as most here are. She's a moderate type, pretty open-minded. However we are careful when discussing political stuff.
She suddenly asked me to tell her more about the guy with the fly-away gray hair who is running for president. She said her family had been listening to him a couple of times on the news. She said they really liked what he was saying. Turns out her family is not impressed at all with the Republican candidates.
She was interested I was already donating to and supporting him.
If it's a good message people will listen.
Governor Abbott, what can I do for you today?
Found on Twitter at Twitter Feed of Miles Reed
Can't resist ad from 2004 campaign. Will they do the same thing to Vermonter Bernie Sanders?
New York, meet your new state education commissioner. Ties to Rick Scott, Michelle Rhee.
She was recently voted out as the school superintendent of Hillsborough County, Florida, which is the Tampa district.
She's apparently an ed reformer's reformer. But I gather she does listen and try to work with those who disagree.
From the Buffalo News:
Testing, teachers and failing schools will challenge Elia
Elia, however, is no stranger to divided boards or the politics that surround education. Earlier this year she became the subject of national attention when the Hillsborough County school board in Tampa voted 4-3 to terminate her contract.
Some of her supporters – including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan – and her work in Florida will likely draw criticism from those opposed to what is characterized as the school reform movement. She served as a transition advisor to Florida Gov. Rick Scott alongside former Washington, D.C., education Chancellor Michelle Rhee. She also designed and implemented a merit pay system for teachers.
At the same time, she acknowledged flaws with Florida’s implementation of the Common Core, including inadequate training for teachers, and worked to close several for-profit charter schools.
There is some concern about her strong support for charter schools, but she did attempt to close some which were run from out of town.
The debate around charter schools in Florida is very different than in New York, and the Sunshine State is considered very charter-friendly with one of the highest concentrations of such schools in the country. With more than 600 of them, the state has close to 10 percent of the nation’s charters.
Hillsborough County has 47 of them, and for the most part Elia said she supports their effort. But she also said they should be held accountable and to the same standards as traditional schools.
Last year, Elia received public criticism when she wanted to close three for-profit charter schools that served about 2,700 children in her district. In Florida, superintendents and local school boards have the authority to authorize and revoke charters. She argued that the schools were being run by an out-of-town management company, a violation of a district requirement they be locally operated.
Here is more about Elia and ties to Bill Gates and Michelle Rhee. Hillsborough County got over 100 million from Gates to put his policies into play.
From 2010:
Rhee in Tampa boasts about unpopularity. Head of schools there threatens tenured teachers.
Michelle Rhee, the outgoing chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools, speaks to urban school administrators during a panel on teacher evaluations at the Council of Great City Schools conference in Tampa on Thursday. (SKIP O’ROURKE | TIMES)
Rhee seems proud of her unpopularity.
"Be prepared to be Ms. or Mr. Unpopular," the outgoing chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools told an audience of urban school administrators here Thursday. "I am really good at this one right now."
Elia tells how many teachers she must fire.
On another panel in the adjoining room, Hillsborough County superintendent MaryEllen Elia was describing a kinder, gentler strategy to reach what is rapidly becoming a national goal: boosting teacher quality and winnowing out those who can't make the grade.
This does not sound kinder and gentler to me.
The district has told the Gates Foundation it might need to fire up to 5 percent or 425 of its 8,500 tenured teachers annually in the first years of the reforms, though officials say they hope intensive support for teachers will reduce that number substantially.
And that kinder, gentler approach? These are the words of the school superintendent to Arne Duncan who was also there.
"They're either going to leave or we're going to say, 'Let us help you leave,' " she said.
General Wes Clark reminded us of PNAC plan to destabilize the Middle East. Video.
We have done a heck of a job, haven't we?
He actually told us about this plan during the 2003/2004 campaign. This video is dated 2007, but he spoke of it much earlier.
He told of a plan to attack 7 countries in 5 years.
Yes, we know this already. But I think as the 2016 campaign gets started, it's time to remember.
There are some words spoken in the past by candidates that are going to be hard to forget, hard for the candidates to back away from.
She seems to really believe we gave Iraqis "the gift of freedom."
I am supporting Bernie Sanders in the primary, but in spite of reservations I will vote for the Democrat rather than this bunch of Republicans in the clown car.
However I won't be able to forget these words about Iraq. From 2008
"In the last five years, our soldiers have done everything we asked of them and more. They were asked to remove Saddam Hussein from power and bring him to justice and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi people the opportunity for free and fair elections and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi government the space and time for political reconciliation, and they did. So for every American soldier who has made the ultimate sacrifice for this mission, we should imagine carved in stone: 'They gave their life for the greatest gift one can give to a fellow human being, the gift of freedom.'
More:
In Pittsburgh.
"And I believe that at the same time that we have to make clear to the Iraqis that they have been given the greatest gift that a human being can give another human being – the gift of freedom. And it is up to them to decide how they will use that precious gift that has been paid for with the blood and sacrifice and treasure of the United States of America."
Andrew Gumbel spoke out when Hillary used these words again in Austin, Texas.
In Austin, Texas.
There was nothing accidental about this line. She delivered it in response to two Iraq veterans introduced at a town hall meeting at the Austin Convention Center by her friend and campaign surrogate Ted Danson. She liked the line enough that she delivered it again a couple of hours later, at a campaign-closing rally at a basketball arena in south Austin. "The gift of freedom" is, of course, a curious way to describe an unprovoked invasion and occupation causing hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and leaving just about every aspect of life chaotic and fraught with daily dangers. To then lay responsibility for the mess on the Iraqis -- we did our bit, now you do yours -- is the worst kind of dishonesty, a complete abdication of moral principles.
Andrew Gumbel at Huffington Post
Thanks to General Clark for speaking up about these plans that quietly and behind the scenes hijacked our foreign policy.
How TLC Went From The Learning Channel To Home Of Honey Boo Boo
Interesting article from the Business Insider in 2012. It actually tells nothing of the ownership changes and presents nothing really substantive. There are some interesting pictures interspersed with the short comments.
The 40-Year Transformation Of How TLC Went From The Learning Channel To Home Of Honey Boo Boo
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare along with NASA founded what was meant to be an informative and instructional network in 1972. The channel was to be distributed for free via a NASA satellite.
But, the network started branching out its content for a more mainstream audience in the mid-'90s with reality shows including "Medical Detectives" and "Trauma: Life in the ER" ..
Soon after, in 1998, the channel rebranded itself as TLC and the programming began to drastically change.
.....In an attempt to get back to its roots, the network changed its tagline again to "Live and learn." It strayed from home improvement shows with "Little People Big World" in 2006 and tattoo show "L.A. Ink" the following year.
Family centered shows "Jon & Kate Plus 8" and "17 And Counting" (now "19 and Counting) came front and center in 2008.
Today's shows, while they may be informative (who knew you could get $2000 worth of groceries for nearly $100 with enough coupons) consist of shock value.
I found more about the ownership and the family with major holdings.
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global mass media and entertainment company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel.
Discovery also is a provider of educational products and services to schools, including a series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and Discovery Digital Networks.[3]
DCI both produces original television programming and acquires content from producers worldwide. This non-fiction programming is offered through DCI's 54 network entertainment brands, including Discovery Channel, American Heroes Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Velocity, Discovery Life and a family of digital channels.
Despite being publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange, the Newhouse family exercise the largest stake in the company, 31%, through privately held Advance Publications.[4]
More about Advance Publications.
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family, and where the mailing address for Advance Publications is listed on paper (although Advance does not have an official headquarters).[2] As of October 2014, it was ranked as the 44th largest private company in the United States according to Forbes.[3] Crain's ranked Advance Publications the 4th largest private company in the NY area in 2012. In addition to holding publishing and communication assets, Advance serves as the holding company for the family's 31% stake in cable entertainment company Discovery Communications.[4]
More about the Newhouse family.
#11 America's Richest Families (2014)
Brothers Samuel ("Si"(pictured) and Donald Newhouse inherited media group Advance Publications from their father, Sam Newhouse (d.1979), who started with the Bayonne Times newspaper in New Jersey and expanded it into the nation's largest privately-held newspaper chain. Donald oversees the newspaper division and Si runs Conde Nast, publisher of magazines including Vogue, The New Yorker, and Vanity Fair. The brothers also own cable TV and Internet service provider Bright House Networks and a stake in Discovery Communications, the operator of cable and satellite TV networks such as Discovery Channel and TLC.
All of which actually tells me nothing about why in the world a network would want to put on shows that are so outrageous and contribute so much to the dumbing down of this country.
I am not familiar with the Discovery network's foray into educational materials, but I hope they are more substantive than Honey Boo Boo and Little People.
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Gender: FemaleHometown: Florida
Member since: 2002
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