Louie Gohmert Challenges the Rev. Barry Lynn on His Christian Faith

-



First, the breakdown of Gohmert's means of questioning:

1. Ask a question

2. Let the respondent give a partial response

3. Interrupt before the respondent completes a coherent answer, attempting to engage in civil discourse

4. Change the topic slightly, disparage the speaker's position through the straw man fallacy

5. Attempt a facade of legitimacy by brief back-tracking such as "I'm not judging ..." then proceeds to judge

6. Assume only he has the right to make universal definitions about issues that have been argued about for millenia, using some sophomoric authority which is not his, having never actually studied the issue in depth or through any academic institution

7. Repeatedly interrupt the respondent so that any inconsistencies in his own questioning are not easily exposed for the few minutes he has at the mike.

8. Take the whole episode back to his constituency, reframing the argument in terms of good vs evil, light vs dark, anti-American vs. Christian, etc. [off tape]


 Aside from his strategy, his tone, his self-sanctified demeanor and assumption that he alone has the right to determine who is a Christian, who can be saved, how disagreeing with his limited view will condemn others into some Protestant hell -- all worry the heck out of me that this is the discourse so easily permitted not only in our society, but in an official hearing of House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice in the United States Congress. 

 Ironically, the agenda of this hearing of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice was specifically about the separation of church and state, and yet Gohmert repeatedly conflates the US system (as he interprets it) with his own, precise flavor of Christianity, with little understanding of both government and religion of the 18th century (or 19th century; or 20th century).

The metaphor of "American Taliban" is perhaps thrown about too easily, and deserves more critical discussion. But Gohmert comes about as close to the intolerance of others' ideas, experiences, beliefs, and learning as the iconic Afghan Taliban who destroyed the 6th century Buddhas of Bamiyan in 2001. I'll try to find significant differences beyond the actual use of explosives, but that comes later.





https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BruceJMartin Twitter @comstone

Popular posts from this blog

Student Feedback on the State of the Public Sphere in Harris County, Texas and Houston

-
Image
I asked my students (my teachers) today what they've learned so far in this summer course on public sphere rhetoric. Some held their heads down -- because they've learned nothing? -- because they've not yet learned to speak up? -- because they don't believe in public rhetoric? -- because of their own insecurities? I don't know. Most of the responses below came from five students. Their authorities take no responsibility for communicating with the stakeholders  Authoritative texts too difficult to locate; language often inappropriately difficult for public to use  Lack of sufficient documentation and literature reflects authorities' apathy towards public engagement   Our own lack of knowledge about the power structures increases both our and their apathy  Public fails to recognize problems because we have been habituated to "learned helplessness"  Public notices but feel powerless because we've been taught we can't change anything  A
Read more

On Independence Day, Fourth of July, Fireworks Day, Whatever We Call It

-
Image
In general, I avoid observing holidays, especially those which have been marketed from an original intent of respect or adoration into a Bacchanalia of barbecue, escape from one's workplace, and the purchase of stuff we don't need, stuff that will quickly be found at the local landfill. Most of these "holidays" are far from the idea of "holy days" once on the calendar, and have been mutated into something of a masquerade. When children have little idea of the original intention of a holiday, or when adults have no idea of the same, then we might have a problem. I've spoken with adults who have no idea what Memorial Day is about, never have heard of Armistice Day, never think of veterans on Veterans Day, go into significant debt for the Feast of Saturnalia (or Festivus , if you prefer), who conflate chocolate bunnies for Easter (even for Passover), and ultimately see the Fourth of July as an opportunity to leave work, eat, complain that the Postal Servic
Read more

Visiting a Texas Prison

-
It's exhausting, emotionally. It's not necessarily the emotions of why he is in prison and what he experiences in prison -- that's another discussion and I separate those emotions from the visit itself. The gates open for visitors at 7:00 a.m., but that means I need to get there at 6:30 to get in line; I arrived in Beeville the previous evening and just captured a hotel. The town has limited food selections (and poor beer selection), so I have no reason to get outdoors except to appreciate a nice spring day of south Texas. That morning, the moon was near full and brilliantly shined on the flat fields around the prison, a mix of brush oaks, and the grasses for hundreds of acres on the unit property. The chilled air made the morning even more pleasant and while I waited for the gate to open, I thought about camping down here. Ultimately, the gate guards permitted visitors to approach the gate, the first of the all-grey officers: turn off the engine, open the trunk and ho
Read more