The 10 big lies about America: combating destructive distortions about our nation

290 Pages·2008·2.6 MB·English

by  Michael Medved

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The
10
Big Lies
About America
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Also by the Author
Right Turns: From Liberal Activist to Conservative Champion in
35 Unconventional Lessons (2004)
Hollywood vs. America: Popular Culture and the War
on Traditional Values (1992)
Hospital: The Hidden Lives of a Medical Center Staff (1983)
The Shadow Presidents: The Secret History of the Chief Executives
and Their Top Aides (1979)
With Diane Medved, Ph.D.
Saving Childhood: Protecting Our Children from
the National Assault on Innocence (1998)
With Harry Medved
Son of Golden Turkey Awards (1986)
The Hollywood Hall of Shame: The Most Expensive Flops
in Movie History (1984)
The Golden Turkey Awards: Nominees and Winners—the Worst
Achievements in Hollywood History (1980)
With Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfuss
The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (1978)
With David Wallechinsky
What Really Happened to the Class of ’65? (1976)
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The
10
Big Lies
About America
Combating Destructive
Distortions About Our Nation
Michael Medved
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For Sarah, Shayna, and Danny—
appreciative heirs to American truths
■ ■ ■
Copyright © 2008 by Michael Medved
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Crown Forum, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
crown forumwith colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following for the illustrations used in this book:
p. 1: The First Thanksgiving, 1621by J. L. G. Ferris (reproduction of oil painting from series
“The Pageant of a Nation”), courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 11: Indian War Council,
provided by HistoryPicks.com; p. 46: Emancipation(detail), by Thomas Nast (c. 1865),
courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 72: Freedom of Religion,from the pamphlet “The Four
Freedoms” (Office of War Information, 1942), courtesy of the Library of Congress;
p. 95: The Great Bartholdi Statue, Liberty Enlightening the World—The Gift of France to
the American People(Currier & Ives, c. 1883), courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 119:
The Road to Dividends(c. 1913), courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 139: Work Pays
America! Prosperity(Works Progress Administration, 1936–1941), courtesy of the Library of
Congress; p. 162: Another Explosion at Hand(detail) by Udo J. Keppler (J. Ottmann Lith. Co.,
Puck Bldg., New York, NY, 1900), courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 189: “Nader/
Camejo 2004,” “Proud to be a Libertarian,” and “Vote Your Hopes, Not Your Fears—Vote
Third Party,” provided by PoliticalGifts.com; p. 209: Photo courtesy of the James D. Wilson
family; p. 232: Woman’s Holy War: Grand Charge on the Enemy’s Works(Currier & Ives,
c. 1874), courtesy of the Library of Congress; p. 257: Photo of President Reagan
(Endicott, NY, 9/12/84), courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Medved, Michael.
The 10 big lies about America / Michael Medved.—1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
1. United States—Civilization—Historiography. 2. National characteristics, American.
3. Culture conflict—United States. 4. Values—United States. 5. Anti-Americanism.
I. Title. II. Title: Ten big lies about America.
E169.12.M427 2008
973—dc22 2008034131
eISBN: 978-0-307-44983-2
v1.0
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Contents
A Tainted Legacy 1
“America Was Founded on Genocide Against
Big Lie #1
Native Americans” 11
“The United States Is Uniquely Guilty for the
Big Lie #2 Crime of Slavery, and Based Its Wealth on Stolen
African Labor” 46
“The Founders Intended a Secular, Not
Big Lie #3
Christian, Nation” 72
“America Has Always Been a Multicultural Society,
Big Lie #4
Strengthened by Diversity” 95
“The Power of Big Business Hurts the Country and
Big Lie #5
Oppresses the People” 119
“Government Programs Offer the Only Remedy for
Big Lie #6
Economic Downturns and Poverty” 139
“America Is an Imperialist Nation and a Constant
Big Lie #7
Threat to World Peace” 162
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vi Contents
“The Two- Party System Is Broken, and We Urgently
Big Lie #8
Need a Viable Third Party” 189
“A War on the Middle Class Means Less Comfort and
Big Lie #9
Opportunity for the Average American” 209
“America Is in the Midst of an Irreversible
Big Lie #10
Moral Decline” 232
Abnormal Nation 257
Resources 263
Thank You 271
Index 273
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What’s the matter with us anyhow? If America ever loses confi-
dence in herself, she will retain the confidence of no one, and she
will lose her chance to be free, because the fearful are never free.
—Adlai Stevenson, 1954
We’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion but
what’s important.... If we forget what we did, we won’t know
who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American
memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the Amer-
ican spirit.
—Ronald Reagan, Farewell Address,
January 11, 1989
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