by Jon Winsor Over at the US Intellectual History blog (a great blog, BTW), historian David Sehat reflects on Thomas Frank's recent piece in Harper's on the Tea Partiers' claims to historical authority:
Frank spends a bit of space in the article showing the historical inaccuracy and general absurdity of the Tea Partiers' quotations of the Founders. Many of the quotes are made up. A few could not have possibly been said by the Founders, because they contain vocabulary and concepts that were not yet in circulation during the Founders' lifetimes. His article is, as these exercises usually are, pretty much shooting fish in a barrel, though still entertaining...
He's entertained, but also exasperated:
I wonder, what is the best response from historians in the face of rampant historical inaccuracy that is often combined with fervent worship of a false past? Is our task to keep pointing out error, knowing ...
