Sarah Palin and Bill Gothard connection

[Sprocket]

So I'm reading The Rogue by Joe McGinnis (sorry, it's on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers). A lot of criticism surrounded his book because he moved in next door to Sarah Palin on Lake Lucille, which he addresses. Joe McGinnis has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember because he wrote 'Fatal Vision' and I'm a super true-crime buff -- and growing up near Ft. Bragg and having my dad stationed there a few years after the murders of Collette, Kimberley, and Kristen MacDonald, it was talked about quite a lot during my childhood. I have actual pictures of the home from circa 2005 before it was torn down completely. Hey, I had a friend who was stationed there, sue me.)

 

Anyway, I get to this little passage in the book and I'm floored. I know we covered Sarah Palin a lot of the yuku board, but she's kind of fallen off of the map as of late. However, this is what's in the book that I wanted to share:

 

 

In April 2000, at city expense, she traveled to Indianapolis to attend a conference at the International Training Center of the evangelical Institute in Basic Life Principles (ILBP). The conference had been organized by the INternational Associateion of Character Cities (IACC), an affiliate of the Character Training Institute (CTI), an organization that sought to end the seperation of church and state.

 

Among the speakers she heard was seventy year old evangelist Bill Gothard, who had founded ILBP, according to the organizations website, "for the purpose of giving individials, families, churches, schools, communities, governments, and businesses clear instruction and training of how to find success by following God's principles found in Scripture."

 

Gothard's goal, as described by Silja J. ATalvi in 'In These Times' magazine, was to "rebuild American society according to biblical mandates." He believed that America's failures stemmed from a lack of personal character, which led to acts of disobedience against "God-ordained jurisdiction" represented by four types of authority: "parents, government, church leaders, and employers."

 

ILBP literature distributed at the conference said, "God gives direction, protection, and provision through human authorities. If we rebel against them, we expose ourselves to destruction by evil principalities...This is why 'rebellion is the sin of witchcraft.'"

 

.....

 

The Character Training Institute sought to instill civil institutions with forty-nine biblically based "character qualities," which it conveniently listed and defined on laminated, pocket size cards that also used pictures of the animal that represented each trait. For example, "Obedience: Quickly and cheerfully carrying out the direction of those who are responsible for me," was accompanied by anliiustration of a mother duck and her ducklings.

 

...

 

Sarah also watched a video presentation by David Barton, an evangelical minister who served as the cochair to the Texas republican Party and who had founded WallBuilders, an organization that emphasized the "moral, religious, constitutional foundation on which America was built." In his talk, Barton proclaimed that the United States had been founded as an explicitly Christian nation and that continued seperation of church and state in America was an affront to the Lord.

 

At the confrence, Sarah learned that Wasilla could become a designated "City of Character" if the city council passed a resolution pledging to uphold each of the forty-nine "character qualities" specified by the IBLP. She returned home enthused, and in short order a pliant city counsil approved her plan to declare Wasilla a City of Character. It became the only such city in Alaska.

[silverspoons]

It is surpising how many school districts, political figures, and corportaions have brought into Gothard's character "program". The worse part I think is that alot of places pay the $$ to Gothard and then never use the program or find out quickly the flaws. Isn't there about 13 states (I remember Flordia being one fo them) that have the character program in the schools?

I have an teen with high functioning autism and at his IEP meeting I asked about some help with social skills with teen issues. The teacher went to the district approved closet of materials and the Gothard character training was there. I asked the teacher and she said they have never used it and she would never use it(she thought it was of no value) but it was an approved district resource. However I was at a very controverisal dual immerison school for my kids basketball practice and I saw the character qualites on a wall in the hall.

I think everyone that disagrees with Gothard's program should be watching out at the schools, work, and community. I spoke with our district and they said the board of education made paid one time and has not since and doesn't plan any future spending on the program. There are some states and employers that are still giving Bill $$ and people need to speak up.

[Austin]

So I'm reading The Rogue by Joe McGinnis (sorry, it's on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers). A lot of criticism surrounded his book because he moved in next door to Sarah Palin on Lake Lucille, which he addresses. Joe McGinnis has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember because he wrote 'Fatal Vision' and I'm a super true-crime buff -- and growing up near Ft. Bragg and having my dad stationed there a few years after the murders of Collette, Kimberley, and Kristen MacDonald, it was talked about quite a lot during my childhood. I have actual pictures of the home from circa 2005 before it was torn down completely. Hey, I had a friend who was stationed there, sue me.)

Anyway, I get to this little passage in the book and I'm floored. I know we covered Sarah Palin a lot of the yuku board, but she's kind of fallen off of the map as of late. However, this is what's in the book that I wanted to share:

In April 2000, at city expense, she traveled to Indianapolis to attend a conference at the International Training Center of the evangelical Institute in Basic Life Principles (ILBP). The conference had been organized by the INternational Associateion of Character Cities (IACC), an affiliate of the Character Training Institute (CTI), an organization that sought to end the seperation of church and state.

Among the speakers she heard was seventy year old evangelist Bill Gothard, who had founded ILBP, according to the organizations website, "for the purpose of giving individials, families, churches, schools, communities, governments, and businesses clear instruction and training of how to find success by following God's principles found in Scripture."

Gothard's goal, as described by Silja J. ATalvi in 'In These Times' magazine, was to "rebuild American society according to biblical mandates." He believed that America's failures stemmed from a lack of personal character, which led to acts of disobedience against "God-ordained jurisdiction" represented by four types of authority: "parents, government, church leaders, and employers."

ILBP literature distributed at the conference said, "God gives direction, protection, and provision through human authorities. If we rebel against them, we expose ourselves to destruction by evil principalities...This is why 'rebellion is the sin of witchcraft.'"

.....

The Character Training Institute sought to instill civil institutions with forty-nine biblically based "character qualities," which it conveniently listed and defined on laminated, pocket size cards that also used pictures of the animal that represented each trait. For example, "Obedience: Quickly and cheerfully carrying out the direction of those who are responsible for me," was accompanied by anliiustration of a mother duck and her ducklings.

...

Sarah also watched a video presentation by David Barton, an evangelical minister who served as the cochair to the Texas republican Party and who had founded WallBuilders, an organization that emphasized the "moral, religious, constitutional foundation on which America was built." In his talk, Barton proclaimed that the United States had been founded as an explicitly Christian nation and that continued seperation of church and state in America was an affront to the Lord.

At the confrence, Sarah learned that Wasilla could become a designated "City of Character" if the city council passed a resolution pledging to uphold each of the forty-nine "character qualities" specified by the IBLP. She returned home enthused, and in short order a pliant city counsil approved her plan to declare Wasilla a City of Character. It became the only such city in Alaska.

I read that book, too, and found it enlightening. It also explains, among other things, why she is so dreadfully misinformed about the history of our country (David Barton).

[Witsec7]

Good catch sprocket. Its important that we recognize these linkages and follow the money and ideology.

[Sprocket]

In the book, talking about Levi Johnston's interview with Vanity Fair it said something to the effect of "it's all true. Every word of it." The kiddos are napping, so I'm reading it now....

[Austin]

Did anyone catch Game Change on HBO last Saturday?

[Sprocket]

Did anyone catch Game Change on HBO last Saturday?

No but it's on my list to watch ASAP. I made my husband watch The Iron Lady with me, so I'm on movie picking restriction for awhile. I liked it because I like history, but honestly, I can see where it was pure torture for him. Merel Streep is a fabulous actress but the movie was a combonation of weird and boring.

[Sprocket]

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/feat ... ston200910

Here's the link to the Vanity Fair article if anyone is interested...

I'm two pages in and it's saying exactly what The Rogue reports.

[freejoytoo]

Any film about Thatcher would be torture for me ;)

[lilwriter85]

In the book, talking about Levi Johnston's interview with Vanity Fair it said something to the effect of "it's all true. Every word of it." The kiddos are napping, so I'm reading it now....

I got the feeling that there was truth to some of the stuff Levi said, but the Palin defenders shut him down quickly. I laugh at the people who bash Levi and call him an attention whore when Bristol isn't any better.

[PBrooke]

It is surpising how many school districts, political figures, and corportaions have brought into Gothard's character "program". The worse part I think is that alot of places pay the $$ to Gothard and then never use the program or find out quickly the flaws. Isn't there about 13 states (I remember Flordia being one fo them) that have the character program in the schools?

I have an teen with high functioning autism and at his IEP meeting I asked about some help with social skills with teen issues. The teacher went to the district approved closet of materials and the Gothard character training was there. I asked the teacher and she said they have never used it and she would never use it(she thought it was of no value) but it was an approved district resource. However I was at a very controverisal dual immerison school for my kids basketball practice and I saw the character qualites on a wall in the hall.

I think everyone that disagrees with Gothard's program should be watching out at the schools, work, and community. I spoke with our district and they said the board of education made paid one time and has not since and doesn't plan any future spending on the program. There are some states and employers that are still giving Bill $$ and people need to speak up.

*Weakly raises hand* When I was growing up in Florida we did, indeed, have Keys of Character or whatever the hell it was called in all the schools. I didn't realize what it was until about a year ago, reading here, and then I was thoroughly squicked out. I can say, though, that the extent of that 'program' was that every month, the teacher received a new 11 by whatever square of paper with a drawing of a key with some word printed on it, and hung it somewhere in the classroom. I cannot remember any lesson plan, discussion, or anything that ever had to do with that, but it sticks in my mind because you saw the same little paper with the same font, etc, no matter what school or classroom you were in.

EDIT: Note that these keys are not exactly the same as Gothard's keys. And, doing a quick google (the schools still do it, it appears) at least two of the current Keys are tolerance and compassion - ones that FJ members specifically said would be on THEIR list of character qualities. And, again, at least when I was in school the Keys didn't actually impact anything one whit. But it is more money for Gothard, I'm sure.

[3 is enough]

Did anyone catch Game Change on HBO last Saturday?

Yes. I thought it was very well done. I'm not a Palin fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I actually felt sorry for her in the scene where she was when she was watching SNL making fun of her.

[Austin]

Yes. I thought it was very well done. I'm not a Palin fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I actually felt sorry for her in the scene where she was when she was watching SNL making fun of her.

I actually had some pity for her, too, and I dislike her immensely. She was just so in over her head, and I believe she actually thought she could pull it off. I think it was a combination of her ego writing checks her actual talent couldn't cash, and just being overwhelmed with the opportunity and how much the McCain people wanted it to work.

I also thought McCain was portrayed sympathetically, as well. I had to laugh when I saw him in an interview on Sunday where he took issue with the expletives his character is shown to use in the movie. He says he doesn't talk like that. Many, many sources over the years have indicated that he does indeed talk "like that", and I found it humorous that that seemed to be his biggest butthurt from the film.

The book, Game Change, actually takes a pretty fair look at all the major campaigns of 2008 (McCain, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards). It uncovers the "dirt" pretty equally and has no problem showing the democrats in a bad light when they behaved badly. I recommend the book.

[shesinsane]

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/10/levi-johnston200910

Here's the link to the Vanity Fair article if anyone is interested...

I'm two pages in and it's saying exactly what The Rogue reports.

Thank you for the link.

Levi's tale starts out with him and his uncles hunting sheep. I'll admit I'm not a country gal, but my farm visits tell me sheep spend a lot of time out in the open and they aren't really hiders or fast runners. Do people really hunt sheep? Isn't that like hunting cattle? Is it an Alaska thing?

[lilwriter85]

Thank you for the link.

Levi's tale starts out with him and his uncles hunting sheep. I'll admit I'm not a country gal, but my farm visits tell me sheep spend a lot of time out in the open and they aren't really hiders or fast runners. Do people really hunt sheep? Isn't that like hunting cattle? Is it an Alaska thing?

Some people here in New Mexico hunt sheep.

[Visionoyahweh]

I'm not surprised Palin didn't go any deeper with Gothard. Imagine their huge egos colliding!

I did see game change. McCain & the Palin family were all portrayed fairly sympathetically. Staffers that saw the Sarah scenes said it was all fairly true to life, and that's scary. Frankly, if she'd done as the advisers said early on, and learned a few good responses to interview questions, I think she could have pulled off looking competent to the media, which would have bolstered the campaign. Her example shows how far you can get spewing BS, and how it will eventually catch up with you..

ETA: Gothard wasn't 70 in 2000. He's 76 in 2012.

[BlueChair]

Some people here in New Mexico hunt sheep.

They hunt a kind of mountain sheep in Alaska. You can see dall sheep hugging the cliffs around Anchorage. They are quite nimble and fast on the rocky hillsides that aren't easily accessible to people. Definitely not sitting ducks or slow!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dall_sheep

[Sprocket]

I actually had some pity for her, too, and I dislike her immensely. She was just so in over her head, and I believe she actually thought she could pull it off. I think it was a combination of her ego writing checks her actual talent couldn't cash, and just being overwhelmed with the opportunity and how much the McCain people wanted it to work.

I also thought McCain was portrayed sympathetically, as well. I had to laugh when I saw him in an interview on Sunday where he took issue with the expletives his character is shown to use in the movie. He says he doesn't talk like that. Many, many sources over the years have indicated that he does indeed talk "like that", and I found it humorous that that seemed to be his biggest butthurt from the film.

The book, Game Change, actually takes a pretty fair look at all the major campaigns of 2008 (McCain, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards). It uncovers the "dirt" pretty equally and has no problem showing the democrats in a bad light when they behaved badly. I recommend the book.

Good to know. It was first on the list of 'People who bought The Rogue also bought..." I think I'll get that one next... but it may have to wait until after BossyPants.

[shesinsane]

They hunt a kind of mountain sheep in Alaska. You can see dall sheep hugging the cliffs around Anchorage. They are quite nimble and fast on the rocky hillsides that aren't easily accessible to people. Definitely not sitting ducks or slow!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dall_sheep

Thanks! Free Jinger is educational!

[Austin]

Good to know. It was first on the list of 'People who bought The Rogue also bought..." I think I'll get that one next... but it may have to wait until after BossyPants.

Loved BossyPants!

[xDreamerx]

This doesn't surprise me that much considering. Watched Game Change (made a thread on the WD board) and liked it but...I didn't know just how stupid she was. I mean, she came across as uninformed bumpkin in the media but I didn't have any idea the depth of her stupidity. I mean...not knowing what NAFTA is?! That's an incredible level of stupidity, especially for someone in politics.

[sassyNoz47]

I watched Game Change about 3x nothing was on this weekend so a rerun of that was better then nothing! I'm not sure if she really WAS/IS as stupid as they made her out to be, I'm sure they added a little to it to give it some edge. McCain made some sort of statement about it not being totally accurate and that he supports Sarah but I also think he said he wasn't going to watch it and urged others not to also. So if he didn't watch it he can't claim its not accurate right? However people that worked with them said movie was right on. Steve and Niccole who were both also portrayed in the movie claim it was very accurate.

It honestly left me feeling more compassion for Sarah, they totally threw her to the wolves , even in the movie McCain had empathy for her. They totally picked her just to get votes it gave me a entire new look at politics! Picking her by google searching female govenors that are pre-choice and watching you-tube video's of them to find the right one seriously?? But I believe it Sarah came out of no-where. It showed she was very stupid uneducated in so many areas but it showed she clearly didn't know what she was getting into, they often dismissed her and talked down to her , I DID feel sorry for her.

It was hard seeing someone other then Tina play Sarah.. I would of loved to see Tina in that part. I wonder if it was even offered to her.

[FlorenceHamilton]

Character Cities, Counties, & States

AROUND THE NATION AND THE WORLD

The governing body of each city, county, or state listed below has passed a resolution or made other declarations showing a desire and commitment to build and promote good character. Many are working toward implementing and encouraging community-wide character initiatives in order to develop a lasting “culture of character.â€

ALABAMA

Opelika Prattville Tuscaloosa

ALASKA

Wasilla

ARIZONA

A vondale Camp Verde Cottonwood Payson Show Low

ARKANSAS

Big Flat Briarcliff Bull Shoals Cotter Flippin Jefferson Lakeview Mountain Home Norfork

Pine Bluff Pyatt Salesville Searcy Summit Y ellville

CALIFORNIA

Compton Chowchilla

ARKANSAS

Baxter County Jefferson County Marion County*

COLORADO

El Paso County Larimer County Dolores County

FLORIDA

Collier County Highlands County* Jackson County Gilchrist County

Fresno Mission Viejo Watsonville

COLORADO

Colorado Springs Cortez Ft. Collins

DELAWARE

Wilmington

FLORIDA

Avon Park Bell Inverness Lake Placid Marianna North Lauderdale Palm Beach Gardens

Sebring Titusville Trenton

GEORGIA

Augusta Bremen Columbus Douglasville Lithonia McDonough Warner Robins

IDAHO

Rathdrum Worley

ILLINOIS

North Chicago Peoria Springfield

INDIANA

Carmel Elkhart Greenfield Indianapolis Shipshewana Terre Haute

KANSAS

Dodge City El Dorado Iola Olathe Topeka

KENTUCKY

Alexandria Crescent Springs Elizabethtown Lexington Winchester

LOUISIANA

Baker Baton Rouge Donaldsonville

Eunice Plaquemine

MICHIGAN

Heath Township Holland Marquette Three Rivers Zeeland

MINNESOT A

Brainerd

MISSISSIPPI

Clinton Hattiesburg Laurel Madison Petal

MISSOURI

Golden City Jefferson City Lamar Liberal O’Fallon Richmond

NEW MEXICO

Roswell

NEW YORK

Belfast Hamburg Rome

OHIO

Archbold Defiance Cincinnati Greenville Napoleon

OKLAHOMA

Bartlesville Bethany Chickasha Claremore Edmond Elk City Frederick Granite Guthrie Leedey Oklahoma City Oologah Owasso Pawhuska Ponca City Shawnee Skiatook Talala

The Village Tulsa

OREGON

Scappoose

Clatskanie

SOUTH CAROLINA Aiken Allendale Beaufort Bowman Branchville Chapin Conway Cope Cordova Elloree Eutawville Florence Georgetown Greenwood Hanahan Holly Hill Lexington Livingston Neeses North North Augusta Norway Orangeburg Ridgeland Rowesville Santee Springfield

Sumter Vance Woodford

TENNESSEE

Elizabethton Hohenwald

TEXAS

Belton Burleson Cedar Park Center Cleburne City Cleveland Glen Rose Grandview Hempstead Joaquin Keene League City Tenaha Temple

VIRGINIA

Blackstone

W ASHINGTON

Bonney Lake

Total: 172 U.S. Cities

COUNTIES OF CHARACTER (USA)

INTERNATIONAL CITIES

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CITIES OF CHARACTER

GEORGIA

DeKalb County Douglas County Spalding County

IDAHO

Kootenai County Pinkerton County

INDIANA

La Grange County Vigo County

KANSAS

Chase County

KENTUCKY

Boone County Hardin County

LOUISIANA

Ascension Parish St. James Parish

MISSISSIPPI

Jones County

MISSOURI

Barton County*

OHIO

Henry County

Holmes County Darke County

SOUTH CAROLINA

Orangeburg County* Pickens County Horry County Florence County

TEXAS

Bell County Johnson County Nacogdoches County Somervell County Shelby County

AUSTRALIA

Manningham, Victoria

CANADA

Aurora, Ontario Cochrane, Ontario Drayton Valley, Alberta East Gwillimbury

King City Markham, Ontario Newmarket Richmond Hill Vaughn Whitchurch—Stouffville York Region, Ontario

GUATEMALA

Antigua

MEXICO

Matamoros

PERU

Santa Anita

PHILIPPINES

Anao Aritao Aparri Bacalod Baguio Bais Baras Bayawan Buenavista Cadiz City Cagayan de Oro Candijay

Daet Davao City Gapan City Island Garden City

Kidapawan Luna Naujan Malaybalay City Mandaue City Moncada

Oton Palayan City Quezon City Sibulan Sorsogon City Sulat Tagaytay City Talisay Tanauan Iriga

ROMANIA

Arad

Total: 37 U.S. Counties

STATES OF CHARACTER (USA) ALABAMA GEORGIA SOUTH CAROLINA ARKANSAS OHIO TEXAS DELAWARE OKLAHOMA

Total: 9 U.S. States

Total: 48 International Cities

*All cities within the county are Character Cities. Revised September 2006

[Hane]

Loved BossyPants!

I just read it (LOVED it!) and also saw all the SNL skits about Palin, including the episode she appeared in. From what I saw and read, I couldn't wrap my mind around Palin's going all "Waaaaaaaaaaah, they were so MEAN to me!" Woman up, lady--you were running for the second-highest political office in the country.

[sassyNoz47]

I wonder if IRL like in the movie every other word out of John McCains mouth is the F bomb lol.