Stengel-gate/National Constitution Center Update: We Got Mail!
by Aaron Worthing
So as regular readers know, after finding fourteen clear factual errors in Richard Stengel’s June 23rd Time magazine cover story* on the Constitution, I have been on a crusade to embarrass the magazine until it corrects or retracts that story. I have explained that I consider its publication to be a scandal, both because it appeared as the cover story and because who the author is:
The author is not only the Managing Editor for Time, but he spent two years as President and CEO of the National Constitution Center. And even today, he works with the National Constitution Center’s Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution, whose stated mission is “to help both professional journalists and students interested in journalism understand constitutional issues more deeply.” That is right. He is there to help journalists understand the Constitution better.
So I wrote an email to David Eisner, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, asking (1) what Stengel’s role was in the Center, and (2) whether they had an official statement about this whole mess, particularly correcting Mr. Stengel’s inaccuracies.
Well, on Friday afternoon, I got this email in response:
from David Eisner [email omitted]
to edmd5.20.10@gmail.com
date Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 4:26 PM
subject Response to email
Dear Mr. Worthing,
Thank you for your email regarding Rick Stengel’s Time magazine cover article on the Constitution. As you’d imagine, the article has stirred up a lot of thoughts from people who care deeply about the Constitution, many critical and many supportive. I’m sure you’re aware that the issues you raise go to the center of many of the most important current debates around how we view the Constitution.
We’re working to bring some of those thoughts and issues together and will share them on our blog http://blog.constitutioncenter.org in the coming days.
Best,
David E
David Eisner
President and CEO
“Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”
- Thomas Jefferson
Now that seems to be saying, “we’re working on a response.” Also, reader Ken Weibe wrote to them as well and got this response:
To: “Ken Wiebe” [email omitted]
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2011 17:23:25 -0400
Subject: RE: Stengel Time Article
Dear Mr. Wiebe,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Our CEO David Eisner recently received a similar email and I wanted to share with you his response:
Thank you for your email regarding Rick Stengel’s Time magazine cover article on the Constitution. As you’d imagine, the article has stirred up a lot of thoughts from people who care deeply about the Constitution, many critical and many supportive. I’m sure you’re aware that the issues you raise go to the center of many of the most important current debates around how we view the Constitution.
We’re working to bring some of those thoughts and issues together and will share them on our bloghttp://blog.constitutioncenter.org in the coming days.
Ashley Berke
Director of Public Relations
National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street, Independence Mall
Philadelphia, PA 19106
So it’s not exactly a form email. She seems frankly to be referring back to my email, and quoting from the response.
And for what that was worth, this is what Mr. Weibe wrote to her to prompt that response:
From: Ken Wiebe [email omitted]
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2011 1:49 PM
To: PR
Subject: Stengel Time Article
You’re in the public spotlight. Are you going to rise to the occasion, prove your relevancy and allegiance, and respond to the egregious attack on the Constitution by one of *your own members*?
I am sincerely interested (as are many, many others) in what your organization has to say about this terrible article. It is indefensible, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt, depending on how you respond (and whether you respond). After that, we will all judge you by the stance you take, and will act accordingly.
In Liberty,
Ken Wiebe
So the takeaway I have is that they are seeking some more time. There are good, upright and honest reasons for them to need more time. I have my own personal speculation on what they might consider “due diligence” on this subject, but I won’t share them. But in my experience, I have also seen people falsely ask for more time, when they were only seeking to try to draw things out in the hopes that anger will fade. But I always start by giving people the benefit of the doubt and this will be no exception.
Regardless, it means that they know about this controversy, and have at least promised to address it. And that is an encouraging sign, and may lead to other things.
Stay tuned.
————————–
* Like in my previous post I will no longer be linking directly to the original piece. I am not going to send him any more hits on his website. But if you go to my post documenting the fourteen errors in his piece, you will also find a link if you wish to fact-check this post by determining whether Stengel’s piece is as bad as a claim.
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55 Comments
"…current debates around how we view the Constitution."
What debate? Sounds like a tipoff where Mr. Eisner is coming from.
Thanks for holding their feet to the fire Mr. Worthing.
You, nor anyone else will hear back from them Aaron. They'll put some blather on their blog about how the Constitution is open to interpretation from a 21st century perspective and refer to Stengel's piece in Time as thought provoking opinion advanced to stimulate debate.
Damn, now I've done it. Expect plagiarism shortly.
This is liberal media bias at its worst. Every member of our military takes an oath to defend the United States and uphold our Constitution. I was very insulted by the article as I'm sure all of my military brothers and sisters were. I will however answer the question…does it matter? Its matters to every American who believes they have the freedoms to achieve their dreams and pursue their goals in a fair environment were even the little guy can win. We are a country that is ruled by law. Not by a monarchy or king who will decide if we win or lose. And if anyone wants to try to take this away from us please look to the 2nd amendment. We will defend our rights to the bitter end.
The response is academic speak for "Don't hold your breath." As TheLineIsDrawn said above, the reference to current debates is a tipoff that they support the Time piece. He will never directly address the factual errors you mentioned. If he does, I will buy you a beer.
With all of that being said, I think you are doing an excellent job taking the fight to them. Too many times they are allowed to simply get away with sloppy journalism and intentionally misleading [lying] analysis. Keep it up.
All this intentional “side stepping” from the truth, from the good little drones at “TIME”, is making my feet hurt.
From long experiences and following other dealings with the media, now after being called out publicly they simply have to repeat the “Big Stall” tactic, just wait it out long enough and in a year or two when the subject gets broached again, pull out the "stall card" adding, “Well….that’s an old story and anyways we answered those questions long ago time to move on now”.
Oh, I see that coming. It’s worked almost every time over the years.
Will it this time?
Not Over.
Constitution? Seems to me that there are multiple versions of the Constitution.
A DimOcrap version, a RINO version, a POTUS version, a SCOTUS version and finally a
"We the People" Version, based in fact from the Founding Fathers.
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government has grown out of too much government."
Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father
Hopefully they are writing a rebuttal and not twittering their thumbs !
I look forward to the response from National Constitution Center…
I totally agree with everything you've said, and I think this should – assuming the reply from Time is as we think it will be; i.e., "this is just a healthy debate …." – become an economic response. Conservatives, and everyone else who loves and reveres the Constitution, should boycott and protest against Time, its owners, and its' related business interests, and make them aware that they've crossed the line. They need to be reverse-Alinsky-ied; shamed and protested into recanting and dismissing the article, dismissing its' author, and publically apologizing to the people of the Unites States.
There are no free speech issues here; this is a blatant and deliberately incorrect reading of the Constitution, the errors of which could be discovered by anyone with half a brain and reading/research skills. What the author, and by proxy his bosses, is counting on is that no one takes the time or effort to really investigate his statements and claims, falling back on that old chestnut of, "well, if it's in the press, there must be at least some truth to it; otherwise, why would they print it?"
Americans are not sheep … and if Time magazine believes we are, then they need to be held accountable for that fallacy.
If we let this pass without a proper, directed, and energized response, then we really have fallen by the wayside as a nation.
Did anyone notice the choice of words, "the article has stirred up a lot of thoughts from people who care deeply "
Stirred up, thoughts, care deeply
Not one iota of fact or reality. It's all about how touchy-feely people care so much. Why not acknowledge the challenge to the facts being so badly and obviously ignored by Stengel? Why talk about how sincere and emotional the emailers are? Baby talk from Leftist toddlers–all grown up, pens in hands, they insult all the adults in the room.
ALL the answers we need were written by the Founders. Technology has changed, but Human Nature and Governance has Not Changed. How many years have we been under BAD Governance? We need to go
"Back to Basics". IF JournOlists could read, understand and comprehend the Federalist Papers, they
would be on the RIGHT side, not the WRONG side. Too bad members of Congress are not made to read
and understand the Federalist Papers as well.
That answer sounds like a typical run-around answer given when a person/group just doesn't want to answer a direct question. Just because they call themselves the "National Constitution Center" doesn't mean squat really when it comes to providing honest answers regarding the Constitution and I doubt you'll really get anything more than what has been provided.
Stengel is an anti-American of the worst kind. The kind that uses rag magazines to exhibit his treason! He should be prosecuted for Crimes against a Nation.
When Truth receives Justice i know that Mr. Stengels name will be on the list of offenders. When, being the key word.
Only Time would find the U.S. Constition controversial. Tool of the illiterate left.
"All those big words written by old guys".
Time, made up of a bunch of brown nosing frat boys and girls trying to please their journalism professors. Pedantic crap.
Read and understand the Federalist Papers, Gen? You mean the same group of clowns that don't read yet vote on bills they admit they don't understand that can and do affect the people of the United States?
You're giving them a pretty tall order, my man.
Frankly, I don't think 90% of them are up to it!
Didn't they try reading the Constitution at the opening of this Congress? If memory serves, they even got that wrong!
Good take, Red!
Understatement, Mr. Shaw. FYI: 3% of the peeps rose & fought the Brits in the Revolutionary War.
Here we are – 2011: what will be the percentage of peeps to fight this corrupt, criminal, usurping, inept, EVIL US Government? I am ready (as is my wife) . WE are part of the NEW 3% – they won & WE will win.
There has never been a Liberal who actually cared about the Constitution of the United States of America.
Allowing Liberals to work at a place called the National Constitution Center is at best morally treasonous.
They're playing for time (no pun intended), hoping that people will forget or that something else will come up to divert attention from their latest failure.
I'm old enough to remember when Time was actually worth reading. Those days, unfortunately, are long gone.
Thanks. I feel so good, now.
This email theme they sent out is either really condescending or kinda childish. I guess we'll know if they ever give any kind of an accounting.
There is really only one reason why rags like this get away with printing lies and half truths about our freedoms and our constitution. Americans have become ignorant and lazy. We send our children off to the government run indoctrination centers (high schools) and just figure they will be taught. As long as we continue to be lazy Americans and not take over and teach our kids the truth we will continue further down the road to serfdom.
just sayin…….
As for what is not true, you will always find abundance in the newspapers. 1806 Thomas Jefferson
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”Winston Churchill
“Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”
- Thomas Jefferson
"We must pass the bill to find out what's in it."
- Nancy Pelosi
They ARE children, in a neurotic sort of way. Like they couldn't cope with Reality, took mind altering drugs and are now trying to imagine / create a world even morons could live in but can't formulate, much less comprehend, the consequences of their agenda.
And they don't believe there is any greater force in all of Creation than liberal thought.
There will be no response, no elaboration/explanation. What he wrote was indefensible. Trying to defend it will just make his hole deeper. I suspect Stengel is praying to God this all blows over.
O'Sullivan's First Law: All organizations that are not actually right-wing will over time become left-wing. http://goo.gl/WaFo4
…many of the most important current debates about how we view the constitution.
Okay. I know there's gotta be a name for this cheap-assed rhetorical device, wherein one makes outrageous, easily refutable claims, then, once those claims are proven false, rather than address the actual points of contention, he refers to his original screed as part of the "debate."
(I realize Wiebe didn't write the piece. But he's the one defending it).
Dude. DUDE! YOU ARE NOT BEING "DEBATED" – YOU ARE BEING REFUTED.
One does not debate facts. I cannot contend that the sun rises in the west, and then when directed toward the sunrise with a compass to refer to, call that dial pointing 90° to the right of North a point of debate. It is a full refutation of my claim. I concede the point, and we move on.
Or, as is the wont of the progressive journo, I can call into question centuries of agreement by virtually everyone in the world, and question the meaning of "east" or "north".
But that is not debate either, dude.
—On edit—
Now I remember the name of that rhetorical device: Bullsh!t.
Maybe they will get the President (a well known constitutional scholar) to back up Mr. Stengel. SARC
Keep up the fight!!!!!!!!!! At least you, and Mr. Wiebe got a response. ;0) I sent in an Email (with lots of the Federalist Paper quotations) objecting to the article and demanded (as a fellow Historian) action, still waiting for a ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ response. I don't expect one any time soon (as a Constitionalist/Conservative Historian, one gets used of being ignored by our Progressive/Socialist CPeers…. LMAO).
I concur. You just don't appoint such people to safeguard something as precious as the Constitution, when they're the very same ones who wouldn't hesitate for a second to warp it's original meaning beyond recognition in order to further their own twisted agendas. Putting liberals in charge of the National Constitution Center is akin to putting a diehard Marxist in charge of a major corporation, which just doesn't work because of the conflicting interests. This is the exact same reason why there shouldn't be any liberal judges currently sitting on the Supreme Court. They could care less about the rule of law and will only interpret the Constitution to give the Federal government legal cover for doing whatever it wants. Frankly, I've gotten to the point now where I've ceased recognizing their authority, and wouldn't hesitate to go against them by refusing to obey unjust laws that they try to uphold, like Obamacare.
Well said Sir.
The National Constitution Center will carefully defend their silly ideas about the Constitution and the left will buy it.
Those of us who understand how sacred the Constitution is and how fundamental it is to freedom, know Stengel's take is crap, but to a leftist, the Constitution is nothing more than yet another means to push the progressive agenda.
They twist the meaning of the Constitution in a manner similar to how they distort religious doctrine (Jim Wallis) to support their redistibutional agenda.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." – Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Well, you know, it IS a "living, breathing" document.
/sarc
What spin do you think the National Constitution Center will put on the Constitution? They are part of the Annenberg Center.
From the lower right of the first page of the web site:
This website is a program of the
Annenberg Center for Education & Outreach.
Terms of of Use and Privacy Policy.
Contact us | Website info
© 2011. National Constitution Center.
Twitter has become their favorite medium for debate. They love the 140 character limit.
Thank You and good luck, I expect you will need it.
A slow flame still rises the temperture inside the tea-pot. Keep the flame alive. Public embaressment is a wonder elixor.
This organization started out as a left wing organization. From the lower right corner of the first page of the web site.
This website is a program of the
Annenberg Center for Education & Outreach.
Terms of of Use and Privacy Policy.
Contact us | Website info
© 2011. National Constitution Center.
Embarrassment requires the ability to feel the emotion of shame. To date, there is no credible evidence that the left is capable of feeling shame.
heard in the lewinski hallway at the whinehowz…
constitution???…we don't need no stinkin' constitution!!!…
heeeey pass that stogey over here…
roundball any one???
TRUTH is in the balance at this point in America's brief history. Salon magazine joins TIME is ignoring facts for incendiary overSpeak. Apparently the size of the Tea Party Tsunami is now becoming obvious to even the most practised Big Brotherists…leaving them muttering worn out Marxist fantasies and Alinsky HateSpeak…it is quite interesting to watch as it defines the emptiness of their Bag of Possibles! But lest we forget what a waste of resources and business opportunities Democrats have unfortunately become. Payback will be required.
heh heh… love it. maybe consider changing the third line to; dammit Ho, don't bogart that joint…
"… many supportive"?
Surely that's a lie. To draw up that document took a revolution and many people died for it too. If it is about to be tossed aside as an "outdated" document then I see another revolution coming with many more deaths. I hope the liberals wake up before they throw this nation into another civil war.
I'm not one of those extremists either. However I feel that the Constitution is worth fighting for. The Constitution is about rights and freedom, nothing liberals support. Liberals are the pot calling the kettles black, since all of them are extremists while they claim us to be. They're only "bleeding heart" because they stick a knife right through anyone's heart that defies them. They like stirring up the pot then standing back, feigning peace. They are a hateful, despicable bunch of inhumane parasites on the skin of society.
Eisner's response raises the question – Why should anyone think the "National Constitution Center" is any more about defending the Constitution than "The Patriot Act" is about being a patriot?
My alarm bell went off when I read that line also.
Calling Stengel, or any liberal, an expert on the Constitution, is like calling an Army demolishinist an expert on bridges.
That world exists in the Communist Manifesto, for one. The consequences? Perpetual adolescence for them, servitude for the adults.
Aaron Worthing, I salute you for going after these propagandizing jerks but I'm pretty sure nothing is going to happen unless you embarrass them some more. That article was not a mistake, its propaganda, which is what Time does.
I promise you, I will be embarrassing them more, unless they do step up. I've got a plan. nothing as awesome as an o'keefe operation, but i have a plan…
I wish you much success. May you rub their nose in it.
Yup, my "proggie radar" went off when I read that as well.
I heard some stuff from George Will on the Sunday ABC program with that bore Amanpour. I don't have a link to it. I heard it on the radio this morning. Although it shouldn't be, it's quite alarming how much people don't understand about the Constitution, but perhaps more accurately, how much they twist about the Constitution for their own ends.
Apparently once Congress passes something telling them they can do something, well, then they can do it. Period.
Again, it shouldn't be shocking, but it is.
Good luck. We support your efforts.
Fine work Mr. Worthing- thank you for standing up for America with your no spin work.
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