By
Timothy N. Baldwin, JD.
December 16, 2011
NewsWithViews.com
If you do not know of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and their more than questionable tactics, allow me to give you a glimpse of their bias and hate agenda in light of its recent article against me and others.
SPLC Tactics
The SPLC has a mission to destroy any person who attempts to (re)implement the principles of the U.S. Constitution as portrayed by America’s founding generation. They attempt to accomplish this by using rhetoric of hysteria. They use guilt-by-association logic and attempt to paint with very broad and fuzzy brushes. Reason.com agrees on this point.
SPLC never defines the terms it uses; it only uses them to ridicule, denigrate, and marginalize, hoping the public will discredit those people SPLC demeans before the public has a chance to listen to the substance of what SPLC’s targets are saying.
SPLC’s use of logical formula is as liberal and unbounded as their idea of the federal government’s power over the States and individuals. (How, then, does SPLC and the Department of Homeland Security get along so well?)
SPLC Unfounded Attack on Patriots
In its article, SPLC alleges Montana is a hotbed for antigovernment whack-jobs (despite the fact that their “hate-map” shows Montana scores relatively low even by their standards). SPLC names as “antigovernment extremists” my dad, Chuck Baldwin; fellow Flathead County resident and Oath Keepers founder, Stewart Rhodes; and Sheriff Richard Mack—and they associate me, Timothy Baldwin, as the same. Forget proven track records of scholarship, statesmanship, education, reputation, and credentials. Those are non-factors in their reporting.
SPLC
attempts to convince the public by using comical cartoons they drew on
cardboard instead of showing you the live show in real time on a big-screen
TV. After all, with the use of strobe lights, even the most uncoordinated
and untrained man dances well; and in the dark, even the ugliest person
can say she is pretty.
Eliminate Their Threat
SPLC is threatened and therefore feels compelled to marginalize Chuck Baldwin given his recent announcement to run for Montana’s Lt. Governor. They would HATE to see Chuck Baldwin in this executive position, which is all the more reason for you to SUPPORT HIS CANDIDACY. Electing Chuck Baldwin would undermine SPLC’s life’s work. Chuck’s candidacy makes the SPLC mission precarious given that Politico.com named Montana as the number 1 gubernatorial election in the nation.
Why doesn’t SPLC use any of Bob Fanning and Chuck Baldwin’s campaign platform in their articles? It is open for all to see: www.Fanning-Baldwin.com. Perhaps because their platform would bring to public attention their effort of legitimately restoring constitutional government. SPLC does not want to argue points of history, philosophy, and law.
It is not so surprising that SPLC uses the same tactics against other individuals and groups that are protecting and pursuing the Supreme Law of the Land as bequeathed to us by our honored forefathers. Such groups include, for example, the Tenth Amendment Center and Rep. Matt Shea (R-WA), among many others.
SPLC Spreads Lies and Disinformation as Fact
SPLC has a serious problem with its references and use of those references. They have apparently confused the standards of journalism with a fictitious writer’s license of creativity. Unfortunately, some very foolish people actually believe what SPLC spews. Here are just a few fact distortion samples in its recent article.
Lie Sample #1: Tim Baldwin’s Campaign for FVCC Trustee
SPLC states that I ran for an elected position on the trustee board at Flathead Community College. In context of its article, SPLC would have the reader feel that my candidacy is something to be feared and shunned. That is to say, Timothy Baldwin is an extremist, antigovernment wacko, and he is running for a public position and getting sizeable portions of votes. Oh, no!
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However, SPLC fails to mention that some of my opponents and opponents’ supporters told me I displayed honor and professionalism; focused on issue-based discussion; and was someone whom the current board of trustees could see themselves working with—this coming from both Republicans and Democrats.
To SPLC, that information was not newsworthy. Why?--because it would paint me (one of their targets) in a positive light and would undermine their fabrication.
Lie Sample # 2: Baldwin Institute of Education
SPLC asserted that Chuck Baldwin and I started Baldwin Institute of Education to teach children about American Revolutionary History. Given the context of their article about antigovernment and militia extremists, their spin on this is blatantly apparent: they want people to think Tim and Chuck Baldwin are trying to brain wash children to get ready for a war against the Feds!
Their description of the Baldwin Institute of Education demonstrates poor journalism to say the least; first, because only I started the institute—not Chuck Baldwin; second, because I started it primarily for homeschoolers to give them classical education; third, the institution offered many courses (see below for list); and fourth, because they never asked me—the first-hand source—about the educational program.
Where did SPLC get the “fact” that the institution was to teach children about American Revolutionary history?—from a reliable source? It is not too difficult to see where SPLC likely derived its distorted and incomplete information. Look here where this SPLC-like group in Montana describes my formation of the institution as, “Right Wing Re-education Camp Opening in the Flathead.” Like SPLC, that “Montana group” did not attempt to contact me about my education program. Their journalism appears as un-credible as SPLC’s, if that’s possible.
SPLC ignored a much more reliable source (a site hosted by a highly educated doctor in climate physics called, www.polymontana.com) that shows the institution as follows: “Courses will include Philosophy of Human Nature, Society and the State; Logic of Deductive and Inductive Reasoning; History of Colonial America and the United States of America; and Law of Jurisprudence and the Constitution.”
Conveniently for SPLC, they took what they wanted from the facts to distort the thinking of the readers to fit their agenda.
Lie Sample #3: Montana ‘Militia’ Advocates Are Antigovernment
SPLC loves to throw around the word “militia” as a bad word. They attempt to characterize any person who holds a militia to be necessary to a free State to be an antigovernment, violent, federal-government-hating extremist. SPLC’s common target in this regard is the founder of Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes—an attorney and graduate from Yale law school and veteran Army paratrooper, who also lives in Montana.
SPCL says about him, “Rhodes is laying the groundwork for a new militia and is calling for citizens to adopt a barter economy to escape the bondage of U.S. currency.” Consequently, they tag Rhodes, in undefined form, as “conspiracy-minded.”
First, SPLC ignores that (a) the United States Constitution, Second Amendment, expressly states that each and every State must be well-armed and well-regulated to maintain its freedom; and (b) this militia force was not as against foreign intrusion, but primarily against federal government intrusion; (c) the Federalist Paper writers confirmed this constitutional reality repeatedly and used it as a basis to convince the States to ratify the constitution of the United States of America.
Second, SPLC ignores the fact that Montana’s constitution and code provide for and require a militia made up of both an organized and unorganized militia (See, 10-1-103, MCA)—the unorganized militia being exactly what Rhodes discusses in his Oath Keepers platform.
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Third, SPLC would have Rhodes appear to be a wacko because he educates people on the subject of bartering for the purpose of offsetting the risks and dangers of a declining dollar. SPLC proves its utterly depraved sense of reality in this regard as bartering is a method of trade that has existed since humans existed and has proven to be successful during times of economic depression—not to mention, bartering is simply a display of the natural laws of self-preservation and self-improvement.
Fourth, SPLC ignores that the United States Constitution mandates that no State “make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts” and that the Federal Reserve System created by the federal government undermines the Supreme Law of the Land in this regard. Yet SPLC would have the public believe that those trying to prepare for alternatives to an unconstitutional economic system are the ones who are crazy.
Lie Sample #4: Chuck Baldwin and Other Montanan Patriots Are White Supremacists
SPLC tries hard to make people like Chuck Baldwin, Stewart Rhodes, and others appear racist to discredit their reputation instantaneously.
Let us be clear: I am not racist; Chuck Baldwin is not racist; Stewart Rhodes is not racist; Matt Shea is not racist; Richard Mack is not racist. And there is not one piece of evidence to suggest otherwise.
Some of my closest friends are of African descent. The same can be said of Chuck Baldwin. Stewart Rhodes openly reveals that his ancestry comprises a mix of minority races, and he has openly denounced racism in his platform, as does Chuck and as do I.
SPLC shatters its own credibility by trying to link credible people with others who are openly white supremacists or the like.
Lie Sample #5: Liberty Fellowship Membership Comprises Antigovernment Racists
SLPC again uses guilt-by-association logic and tries to portray Chuck Baldwin’s Liberty Fellowship church in Kalispell, MT as a gathering of antigovernment, white supremacists.
First, SPLC ignores that there is no membership requirement at Liberty Fellowship. The doors are open for anyone to attend. Chuck Baldwin will minister to and speak to anyone who will listen. This is what Jesus said: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink” (John 7:37 kjv).
I presume then SPLC would have pastors turn people away at the door or kick them out of the congregation where they do not believe in SPLC’s version of “truth”—which is what? I wonder how many people who have attended President Obama’s events are felons or otherwise despicable people. I presume SPLC would not hold Obama or other big-government advocates to the same standard they obviously require of Christian pastors.
Second, SPLC ignores that Chuck Baldwin’s sermons are live-streamed on the internet every Sunday for the entire world to see and listen. The message is not being hidden; there is no secret agenda. Like every church in America should be, the message of truth and reason is available for all to hear.
Third, SPLC ignores the quality of people who regularly attend and contribute to Liberty Fellowship’s services. It also ignores that there are people who attend that are Chinese, African, Spanish, Canadian, Native Indian, among other ethnicities.
Lie Sample #6: Description of Chuck Baldwin as Having Abandoned His Former Church
SPLC throws out this word when describing Chuck Baldwin’s retirement from Crossroad Baptist Church, a church in Pensacola, FL he founded and pastored for 35 years!—“ Last fall, he arrived in Kalispell after abandoning a church he led for 35 years in Pensacola, Fla.”
This description clearly demonstrates bias and distortion of fact—not to mention, SPLC never defines “abandoning” but only uses the word in attempts to make Chuck Baldwin appear in the worst light.
The truth is, when Chuck Baldwin retired from his former church, he made sure the church was not without a senior, experienced pastor one Sunday. And to this day, that same senior pastor that the church accepted upon Chuck Baldwin’s retirement still leads Crossroad Baptist Church. Apparently, the church more than accepted this new pastor; they love him.
Be Aware of the Wolves
The essence of SPLC and their articles are despicable and demonstrate how journalism can go bad.
People like the SPLC will always exist. They always have. We just have to be aware of who they are and lend them no credibility. As Scriptures says, “Give honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7). We do not give honor to whom honor is not due. Instead, we “resist the devil and his ministers, so they will flee from us.”
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The protection of our counties, states, and union rests in our ability to govern ourselves and guard liberty. Outing the SPLC for who they are would be a great stride to that end. Meanwhile, as long as people like the SPLC consider me a threat to their agenda, I will wear that as a badge of honor.
Subscribe to Timothy Baldwin’s articles by going to www.LibertyDefenseLeague.com. Order Timothy and Chuck Baldwin’s recently released book, Romans 13: The True Meaning of Submission by going to www.Romans13Truth.com.
� 2011 Timothy N. Baldwin, JD - All Rights Reserved
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Timothy Baldwin is an attorney licensed to practice law in Montana (and Florida) and focuses on constitutional issues. Baldwin graduated from the University of West Florida in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English and Political Science. In 2004, Baldwin graduated from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, AL with a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree. From there, Baldwin became an Assistant State Attorney in Florida. For 2 1/2 years, Baldwin prosecuted criminal actions and tried nearly 60 jury trials. In 2006, Baldwin started his private law practice and has maintained it since.
Baldwin is a published author, public speaker and student of political philosophy. Baldwin is the author of Freedom For A Change, Romans 13-The True Meaning of Submission, and Political Discussions for People of States–all of which are available for purchase through Liberty Defense League. Baldwin has also authored hundreds of political science articles relative to liberty in the United States of America. Baldwin has been the guest of scores of radio shows and public events and continues to exposit principles which the people in America will need to determine its direction for the future.
Web site: LibertyDefenseLeague
E-Mail: tim@libertydefenseleague.com
