My name is James Veverka and I live in NH with my wife Susan, our pet Golden Retriever, Zoe, and 40 species of birds and mammals in the backyard. I was born in NYC in 1950 but I grew up beginning in 1954 in Hanover, NH, where Dartmouth College is situated. I have a daughter, a son and a grandson.
I make and sell winter headwear (MedusaHeadwear.com) and Susan sells for Combined Insurance. She was a teacher, a coach and an athletic director for 20 years before changing professions. Susan has a Masters in Biology.
I have always been a readaholic. As the Renaissance humanist Erasmus said, first you buy books and then if there is anything left, you eat. Science and history fascinate me.
Besides being a big fan of history and science, I love to swim laps, golf and ski. I have been a competitor in swimming, skiing and track and field. You will not see my golf game on any TV. Before my knees went to hell because of skiing my brains out, I used to hike a lot. In May of 2005 I had both knees replaced and I hope to return to some hiking, too. I lived in North Conway, NH for 5 years in my teens and greatly enjoyed my hikes in the White Mountains. As a local I spent several weekends every Spring doing extreme skiing in the Tuckerman Ravine area of Mt Washington. My last trip over the headwall was in 2002. I also skydived in 2001, knowing that my knees were almost done and time was running short for that enterprise. (I did not have insurance at the time so I thought my wild days were over) Susan joined me for the venture.
I undertook this website project after years of reading the scientific and historical bunk that is out there in internet newsgroups, religious activist groups, and the media in general. I just couldnt believe the fables that were being passed off as history (and science). Cable News is full of pseudo-experts, pandering pundits and misiniformation on these issues.
I was amazed by the lack of basic scientific and historical knowledge. Si I decided to make a project out of addressing the combination of media misinformation and the historical naivete found in the right wing Christian propaganda machine. I also wanted to address the friendly masses, who have been lied to constantly. It is the way propaganda machines work; lying and lying until people think the lies are the facts. Most people just on't have the time to dig for the truth.
An example of this is the twisting of the truth, that "America was founded on religious tolerance" into today's propaganda that "America was founded on religious principles". It wasnt. Religions are intolerant for the most part. But as usual, even when the facts say otherwise, the twisted version is repeated over and over until well meaning but naive people are repeating the mantra thinking it is fact.
When the US Senate and President John Adams ratified the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797, without any dissent in the Senate, Article 11 stated in no uncertain terms regarding our constitution and laws, - the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.
But what do the pundits of the religious right say? Just the opposite. It is historical revisionism of the most devious sort; a remaking of America in an image that the religious right has invented. Since the 1830s this faction has sought to reinvent the historical facts.
I have been very careful regarding my sources. Very careful. With so much bad history and bad science from the religious right, I feel that everything I write should have excellent sources that people can refer to. I try to use primary sources as much as possible. In my Christian History of religious liberty section I list the primary and secondary sources I use. Since the internet makes it easy to contact experts, I also run things by scholars in the fields if I need some clarifications.
I hope you will enjoy my site and pass it on to those who enjoy these subjects. Feel free to e-mail me with your comments.