I don't quite know why, although some of this article by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post rang true. And this part did specifically bother me:
...Let's review Beck's history as a civil rights pioneer, a history I've studied while writing a book about Beck.And there was also this portion of the article:
When Beck was a radio host in Connecticut in the 1990s, his station apologized for an on-air skit in which Beck and his partner mocked an Asian American caller and used their version of an Asian accent...
...Beck updated the meaning of the civil rights movement so that it is no longer about black people; it is about protecting anti-tax conservatives from liberals. Civil rights leaders, he said, "purposely distorted Martin Luther King's ideas." Over the past century, Beck reasons, "no man has been free, because we've been progressive." To his followers, he says: "We are the people of the civil rights movement."...Please read the entire essay.
Yes, yes, I know. It's the WaPo, and Dana Milbank has an axe to grind, in part because he has a book coming out in October: Tears of a Clown: Glenn Beck and the Tea Bagging of America.
I'm getting concerned that we're going to find out that Glenn Beck has feet of clay.
Am I way off base with my concerns about Glenn Beck? I want to trust him. And I certainly know that he's done excellent work. And the rally he led on August 28 was wonderful in so many ways.
Maybe I'm worrying over nothing. I hope so!
31 comments:
I'm not a Beck fan and certainly don't jump on board with everything he says.
I think it's prudent to have some reservations about him - anyone who cries holy all the time, usually isn't.
I have listened to Glenn since before 9/11. He has grown up a lot. He and staff did make fun of people on the radio show. It was awful and I think his wife gave him a tongue lashing when he got home. He is trying to be a better person. He has a dramtic streak and he gets carried away with his ideas. His ADD interferes with his message. It can be painful to watch, but there is not an evil bone in his body, but he is, as he says a flawed man. I do believe angels are working with him, but sometimes he gets the messages mixed up in his head. He has done a lot to introduce Americans to our forgotten history. I wish he would take a break now, before they distroy him. He has fulfilled his mission.
Oops. That should be destroy, not distroy. I hate when I do that
I'm with you, AOW. I think Beck is not the sturdiest of human beings, and it wouldn't surprise me to find that his clay feet may be destructive to those who confuse the messenger with the message.
That being said, I don't follow Glenn Beck, and I don't give a shit what Dana Milbank says.
The fact that Glenn Beck got several hundred thousand people to go to Washington DC for his Restoring Honor event is epochal. The man represents a group of people who are unhappy with the tax and spend socialism direction of our country. The people there represent themselves. It is only the media who refuses to understand that the story is the people, NOT Glenn Beck.
Dana Milbank's statement that, "Beck updated the meaning of the civil rights movement so that it is no longer about black people; it is about protecting anti-tax conservatives from liberals," is a distortion of Beck's own message.
Beck's real message, like Christopher Hitchens message in his Memoir Hitch 22, is that racial politics/victim politics/special interest group politics is evil.
EVIL.
The Left has been using this type of politics to form coalitions of power (yes, coalitions, as in a Parliamentary system of government) instead of to win majorities upon which are built compromises.
The Left is attempting to steal power through resentment, rather than building power on ideas.
Glenn Beck talks about these ideas, people listen, agree, and show up.
Dana Milbank is an asshole.
By the way, Dana Milbank is calling his book the Tea Bagging of America.
I will ask the question for the hundredth time; if I am a tea bagger, then who is it I am tea bagging?
Apparently, Dana Milbank is sucking on my balls, or at the very least, he has a fantasy of sucking on my balls.
His title is juvenile. And, that's a pretty bad insult coming from me, the king of juvenile.
He needs to grow up.
Pastorius,
Don't get me wrong. I don't follow Dana Milbank. I will say that he has held BHO's feet to the fire on several occasions, though.
I think that we need to know what Milbank's line is because we're going to have to deal with the "Glenn Beck Movement" in conversations with those who do read Milbank. Preaching to the choir isn't going to work forever, you know.
BTW, the WaPo's cover photo of Glenn Beck today bothered me. I'll see if I can find the photo online to post the link here. I'm interested to know if anyone else finds that photo uncomfortable.
Dana Milbank's statement that, "Beck updated the meaning of the civil rights movement so that it is no longer about black people; it is about protecting anti-tax conservatives from liberals," is a distortion of Beck's own message.
But how many of those not in "the choir" are going to listen to what Beck actually said.
PS: The essay I linked in my posting has loads of comments. I haven't read them. Yet.
Yeah. I agree with most of what Pasto says. I used to watch him on CNN, but found him a bit fatous for my tastes and yes, heavily dramatic. I was also turned off by his "call to turn to god." It doesn't speak to me. However, the values of country and personal accountability and ethics does. I too think this was an epochal achievement on his part. Very impressive. And that they picked their trash up on their way out, made me very proud and willing to stand with these people, if they'll accept me with my love for Buddhism, but general antipaty toward a male god in the sky.
I can't find the photo.
But it depicted Beck with arms outstretched and with an expression of transport to heaven on his face.
I'm sure that the choice of photo was not an accident on the WaPo's part.
I note that the WaPo has loads of coverage of the rally. Contrast all this coverage with the lack of coverage of last year's 9/12 March on Washington. Why the difference in coverage?
Anonymous,
I wish he would take a break now, before they destroy him.
I think you're onto something with that statement. See my above comment about all the WaPo coverage.
I have much the same problem with Beck that I have with Palin. While I agree with and enjoy watching both of them much of the time, I don't really trust either one. That's because I consider both to be emotionalists who are inclined to sacrifice constitutionalism and the rational basis of law for whatever they "strongly feel is right".
But Milbank's book title says all I need to know about him. J.E.R.K.
Anonymous: I have had ADD all my life so I strongly sympathize with anyone else who has to deal with it. However, it is not an excuse for failing to keep your principles on a consistently rational footing. But for having your thoughts jump around like a rabbit on speed, yeah, definitely.
Beck, every once in a while reminds of what you can read of the beginnings of Father Coughlin. So wildly popular FDR consulted with him near the beginnings of his presidency Coughlin's star fell when his populism overreached to run of the mill anti semitism moments before the Nazis joined his thematic climax.
Beck, of course is anything but anti semitic, but his call towards religion in saturday's gathering while understandable is a prime feature of what makes some nervous about his ... peripheral sense.
However, stay with me here ... I don't think Beck CARED about the words used for a message. If he's been seen in the last months he's been seen harping on ALinksy's 5 stages of any movement. And he has been lamenting that the tea party is in the 4th stage of 'feeling it has failed'... it is MY judgment that Beck's intent was to display the crowd.. THAT was the message.
Beck should stick to historical comparisons of fact and totally lay off 'Obama is a racist' hyperbole.
He makes me nervous every time I see him, and when you see Oreilly asking him how things are in the bunker, you have the main features of why.
Who besides Beck is doing anything concrete in trying to save America?
Other than talk and vote (which we hear all the time and we do and nothing changes) what has anyone else done?
America is dying the death of a thousand cuts. We've tried everything except turning to God. It doesn't have to be everyone, (to answer A. Rose) just enough to make the turn onto the road to what America should be.
Bunker mentality? You better have one if you don't want to wind up in the flotsam.
In the 90's, especially the first half, Beck had a serious alcohol and marijuana problem, almost to the point of being suicidal. But he got sober.
A number of people I have known that got clean have extreme swings to the other end of the spectrum. Not everyone, fo course. But I thin k that's what has happened with Beck.
Not that I agree with him on everything.
However, Beck Palin et al is part of the swinging of the pendulum. The equal and opposite reaction. Things have swung so far left that they are now going the other way. ANd we may need the Glenn Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's just to get everyone else to wake up and act like a rational decent human being.
IF it gets people talking about it sooner or later the answers will be found.
Thanks for comment Pastorius. More on my line of thought, I have been apprehensive of this rally from it's conception. I wasn't sure why. A lot of things could have gone very wrong. The most benign being Glenn off on some tangent. Which he probably did. I didn't watch the whole thing. I can't anymore. I get the message and I have graduated to more original sources. Glenn makes me nervous too. And I don't want to pray on bended knee. I speak to the divine standing up. Bless his heart, but he sounds more and more like an AA meeting. The event seems to have come off without a hitch and it could be epochal. I have not seen WaPo press. Are they going after him? I can't shake this nervous feeling I have. I think he could have reached his peak. They are going to try and destroy him and Palin. And his "followers" may turn on him. This could be the very social upheaval he warns about. Am I just sufferin from an overload of bad news?
I’m wary of Beck also. I respect his fans but unlike them I’m not so sure Beck is the real thing. It’s not just his style that I find problematic. He seems to be learning and evolving in front of us. It leaves me wondering what he’ll believe tomorrow. He doesn’t seem grounded.
There was a debate on Front Page Magazine about Beck. Some felt he was an embarrassment but David Horowitz thought his style gets the job done. Perhaps I’m not in tune to today’s television ethos!
AOW,
You said: I think that we need to know what Milbank's line is because we're going to have to deal with the "Glenn Beck Movement" in conversations with those who do read Milbank. Preaching to the choir isn't going to work forever, you know.
I say: I agree. My ire is directed solely at Dana Milbank, not at you.
I'm not too concerned about the downfall of Beck, because I think this movement is bigger than him, by far.
I think Beck and Palin are charismatic loci of the movement. But, I think the ideas are the movement. And, I believe the power and movement of the ideas are manifested by the mega-sales of Atlas Shrugged, and of the more difficult/dry Road to Serfdom by Hayek.
Any movement built on even the most elementary understanding of these two books is a true movement of power, in my opinion.
In the end, the power will transcend Palin and Beck, or so I think.
I agree, Beck does sound like an AA mtg.
Pastorius,
My ire is directed solely at Dana Milbank, not at you.
I didn't take personally anything you said.
I put this post up here for discussion because I have a vague feeling of unease about Beck.
I think what I'm worrying about is that he may develop megalomania.
Personally, I'm very wary of hero worship. Because it smacks of cultism, I guess.
Epa,
it is MY judgment that Beck's intent was to display the crowd.. THAT was the message.
And that was the good message, IMO.
Jason,
He seems to be learning and evolving in front of us. It leaves me wondering what he’ll believe tomorrow. He doesn’t seem grounded.
Good analysis!
I agree.
You've put into words part of what I was feeling and couldn't explain.
MR,
Beck Palin et al is part of the swinging of the pendulum. The equal and opposite reaction. Things have swung so far left that they are now going the other way.
The hard swing of the pendulum is necessary, I know.
But how ugly will it be?
I was discussing that necessary swing of the pendulum with a friend just the other day.
SamenoKami,
Who besides Beck is doing anything concrete in trying to save America?
That's one reason I've said little negative about Glenn Beck.
I think we can say that the crowd around here is quite sanguine about Beck, and it is terrific to see the caution over the man and his inner urges and personal peccadilloes and tendencies separated from the wave he has given a big push to
Beck has stated over and over and over that he was a "dirt bag". Especially in the '90s. He's been clean for 10 years. He's an alcoholic thus the AA meeting.
The only one who doesn't have "feet of clay" is Christ.
Tighten the ranks and ease up on this friendly fire.
I'm weary of people constantly prefacing a statement about Beck of "I'm not a fan" great. who cares. He's done unspeakable damage to the progressive movement.
Whether we like it or not this Nation was founded by Divine Inspiration. It was founded by folks who based our Documents on Judeo-Christian values.
If the Chinese communists recognize the power behind the rise of the West is Christianity why can't some conservatives and Libertarians do the same?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10942954
Glad to see others having some similar thoughts. To me, Beck has the appearence of a man who sees a terrible train wreck coming and he, to his credit, really, really wants to avert it - although he doesn't quite know how. To that end he's flailing about a little, but for the most part he seems to be getting the brakes applied to a good number of the wheels and the sparks sure are a flyin'.
I'm going to trust him but watch carefully as I think about how to kill the power on those damned engines.
Let me just add that I'd feel better if I knew Beck or a key aid was a regular IBA reader.
"Let me just add that I'd feel better if I knew Beck or a key aid was a regular IBA reader."
Would scare the hell out of me!
;)
I'm wary of any group that would include someone like me as a member to begin with
So are we :)
Beck is a disgrace. He lies, he distorts, he makes things up. And then he has the nerve to put himself in MLK's place on the anniversary of his famous speech, pretending he didn't know about the date. What a phony and a liar!
I agree with you AOW. I want to trust him because he has done wonderful things for this country. But, when it comes to matters of faith, I do not trust Glenn Beck. Little by little, he has been sharing Mormon doctrine with his audience and passing it off as Christianity. It is not. He is always telling us not to trust him, to do our own research - to question with boldness. I would encourage you to do this. I think you will find many similarities between the two Christian cults of Mormonism and Islam.
Beck does talk Mormon doctrine. I don't think it's cause to brush him aside. The man is right about a large portion of what he says. Mormon or not. He has insight, along with insiders funneling info to him and he puts puzzle pieces together really well. We are going to have to get past some of our differences in order to save the country. We can fuss about theology later. If there is a country left.
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