Controversy and Criticism
In 2009, Glenn Beck began to be perceived as a more dangerous threat to the various progressive pundits in the USA. Of course the smears and misinformation chatter ramped up. Typically these repeat general phrases such as “dangerous right wing extremist”, and follow up follow with a group of unsubstantiated, rehearsed claims. Investigation of the claims is fun, because it proves them to almost always be smears.
Here we examine a few. Makes one wonder why the progressive Left chooses to smear, instead of argue on the merits and facts.
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Dissident Voice Glenn Beck’s Demagoguery, Right Wing Extremism, and Racism
Glenn Beck may stand out as the most unhinged and extremist of all as evidenced by his jihad against anyone to the left of his views, disadvantaged minorities, Muslims, Latino immigrants, and progressive change in some of his most outlandish comments, including: ….– telling Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison to “prove to me that you are not working with our enemies;”
Response of Spendulus – This is a simple smear through misrepresentation, a group of inflammatory hot button phrases is recited, followed by a “proof”. The “proof” does nothing but take a quote out of context. Thus is built in house of crads fashion the making of Glenn Beck to be VILE, BAD AND EVIL.
Back to reality – starting with the allegation.
BECK: “Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.”
Simply adding the next sentence of Beck destroys the smear.
BECK: “Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies. And I know you’re not.”
The actual transcript for more context.
November 14 CNN Headline News with Beck:
BECK: Thank you. I will tell you, may I — may we have five minutes here where we’re just politically incorrect and I play the cards face up on the table?
ELLISON: Go there.
BECK: OK. No offense, and I know Muslims. I like Muslims. I’ve been to mosques. I really don’t believe that Islam is a religion of evil. I — you know, I think it’s being hijacked, quite frankly. With that being said, you are a Democrat. You are saying, “Let’s cut and run.” And I have to tell you, I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, “Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.” And I know you’re not. I’m not accusing you of being an enemy, but that’s the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way.
ELLISON: Well, let me tell you, the people of the Fifth Congressional District know that I have a deep love and affection for my country. There’s no one who is more patriotic than I am. And so, you know, I don’t need to — need to prove my patriotic stripes.
BECK: I understand that. And I’m not asking you to. I’m wondering if you see that. You come from a district that is heavily immigrant with Somalians. And I think it’s wonderful, honestly, I think it is really a good sign that you are a — you could be an icon to show Europe, this is the way you integrate into a country. I think the Somalians coming out and voting is a very good thing. With that –
ELLISON: I’d agree with you.
SPENDULUS: An excellent example of how lies fail, truth always wins.
Extremist rhetoric won’t rebuild GOP – Michael A. Cohen – POLITICO.com
MIchael A. Cohen 4/7/09
Watching Fox News’ new sensation Glenn Beck is not for the faint of heart. It is a disquieting entree into the feverish mind of a conspiracy theorist who believes, among other things, that the government wants to remotely control our thermostats, that the relaxing of the ban on stem and that the relaxing of the ban on stem cell research — as well as efforts to prevent global warming — finally, that the country is on the path to socialism or possibly fascism but definitely some “-ism” that should be avoided.
not for the faint of heart….disquieting entree into the feverish mind…. conspiracy theorist…possibly fascism but definitely some “-ism”….
SPENDULUS: Certainly some colorful language. I’m not sure Cohen with his Freddie Kruger-like depiction may have increased Beck’s audience, rather than scared them aware. Let’s look at the facts.
that the government wants to remotely control our thermostats
Browner 03/16/2009… Quote: Eventually we can get to a system where an electric company will be able to hold back some of the power so that your air conditioner won’t operate at its peak.
SPENDULUS: So we have factually, Beck quoting an Obama administration person who said this.
that the relaxing of the ban on stem cell research ….is reminiscent of Nazism,
The stem cell question is well addressed here, and quoting in part:
It is also far from conspiratorial to look at the relaxing of prohibitions on embryonic stem cell research and see Nazism. This article by the science writer of the San Fransciso Chronicle which is not populated by right-wing conspiracy theorists, draws the comparison not only to Nazism but to the broader eugenics movement from which Hitler drew his ideas. That movement, by the way, was a mainstay of the American progressive movement, which our President claims as his ideological heritage.
that the Federal Emergency Management Agency might be setting up concentration camps
Utterly false, he debunked the subject 04/06/2009
On his show Monday, Glenn Beck enlisted the help of Popular Mechanics to debunk an internet rumor that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) operates concentration camps in the United States.
Debunking the claim, Cohen…is the opposite of making the claim.
Shall we skip the facecious “ism” and global warming claims? You get the point.
RESPONSE OF SPENDULUS
So far Cohen has gotten nothing right, excepting to carefully avoid referencing anything specific – any specific quote, date, time or place. But the case based on nothing is destroyed by bringing in the somethings…those darned facts.
Postscript: QandO has done an excellent job of rebutting these points made in Politico, including relevant transcripts.
Alexander Zaitchic, 9/16/2009
Meet the man who changed Glenn Beck’s life
Salon.com News Meet the man who changed Glenn Beck’s life
Here Zaitchic really smears Cleon Skousen, and then Beck by association. The general smear is as follows: “Skousen was a conspiracy nut and right wing extremist, and Beck likes Skousen, so of course Beck is a nut too and a right wing extremist too and a conspiracy nut too.”
THE FACTS:
Beck in his Recommended Book list has one of Skousen’s books. Here is what he says about it.
5000 Year Leap: The 28 Great Ideas that Changed the World
by W. Cleon Skousen
Description: All about the philosophies of the founders of our government and why this country needs to be a virtuous country.
Glenn’s Comments: Amen to that. One of those books that you pick up and read a chapter here and there.
The “5000 Year Leap” is primarily how and why the founding fathers structured the US Constitution as they did. It touches only peripherally on other government systems such as Communism. I’ve read the book and learned quite a bit from it. Some things I disagree with and some things are dated.
Some of Skousen’s other writings may well appear conspiratorial to the modern 21st century progressive, however, the material dates from the Cold War, during which time there are now understood to have been many active Soviet espionage conspiracies (reference Venona files, released by NSA in 1995 with added materials later released directly by Soviets.
Overall,Beck’s reading list looks excellent, and I believe Skousen’s book belongs there. Many of the several dozen books on the list I have not had the pleasure to read.
If Zaitchic thinks otherwise, perhaps he would do better to suggest a superior book for the average citizen which similarly describes the vision and resulting work of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Instead Zaitchic would smear the author, Skousen, and Beck by association. One wonders if it is not the ideas behind the formation and enduring strength of this nation which Zaitchic implicitly denigrates by smearing what are, essentially, the messengers.
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