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A Better Glenn Beck Thread.

WilliamJB

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The following are quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King. As you read them, ask yourself if you can picture Glenn Beck saying the same thing, and then re-think the "Restoring Honor" rally and his hijacking of Dr. King's legacy:

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom."

"It is incontestable and deplorable that Negroes have committed crimes; but they are derivative crimes. They are born of the greater crimes of the white society."

"One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society... shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam."

"Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary."

"Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on. It is not man."
 
Wasn't the most compelling evidence of what he was trying to do the fact that he had King's niece, who is a rampant anti gay rights advocate, right there by his side?

Conservatives are trying to paint themselves as the new minority in a civil rights crusade. The only person who seems to be trying to deny it is Beck. Nobody is surprised that he is trying to hitch a ride on King's legacy, nor does the irony that he represents many of the opposite qualities of King's views escape the general public. Like most things in America nowadays, people simply choose not to think about it because it is easier to think of Beck as just another celebrity.
 
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Wasn't the most compelling evidence of what he was trying to do the fact that he had King's niece, who is a rampant anti gay rights advocate, right there by his side?

Conservatives are trying to paint themselves as the new minority in a civil rights crusade. The only person who seems to be trying to deny it is Beck. Nobody is surprised that he is trying to hitch a ride on King's legacy, nor does the irony that he represents many of the opposite qualities of King's views escape the general public. Like most things in America nowadays, people simply choose not to think about it because it is easier to think of Beck as just another celebrity.

Yeah, I think you're right. I find it increadibly irritating that more people aren't calling him out for tying himself so closely to someone who, were he alive today, would almost certainly have nothing to do with him. But, what can you do.
 
In my opinion, nothing was said at the rally, that MLK would disagree with today.
His niece did him proud, by the way.
 
In my opinion, nothing was said at the rally, that MLK would disagree with today.
His niece did him proud, by the way.

And see no one should be saying anything like Dr. King would have liked this or he wouldn't have liked that. Know why? Because none of us know what he would have felt. So people just need to stop using him to either hurt or support Beck's little gathering.
 
In my opinion, nothing was said at the rally, that MLK would disagree with today.
His niece did him proud, by the way.

I think the notion that electing a black President has somehow moved us away from God, that theme would not sit well with MLK.
 
I think that Michael Tomasky caught something of that victim mentality evident on the day, the very idea that Beck and his audience could actually believe that they were somehow making a stand for civil rights is a perversion of reality.

" ... But what is really missing in this country is that no one is making the affirmative case for mutual civic obligation. In the America of my youth, some sense of that was given. Democrats and Republicans disagreed about what that obligation entailed – how much assistance to the poor, say – and in addition, the lines then were not cleanly along party lines. But majorities of both parties accepted the basic premise of mutuality.

Certainly, there were conservatives who said fie on you both, we dispute the very idea of obligation. But they were marginal headcases then. Now, they're extremely powerful. Most American liberals and moderates still don't quite see this big picture, I think.

Certainly, Democratic politicians don't ever talk in these terms. So Beck can hoist the concept of civil rights and turn it from its actual meaning, about expanding the community, into its opposite, the free zone of the individual; and he can get away with it because the people on the other side don't say no, that is a perversion of the truth. Until non-conservatives come to terms with how to do something about this, American political debates won't change much. "


Obama, Beck and America | Michael Tomasky | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
 
I think the notion that electing a black President has somehow moved us away from God, that theme would not sit well with MLK.

If you think that someone actually said that, I think you need to work on reading comprehension.
 
I think the notion that electing a black President has somehow moved us away from God, that theme would not sit well with MLK.

Quote, please.
 
In my opinion, nothing was said at the rally, that MLK would disagree with today.
His niece did him proud, by the way.

You think MLK would have supported doing away with Social Security, Medicarie, and Medicaid? MLK would have been against health care reform? He would been against birthright citizenship in the United States? Do you really want to substantiate that he would have supported Beck's positions?

MLK's right hand man and march organizer was gay. There is very little doubt on where MLK actually stood on gay rights. It was simply not a position he could openly advocate during the civil rights movement. His niece is an embarrassment to his legacy.
 
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You think MLK would have supported doing away with Social Security, Medicarie, and Medicaid? MLK would have been against health care reform? He would been against birthright citizenship in the United States? Do you really want to substantiate that he would have supported Beck's positions?

When did any of those things come up at the rally? She said he wouldn't disagree with the RALLY. I'm sure he would disagree with Beck on a few things.
 
I thought this was going to be about making Glenn Beck a better person....how naive is that?:2razz:
 
When did any of those things come up at the rally? She said he wouldn't disagree with the RALLY. I'm sure he would disagree with Beck on a few things.

Please, the rally was about as non-political as an RNC meeting. No, Beck didn't discuss specific policy during the event, but he has, through his own words hundreds of times, injected himself into the national debate, and it's very clear where he stands. Sarah Palin was just there representing everyone, right? If you believe that, I've got some real estate in Mexico you might be interested in...

I also find it amusing that conservatives are so quick to claim that the 8/28 rally was "non-political" while in the same breath suggesting that it represents some sort of threat to the Democrats. You can't have it both ways, either it was a political rally with a specific policy agenda, or people from both sides of the aisle should have been included.
 
Please, the rally was about as non-political as an RNC meeting. No, Beck didn't discuss specific policy during the event, but he has, through his own words hundreds of times, injected himself into the national debate, and it's very clear where he stands. Sarah Palin was just there representing everyone, right? If you believe that, I've got some real estate in Mexico you might be interested in...

What was said that was political? Can Sarah Palin not be seen as just a mother of a soldier? Her only hat says "political"? And if what Beck has said in the past about politics is used to say this clearly non-political event was actually really political (*eyeroll*), then NO ONE who says anything about politics can hold a fundraiser for anything without you saying that it's politcal even if not one political word was said. Did you get that? Get the ridiculousness?

I also find it amusing that conservatives are so quick to claim that the 8/28 rally was "non-political" while in the same breath suggesting that it represents some sort of threat to the Democrats. You can't have it both ways, either it was a political rally with a specific policy agenda, or people from both sides of the aisle should have been included.

I agree. I have never said it's a threat to Democrats, nor are all Beck listeners Republican. I also don't think everyone there was an avid listener to Glenn. Most, probably, but not all. I think we can all ascertain that most Beck listeners aren't for the big government, big spending that we've seen from our leaders in the past several years. If you want to take that into account, this rally didn't create those people....they already WERE for small government and less spending. This rally was merely a coming together of people of all races, all religions, all creeds for the purpose of celebrating the great giants of our country's past and how we can restore the honor that those people had back into our country. Gosh, so hateful and political, wasn't it?
 
Please, the rally was about as non-political as an RNC meeting. No, Beck didn't discuss specific policy during the event, but he has, through his own words hundreds of times, injected himself into the national debate, and it's very clear where he stands. Sarah Palin was just there representing everyone, right? If you believe that, I've got some real estate in Mexico you might be interested in...

You must have been outraged about this then.
 
You think MLK would have supported doing away with Social Security, Medicarie, and Medicaid? MLK would have been against health care reform? He would been against birthright citizenship in the United States? Do you really want to substantiate that he would have supported Beck's positions?

MLK's right hand man and march organizer was gay. There is very little doubt on where MLK actually stood on gay rights. It was simply not a position he could openly advocate during the civil rights movement. His niece is an embarrassment to his legacy.

I'm not going to get into all the things you say Glenn Beck stands for or is against. Just that most are not true.
I stated that I don't think Glenn Beck said anything at the rally that MLK would disagree with today. If so, please give a quote.
 
Please, the rally was about as non-political as an RNC meeting. No, Beck didn't discuss specific policy during the event, but he has, through his own words hundreds of times, injected himself into the national debate, and it's very clear where he stands. Sarah Palin was just there representing everyone, right? If you believe that, I've got some real estate in Mexico you might be interested in...

I also find it amusing that conservatives are so quick to claim that the 8/28 rally was "non-political" while in the same breath suggesting that it represents some sort of threat to the Democrats. You can't have it both ways, either it was a political rally with a specific policy agenda, or people from both sides of the aisle should have been included.

It was non-political. However it's easy to see the left is worried about the huge turnout for a non-polital rally put on by Glenn Beck. Except for all the children there, they are probably all likely to vote in Nov. I doubt many will be voting for anyone on the left.
 
You must have been outraged about this then.

I agree, the Education Secretary shouldn't have done that. I think it's inappropriate that lower-level bureaucrats should be encouraged to take part in any political rally.

But there's already a thread about that.
 
It was non-political. However it's easy to see the left is worried about the huge turnout for a non-polital rally put on by Glenn Beck. Except for all the children there, they are probably all likely to vote in Nov. I doubt many will be voting for anyone on the left.

Really??? You see no irony in your post?
 
You must have been outraged about this then.

YIKES! I knew the crowd was pretty good size for Sharpton. However I thought it was all the buses that were organized by Labor Unions.
This is just wrong, but what is right about this administration?
 
When did any of those things come up at the rally? She said he wouldn't disagree with the RALLY. I'm sure he would disagree with Beck on a few things.

Your reading comprehension is lacking. What he asserted was...

nothing was said at the rally that MLK would disagree with today.

The issues I pointed out were all mentioned at the Rally.
 
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What was said that was political? Can Sarah Palin not be seen as just a mother of a soldier? Her only hat says "political"? And if what Beck has said in the past about politics is used to say this clearly non-political event was actually really political (*eyeroll*), then NO ONE who says anything about politics can hold a fundraiser for anything without you saying that it's politcal even if not one political word was said. Did you get that? Get the ridiculousness?

No, if you're going to choose to publicly involve yourself in political debate (Glenn) and policy-making (Sarah), one of the things you sacrifice is your credibility as a non-partisan. If Keith Olbermann or Barack Obama comment on anything, hold a rally, fundraiser, etc., such an event would (rightfully) be seen in the context of their previously expressed political positions. It might not be fair, but that's the way it is.

I agree. I have never said it's a threat to Democrats, nor are all Beck listeners Republican. I also don't think everyone there was an avid listener to Glenn. Most, probably, but not all. I think we can all ascertain that most Beck listeners aren't for the big government, big spending that we've seen from our leaders in the past several years. If you want to take that into account, this rally didn't create those people....they already WERE for small government and less spending. This rally was merely a coming together of people of all races, all religions, all creeds for the purpose of celebrating the great giants of our country's past and how we can restore the honor that those people had back into our country. Gosh, so hateful and political, wasn't it?

Yes, it's fair to assume that most Beck listeners, and, by extension, those attending a rally he organized, are not in favor of government involvement in the economy (the bedroom, of course, is another story). And it's pretty safe to say that MLK would have supported the social policies the Obama administration is pursuing. Which is the point I'm trying to make. If you oppose big government, health care reform, repealing the Bush tax cuts, etc., fine. Just don't do it while invoking the memory of someone who would have vehemently oppossed your political views.

And at what point did I say the rally was "hateful"?
 
Your reading comprehension is lacking. What he asserted was...



The issues I pointed out were all mentioned at the Rally.

Beck talked about doing away with SS, Medicare, Medicaid and birthright citizenship at the rally? Do you have a link?
 
Really??? You see no irony in your post?

Not really. There was nothing political about the rally.

It would be like if thousands of people showed up at the unveiling of a $100,000 battery powered car.
Most, but not all would be liberals and likely to vote for Democrates.
 
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