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At the last "Tea Party" rally I attended, earlier this year at the Washington Monument, some in the crowd made at least an attempt to look fierce and minatory. I stood behind signs that read: "We left our guns at home—this time" and "We invoke the First Amendment today—the Second Amendment tomorrow." But Beck's event was tepid by comparison: a call to sink to the knees rather than rise from them. It was clever of him not to overbill it as a "Million"-type march (though Rep. Michele Bachmann was tempted to claim that magic figure). The numbers were impressive enough on their own, but the overall effect was large, vague, moist, and undirected: the Waterworld of white self-pity.
The Washington Post quoted Linda Adams, a Beck supporter from Colorado, who said, "We want our country to get back to its original roots," adding that "her ancestors were on the Mayflower and fought in the American Revolution." She was also upset that some schools no longer require students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Well, the U.S. population is simply not going to be replenished by Puritan pilgrims from England, and the original Pledge of Allegiance was fine with most people as a statement of national unity, until its "original intent" was compromised by a late insertion of the words "under God" in the McCarthyite 1950s. But one still sees what she means and can feel sympathy with the pulse of nostalgia.
In a rather curious and confused way, some white people are starting almost to think like a minority, even like a persecuted one. What does it take to believe that Christianity is an endangered religion in America or that the name of Jesus is insufficiently spoken or appreciated? Who wakes up believing that there is no appreciation for our veterans and our armed forces and that without a noisy speech from Sarah Palin, their sacrifice would be scorned? It's not unfair to say that such grievances are purely and simply imaginary, which in turn leads one to ask what the real ones can be. The clue, surely, is furnished by the remainder of the speeches, which deny racial feeling so monotonously and vehemently as to draw attention.
... More recently, almost every European country has seen the emergence of populist parties that call upon nativism and give vent to the idea that the majority population now feels itself unwelcome in its own country. The ugliness of Islamic fundamentalism in particular has given energy and direction to such movements. It will be astonishing if the United States is not faced, in the very near future, with a similar phenomenon. Quite a lot will depend on what kind of politicians emerge to put themselves at the head of it. Saturday's rally was quite largely confined to expressions of pathos and insecurity, voiced in a sickly and pious tone. The emotions that underlay it, however, may not be uttered that way indefinitely.
Written By the outspoken Athiest Christopher Hitchens
Very intelligent man and somewhat likeable, however, I think he may be a little biased concerning the Glenn Beck Revival.
Just sayin....
Written By the outspoken Athiest Christopher Hitchens
Very intelligent man and somewhat likeable, however, I think he may be a little biased concerning the Glenn Beck Revival.
Just sayin....
can you address his points? the majority of people at that event were white, were they not? and reading through the transcripts, i really could NOT figure out beck's POINT. what was it?
The majority of people were white, so what? The majority of people at a baseball are white.
He made no mention of Alveda King, many clergy on stage, speakers, and entertainers being black.
As far as Glenn's point... I give up.
Let's just call the rally, A Massive Religious Revival and Fundraiser for SOWF, that for some reason has the left terrified of the up coming election.
trust me, nobody is terrified of the next election. not much changes from one side to another, give or take a war or two.
as far as beck's point......he had no point. it was an excercise in "hey! look at me!"!!!!!!
See, when I read comments like this, I know that first Wednesday in Nov is going to be extra sweet, like finding out there was ONE last present under the tree, hiding in the back, and it's all yours.
Even if non-conservatives support the troops or practice Christianity, they aren't conservative, so their support or practice doesn't really matter in the right's narrative.
Waterworld was such godly horrible movie.
can you address his points? the majority of people at that event were white, were they not? and reading through the transcripts, i really could NOT figure out beck's POINT. what was it?
Eh, you can make any movement look stupid by selecting around a dozen people to interview out of thousands. I don't pretend to understand this TP movement but it's quite clear what the video is trying to achieve so it's silly to base any opinions on it.
............ the majority of people in America are white are they not?
Next?
As well as the majority of people in the Democratic Party.
can you address his points? the majority of people at that event were white, were they not? and reading through the transcripts, i really could NOT figure out beck's POINT. what was it?
These people are just...DUMB. I was kind of prepared for it, after watching the Glenn Beck shills on here, but I find the sheer numbers rather depressing.
This would be the same as those who a don't listen to what Beck has to say because of who he is.
Nonsense. I've lsitened, seen his disingenuousness, his lies, and his silliness. Anyone listening to him has to suspect. :lamo
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