Glenn Beck is supposed to be a demagogue. A fear monger. A racist. But those who have been around him lately are having a hard time coming to those conclusions.
Enter Paul Mason. Writing for the BBC, he recounts a recent demagouge-less Beck speech. “Once Glenn Beck starts speaking the language becomes restrained, moderate, not even a hint of euphemism or innuendo,” he writes, “indeed an insistence that the audience must reach out and persuade their political enemies, not hate them.”
“[T]here was no hate in the speech I heard,” Mason adds later. “And there was very little politics. In the process of becoming the figurehead for the American right, Beck has found new depths within his own personality and ‘got religion’ even more than he had it before.”
Mason isn’t alone in his observations. Tim Kraulidis was assigned as Beck’s escort at another recent speaking engagement. Kraulidis describes the events he saw as intriguing. “I was impressed with the politeness, sincerity, and friendliness of this man,” he writes. “He is a very conscientious man.” He goes on to explain that Beck fulfilled every picture request, went out of his way to greet volunteers and production staff, and noted that Beck’s attitude was such that “it was not all about him.” No hate speeech. No fear mongering.
Yeah, but what about the hard core haters?
Spotlight on blogger Emily Zanotti. She admits she doesn’t like Beck: “I’m not a fan of the guy. I never have been.” But after attending one of Beck’s event last weekend, she had to confess, “I liked it (well, a good chunk of it), and that freaks me the f**k out.” [Asterisks her's.] As she explains: READ MORE...
Beck is not a racist and a lot of what he says is right. As far as demagoguery; I would say he crossed that line when he attacked the Texas Tea Party candidate Debra Medina. That was a textbook example of a strategy to gain political power (for perry) by appealing to peoples prejudices, emotions and fears.
ReplyDeleteI was a longtime supporter of his until that moment. I haven't watched or listened to his show since.
Beck is not our figurehead... He will not even go as far as to tell people that if they want to STOP Obama, they NEED to vote NONDEMOCRAT..
ReplyDeleteBeck is good for information.. but do not be fooled by him..He is a good man to get information about the enemy in the Whitehouse.. and it is a pity that some have tuned out because he is now talking about the New World Order on the show which IS happening..and the only way to stop Soros' new world order is to inform the naive American people... I can't wait until he draws Bush into the conspiracy.. then perhaps ALL Americans will be awake to save our nation.
i used to think that new world order people were nuts, but now i am a total believer. people are naive, even I was.
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