Glenn Beck

[Reddy]

At what point does having this guy on TV become truly dangerous? Especially in light of the recent "gun ban" shootings... he's fear mongering to a ridiculous degree.

 

Video and Article

 

Barack Obama wants to burn Joe Q. Public alive -- and all because he wants to fix the immigration mess.

 

That was pretty much what Glenn Beck told his Fox News audience yesterday. Actually, it was more blatant than that:

 

Beck: And President Obama apparently feeling like -- ah, I'm pretty much done, not a lot more to do, you know? I got all those things done. You know what? Why don't I work on immigration reform? Later this year he hopes to create a path for the estimated 12 million illegal aliens here in America to become legal. But yet, we haven't fixed the border and shut the water off! What a sweet, sensitive guy he really is.

 

Here's one thing I think the media is missing. I don't know about you, but when I saw that story last night, I did this: Wha-? You've gotta be kidding me! Let me, let me just ask you a question. Maybe I'm alone, but I think it would just be faster if he just shot me in the head! You know what I mean? How much more -- how much more can he disenfranchise all of us?

 

We have Bill Schultz here, he's from Red Eye. And I'm just going to demonstrate at least how I feel, all right? I feel, when I read this story last night, I don't know about you -- let's say Bill is the average American here, and I'm President Obama. This is the way I feel. I feel like President Obama is just saying, 'You know what, I've got that $3.5 trillion budget here ...'

 

He then proceeds to douse Schultz with a clear liquid from a gas can (he promises it's actually water) and then hold up a lit match in his general vicinity.

 

And then he wonders why people think he's promoting a violent and paranoid right-wing worldview that is bereft of anything approaching reality.

[Balta1701]

I'd like to add one other problem to the list, beyond just Glenn Beck being insane, having his own TV show, and using that TV Show to incite people to violence.

It's what the next segment on the show was.

(Unfortunately, not captured in the video is what happened next, when Texas Gov. Rick Perry came on and Beck asked, "Governor, you're regretting being on this program at this point, are you not, sir?" Perry responded, "Not at all, Glenn Beck. I'm proud to be with you."

Normally, a crazy man inciting violence would be viewed as a bad thing. But not any more.

[BearSox]

Is nice that you used such a fair and balanced source for the story.

 

Glenn Beck is crazy, but he has not once incited violence. I watch his show everyday, and he goes overboard with some of his stuff, like the gasoline thing. But that gasoline thing was just his metaphor for what he feels Obama is doing. If you ever watched more then a 2 minute clip of his show, you'd realize that he wants people to stand up for their beliefs and don't take anymore of the same old s*** politicians have been feeding us. He has never once called for violence.

 

If you disagree, fine, don't watch it. But there is a reason why Glenn Beck is one of the most viewed cable news shows right now.

Edited April 10, 2009 by BearSox

[Reddy]

Is nice that you used such a fair and balanced source for the story.

it's as fair and balanced as fox is.

 

i know, it's not unbiased, but how could a sane person NOT think that Beck is dangerous?

 

no he has not yet incited violence, but he IS inciting a high level of anger with absolutely ZERO critical analysis. He's just trying to create an atmosphere of fear. Just because he doesn't agree with the president, doesn't mean the president is setting us on fire

Edited April 10, 2009 by Reddy

[BigSqwert]

Why all the Beck hate? I saw him cry on TV once, or a few times. He must love our country.

[BearSox]

it's as fair and balanced as fox is.

 

i know, it's not unbiased, but how could a sane person NOT think that Beck is dangerous?

 

no he has not yet incited violence, but he IS inciting a high level of anger with absolutely ZERO critical analysis. He's just trying to create an atmosphere of fear. Just because he doesn't agree with the president, doesn't mean the president is setting us on fire

I think I'm fairly sane, and I agree with a lot of Beck's point of views. So do a lot of moderate-conservative people. Sure he goes a little overboard at times, but millions of people agree with him. Think about it, he's the 3rd most viewed show on cable's most viewed news channel.

 

Left or right, I find the comments section in that link to be hilarious.

Edited April 10, 2009 by BearSox

[Balta1701]

But there is a reason why Glenn Beck is one of the most viewed cable news shows right now.

Because watching a borderline-crazy man inch closer and closer to completely losing his sanity on the air is solid entertainment?

[BearSox]

Because watching a borderline-crazy man inch closer and closer to completely losing his sanity on the air is solid entertainment?

 

Oh yeah, I'm sure that's where all his viewers come from. I'm sure that's why all these people watch O'Reilly and Hannity, and listen to Rush and Savage...

[mr_genius]

Glenn Beck is no more dangerous than Olbermann or whoever the Dem worshippers love so much. Any speech that you don't agree with isn't all of a sudden 'dangerous and needs to be banned'.

 

I don't even like Glenn Beck, but you guys are getting kind of crazy about this. Just try to deal with people who don't agree with you.

 

 

Edited April 10, 2009 by mr_genius

[mr_genius]

Because watching a borderline-crazy man inch closer and closer to completely losing his sanity on the air is solid entertainment?

 

Chris Matthews has been doing it for years, and no i don't find it that entertaining. some people do i guess.

[mr_genius]

no he has not yet incited violence, but he IS inciting a high level of anger with absolutely ZERO critical analysis.

 

Reddy, this is nothing new. GW Bush hysteria incited tons of anger with zero critical analysis. I was/am a GW hater myself, but I had good reasons. However, the crazy people with 9-11 conspiracy theories or whom were convinced GW was cloned from Hitler have the right to talk about before mentioned nonsense.

 

You can turn the channel from FOX i assume? i would suggest doing so.

[NorthSideSox72]

Chris Matthews has been doing it for years, and no i don't find it that entertaining. some people do i guess.

That's pretty much how I feel about any of the people mentioned so far. I prefer news, not talking heads. They can go off like a tea kettle all they want, I could care less. There will be stupid people who worship these lunatics of course, from both extremes, but they were stupid to begin with so what has really changed?

 

[BigSqwert]

Reddy, this is nothing new. GW Bush hysteria incited tons of anger with zero critical analysis. I was/am a GW hater myself, but I had good reasons. However, the crazy people with 9-11 conspiracy theories or whom were convinced GW was cloned from Hitler have the right to talk about before mentioned nonsense.

 

You can turn the channel from FOX i assume? i would suggest doing so.

9-11 conspiracy theorists did not host a prime time show on a major cable network.

[BigSqwert]

That's pretty much how I feel about any of the people mentioned so far. I prefer news, not talking heads. They can go off like a tea kettle all they want, I could care less. There will be stupid people who worship these lunatics of course, from both extremes, but they were stupid to begin with so what has really changed?

 

Uh oh. Did you just call out Bearsox?

[mr_genius]

9-11 conspiracy theorists did not host a prime time show on a major cable network.

 

Rosie O'donnell was on a highly rated network show. Again, turn the channel. there is plenty of pro-Obama stuff out there to tide you over.

[mr_genius]

That's pretty much how I feel about any of the people mentioned so far. I prefer news, not talking heads. They can go off like a tea kettle all they want, I could care less. There will be stupid people who worship these lunatics of course, from both extremes, but they were stupid to begin with so what has really changed?

 

i agree

 

there is always going to be the Glenn Beck's, Olbermann's, Ann Coulter's of the world. tying in 'possible cause of violence' as an excuse for book burning and limiting free speech is a wrong move.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

This goes back to what I have said here a zillion times in response to screams of MEDIA BIAS!!!!!. Forget the political bias - that is nothing compared to the damage done in modern media by the blending of commentary and news. That, more than anything else, is what is destroying modern news reporting. Its a joke, and its only making this country more and more ignorant.

 

Example: I went to cnn.com the other day. Of their 4 headliner articles, 2 were commentary, not news. WTF? Why even call yourself a news network anymore, if have your "breaking news" isn't news at all? CNN = Commentary Not News.

 

[Reddy]

Rosie O'donnell was on a highly rated network show. Again, turn the channel. there is plenty of pro-Obama stuff out there to tide you over.

for the 18th time i'm not a pro-Obama guy. see my thread about wiretapping.

 

but at a basic level, i'm not fan of talking heads either. Olberman can be funny and have some good points, but i keep waiting for a vein in his neck to burst when he gets all worked up. I don't dig that. BUT the difference is that inciting liberals is not really dangerous... because we're already anti-gun. lol. inciting gun-toting republicans who are "terrified" of Obama becomes dangerous as we saw with the recent shootings... that's kind of the crux of my criticism.

[Reddy]

i agree

 

there is always going to be the Glenn Beck's, Olbermann's, Ann Coulter's of the world. tying in 'possible cause of violence' as an excuse for book burning and limiting free speech is a wrong move.

 

agreed, but NEWS networks should not be putting this stuff out there. Create another network if you want, but putting it under the guise of actual news is a problem.

[mr_genius]

for the 18th time i'm not a pro-Obama guy. see my thread about wiretapping

 

 

but at a basic level, i'm not fan of talking heads either. Olberman can be funny and have some good points, but i keep waiting for a vein in his neck to burst when he gets all worked up. I don't dig that. BUT the difference is that inciting liberals is not really dangerous... because we're already anti-gun. lol. inciting gun-toting republicans who are "terrified" of Obama becomes dangerous as we saw with the recent shootings... that's kind of the crux of my criticism.

 

well that reply was to BigSqwert, who loves Obama

 

i don't agree with the premise that it is ok to incite liberals, but not conservatives because by nature one is more dangerous than the other. blaming these shootings on Glenn Beck is fairly silly. The NY shorter wasn't some right wing guy, he was just crazy. this reminds me of when all the school shootings were being blamed on Marilyn Manson. it's madness.

 

i would also be willing to bet the VAST majority of shootings and violence in this country are not done by people with an ideology that could be remotely linked to conservatives.

Edited April 10, 2009 by mr_genius

[Reddy]

well that reply was to BigSqwert, who loves Obama

 

i don't agree with the premise that it is ok to incite liberals, but not conservatives because by nature one is more dangerous than the other. blamign these shootings on Glenn Beck is fairly silly. The NY shorter wasn't some right wing guy, he was just crazy. this reminds me of when all the school shootings were being blamed on Marilyn Manson. it's madness.

i'm really not trying to connect that EXACT incident to Beck, but it's the fear that that guy had which is the exact SAME fear that Beck tries to incite.

 

and yeah, i mean i see the inherent problem in my statement about libs/cons, but just because it's not fair doesn't mean there's not some truth in it.

[BearSox]

for the 18th time i'm not a pro-Obama guy. see my thread about wiretapping.

 

but at a basic level, i'm not fan of talking heads either. Olberman can be funny and have some good points, but i keep waiting for a vein in his neck to burst when he gets all worked up. I don't dig that. BUT the difference is that inciting liberals is not really dangerous... because we're already anti-gun. lol. inciting gun-toting republicans who are "terrified" of Obama becomes dangerous as we saw with the recent shootings... that's kind of the crux of my criticism.

 

Whoa now, if you're talking about that shooting where the guy was "worried about his guns getting taken away so he went on a shooting rampage", that is a terrible example. That guy was as much as of republican as he was a democrat. That guy was a skin head, and just a nut case. Tell me, how exactly is going on a shooting rampage gonna save your guns? Also, these shows rarely have even talked about taking away guns in a while. These shows are mainly focused on out of control spending and illegals now.

[mr_genius]

i'm really not trying to connect that EXACT incident to Beck, but it's the fear that that guy had which is the exact SAME fear that Beck tries to incite.

 

and yeah, i mean i see the inherent problem in my statement about libs/cons, but just because it's not fair doesn't mean there's not some truth in it.

 

i modified my previous reponse to kind of address that issue. i don't think conservatives are more inclined to violence. there's a million different reasons a madman or terrorist will go on a killing spree and the vast majority of such killings are not politically motivated.

[BearSox]

agreed, but NEWS networks should not be putting this stuff out there. Create another network if you want, but putting it under the guise of actual news is a problem.

 

So does this mean you dislike msnbc as well?

[Reddy]

So does this mean you dislike msnbc as well?

in a perfect world i'd rather they only present the news as well - Olberman really is in the same genre as O'Reily and Beck, and as such, i'd rather it was not passed of as news either.