Unbelievable! How low can you go? Glenn Beck hit piece: The Politics Of Personal Destruction

While I don't condone the website and its means to make its point, I agree with it's attack on Glenn Beck's use of logic. The initial reasons for creating the site centered on Beck's use of, "I'm not saying [this is true], but I'm scared [that this is true.]" and how he accuses others and demand that they prove their innocence. "I'm not saying Obama is a racist, I'm saying that I'm scared he might be." Paraphrasing, but this type of logic for someone who does a version of news is horrible. Because the people listening get the message that he wants to convey, he just does it in a manner akin to an insult beginning "with all due respect." As if saying this precursor relieves him of any real responsibility for the outcome of his words.

Thus, "I'm not saying Glenn Beck raped and murdered somebody, I'm saying I'm scared that he might have. Beck, prove to us that you didn't do this." Obviously you can't prove a negative as such, which is the standard the creators of this website felt Beck placed on others. Again, I don't support this method of making the point but there is a valid undercurrent.

I have a degree in psychology and I'm very interested in processing and logic. The diatribe that passes for news opinion has become increasingly saturated with fallacies and poor observations.

The following was something I had on another post which I feel is a great example of the logic problems I'm talking about. While FOX is great at this sort of thing, the rest of the news media is guilty as well.

Glenn Beck and Co. on his show

GUILFOYLE: Because guess what? They can continue to track you basically forever. Once they tap into your system, the government, of course, has like malware systems and tracking cookies and they can tap in anytime you want.

Now, look, I'm not suggesting that the government engages in any kind of nefarious activity.


1. How will they track you forever, and what does she mean by basically?
2. "The government, of course, has like"... seriously? That's how she begins her argument?
3. She is 100% certain the government has malware because, "of course" they do yet.... she's "not suggesting" MALware is bad?
4. What's worse? The insinuation that being tracked and watched forever isn't bad or her immediate contradiction?



BECK: No. That would be crazy!

GUILFOYLE: I wouldn't -- no, that they do that.

BECK: No.

GUILFOYLE: But, you know what? They said "for any intended use, purpose, foreign, domestic -- it's so broad that they can just about do anything with it, saying that it's in the government's interest that they're trying to protect against fraud and that type of thing.


What??? Of course they can track you forever with malware, i'm not saying they do bad things, that's crazy. But you know, if they wanted to do bad things, they could make things up and harm you by trying to protect their system. What the hell is she trying to say??


GUILFOYLE: Can you believe that? I mean, seriously, they can got all your information.

BECK: Yes. Actually, I do, because I know who our czars are now. And I think these are -- this collection of these czars, these are evil people. These are wicked.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!!? Now we're back to them 'gotting' all of our information? Then Beck agrees because the people running the program are evil!? Wicked, there's a nice biblical term to throw in there. I can't believe this sort of thing passes for a form of news. It just blows me away.

No evidence, no facts, no logic, entirely speculation and people take this as fact!

They just openly speculate and then reaffirm the others speculation. They continually contradict themselves 'they aren't doing nefarious stuff, but they are evil and wicked'. It feels as if it's designed to specifically confuse and to avoid actual discussion.

I guess I was wrong... it has degraded to "whatever it takes to win".

Seriously, what you condone here simply brings it down another notch if that were possible.

No Corruption Is to Big

No Lie goes to far

As long as my side wins..... Pathetic.

reply to post by reasonable


I notice you are a new face on ATS.

Apply for that job on Craigslist?

The only way to avoid the questions now is to attack the ones asking. Saul Alinsky anyone? Anyone?

reply to post by infolurker
Ahhhh, the classic "kill the messenger" syndrome.

We all knew this was coming.

reply to post by nasdack24k


Probably because they don't dignify a response. Has Obama denied claims he got high and had gay sex in college?

reply to post by stevegmu


Of course he wouldn't respond to a "Parody". The issue is a Parody is supposed to be funny.

I don't know about you but Pedophilia, rape, and murder isn't much of funny parody. Especially when people are pretending it is real and spreading it.

Why do people watch this joker? He was insulting that girl.

reply to post by infolurker


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0532fa428fc2.jpg[/atsimg]

Parody

Definitions of parody on the Web:

* make a spoof of or make fun of
* a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
* spoof: make a parody of; "The students spoofed the teachers"
* humorous or satirical mimicry

Somehow I don't see this as funny. Must have been done by a child or a child in an adult body. Lots of those around.

Originally posted by reasonable
Beck has been caught on on lie after lie. One vid he's saying the crap US healthcare system almost killed him.. next vid he is saying it's the greatest in the world. He is a disinfo agent of monumental proportions. If he was a good guy yeah I'd say 'not cool' but he's slime of the highest order... he'll get zero pity from me. He's probably partying it up at a Nevada whorehouse with Hannity as we type. These a$$clowns are indefensible.

Watch and learn! He is saying the actual treatment recieved by the doctors and the doctors themselves are the best in the world. He's saying the care... as in the "customer care" before seeing the doctor is crap. Medical assistants rolling their eyes at him while having a reaction to the drugs they gave him? That's not cool. His wife holding him by herself while the medical assistants watch on and giggle... not offering to help his wife carry him! That's what he's calling bad in the healthcare system... not healthcare as a whole. Get your facts straight. here's the vid just so you hear for yourself....

Originally posted by infolurker
He might not be the brightest but let's be real, you don't find this funny do you?

Is this what you do to someone you don't agree with? This is a big step from Socialist, Capitalist, Communist, Marxist, Activist, right wing extremist.....

Rapist / Pedophile?

What goes to far?


This isn't discussing an issue, this is blatant hatred. Showing a video of someone making an idiot out of themselves is funny, Slamming someone with their own video tape is funny and can prove a point.

This is not cool... what if it were YOU! What if someone posted this about you and people are talking about it and some think that it is true and other "unscrupulous" people are promoting it as if it were.

This is vicious.


[edit on 15-9-2009 by infolurker]

This just screams "Bevis and Butthead figured out how to use the internet."

Originally posted by NOTurTypical
reply to post by infolurker

 

Ahhhh, the classic "kill the messenger" syndrome.

We all knew this was coming.

Yeah, I think your right about that. The ACORN scandal will paint one hell of a big target on him. Allot of powerful people will be pissed about shining the light on that corruption.

[edit on 17-9-2009 by infolurker]

Wow.. how fast it spreads:

Jesus: Look at this video: www.youtube.com...

Facebook: www.facebook.com...

Message board: didglennbeckrapeandmurderayounggirlin1990.com...

Digg:

digg.com...

Now look at this: community.fox13now.com...

Now the rumors that have been floating around for the last 2 days that an Alcoholic Glenn Beck, Raped and murdered a 13 year old girl 1990 in Baltimore MD. I for one am going to be interested in seeing how this is going to play out, and if some of the things being written and said are even close to true, because if so it sheds a whole new light on Glenn. It is now secret that in his last book "Common Sense" Glenn Beck makes fun rape, both physical Rape, and metaphorical Rape, and Rape is one of his favorite words he uses to describe everthing. "cngress is raping the American people" Obama Is raping the American people". There has also been reports that beck was investigated, questioned, and even detained in 1988 for 3 rapes in NYC. Does anybody have any nmore information????

Yeah, the smear campaign is working well. They have suckers believing it and adding to it.

This is shameful.

Originally posted by stevegmu
reply to post by TruthWithin

 

I take it you haven't taken basic history yet?

In a nutshell, socialism is essentially economic equality. No one is rich or poor. Those with harder jobs earn more than easy jobs, but not too much more. Essentially all industries are co-ops. Also a step away from communism.

So... you don't know what Socialism is?

Just checking, thanks.



For those who are so concerned, not only is this obviously a joke, it is also obviously a reference to Gilbert Gottfried's hilarious bit during Bob Saget's roast a couple years back:

(warning language!)
Comedy Central: Gilbert Gottfried

Notice any similarities?

As the creator of two of those videos, I felt it was my duty to clear up the air a little bit, because, quite frankly, it's getting a little out of hand.

This is a big joke. A joke with a purpose? Yes, but still a joke.

First off, no one has EVER directly accused Beck of actually having committed these crimes. We are merely asking, with so many people asking questions about Beck in 1990, why he refuses to deny the claims?

You see, on a radio program AFTER Glenn Beck vaguely addressed the rumors on his show, he said this on the radio:

"And here's the truth. The allegations are accurate. How do I know that? Because they [The White House] hasn't denied any of it yet."

Actual quote. Look it up if you want.

Beck was not selected at random. While he is only one of a great number of forces that do this, he is a major problem with the news media. Fox News tends to create rumors on their programs as opinions, wait a few days, and then report on people who now have those opinions as "outraged citizens". Anyone who saw the 9/12 broadcast can realize that.

Basically, cable news has devolved into a shouting match of insults. It does no one any good.

So, the worst insult possible was chosen. By accident, perhaps, but it was still selected. It is effective because nothing could possibly be worse. It was chosen to bring light to an issue that some people would rather not realize: Glenn Beck is a fearmonger and is doing a great harm to this nation.

Disagree with Obama's policies? fine. Think that government healthcare is a dangerous precedent? Okay. That's fine.

But when did we lose are ability to talk about it civilly? I can hear a lot of complaints about Obama. But one I must say is perplexing is that the man is unable to be reasoned with. If that were true, we'd already have his health care plan in place. And I think most of you know that.

So why all the insults?

They attract the lowest common denominator. Yes, there were people who were actually concerned and educated on issues at the 9/12 tea parties. Maybe they were the majority. But most of the video I saw were of angry unreasonable people calling people names. With an attitude like that progress is impossible.

So if you want to know why we are doing it, it's quite simple. We want the name calling to stop. So we take it to an absurd extreme. We post obviously doctored audio, and make jokes. Are they meanspirited? No more than the talk on capital hill these days.

Anyone with half a brain can look at any of the "Glenn Beck rape" stuff, and come away knowing it's a parody. It's labeled as such. The audio is intentionally fake sounding. The photos are absurd and clearly photoshopped.

I can understand people not getting the joke, or not finding it funny. Rape and murder are not exactly on the same level as someone getting a pie in the face or hit in the groin with a football. The humor is not universal.

But no one is trying to smear Beck's name here. That is not our intent and anyone who watches anything we have created could tell that easily.

What we are trying to do is bring attention to a growing concern in our news cycle: reporting on opinion, rumor and speculation while at the same time namecalling and using a position of influence to devolve the level of public debate in the country.

I am one of many people in this movement.

Do not dismiss me as a liberal. That would be a grave injustice to me. I am an independent moderate who feels that a governments role should be to help, not restrict people.

In closing, lets forget the debates about if Obama is a socialist. Instead, let's... all of us... refocus on the issues rather than the pety and stupid distractions that consume our lives, our politics and the news cycles. Let's ask real, important questions, and try to find common ground and solutions to the problems we face. Let's be open to new solutions, and listen to the reasons people want to do things we don't agree with.

Please.

reply to post by infolurker


Reported three of those links to their site T&C cops.

Hell one of them is a blog site owned by a Fox channel. Devious.

reply to post by ThomasPain


Do you happen to be on the government dole?

Or how about Acorn, no probably not now that their funding is dropped.

Beck is part of the problem, but you are also.

Now good day, nay I said good day!

reply to post by ThomasPain

But when did we lose are ability to talk about it civilly? I can hear a lot of complaints about Obama. But one I must say is perplexing is that the man is unable to be reasoned with. If that were true, we'd already have his health care plan in place. And I think most of you know that.

If you watch Glenn Beck's show, he publicly stated questions and asked for honest answers from the White House. No answers. His past few months of shows has been titled "The New Republic.... Reasonable Questions for Unreasonable Times." All he's been doing is asking questions to Washington DC and when no response, or a response dodging actually answering the question comes about, Glenn searches for the truth himself and reports on what he found. How many news reporters were exposing the czars? Specifically Van Jones. None until Jones resigned. To appoint self-proclaimed communists, socialists, and extremeist black racists as advisors to our president is to put the devil's voice in the ear of the most powerful man on earth.

There's no talking to our government because they think they're above the law.... the constitutional law. The people at these Tea Parties were there to put Washington on notice. Some signs read "My Gun is at Home.... This Time!" among others basically telling the fat cats in DC to change their attitudes on a vast list of issues and bring our country back to it's constitutional roots. You are seeing the beginning of revolution and this march was basically like the Boston Tea Party in which we threw our metaphorical "tea" out to sea in protest of taxes, govt. size, states rights, health care reform, monetary issues, etc... Our "redress of grievances" have not been satisfactorally resolved. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The govt. works for us... not the other way around and the fat cats in DC have forgotten that.

Interesting enough though, it was Glenn Beck's reporting that caused Van Jones to resign. It was Glenn Beck's reporting that exposed ACORN for what they really are resulting in Congress voting to pull all funding from ACORN. Glenn Beck exposed Zeke Emmanuel (health advisor). Glenn is not the problem. He is causing our govt. to be transparent and exposing their flaws. How many people reported on the 9-12 march on washington? I've heard some folks say Fox News didnt' report worth a lick yet I tell them that Fox News was the only channel reporting live from the event because Glenn Beck started it up. His special was on Fox News from 1-3pm. That alone is more coverage than any other media outlet... unless you consider C-SPAN.

Your little project was nothing more than a smear campaign... even if you did let everyone know it was a parody. No explanation as to why you did it will be acceptable. He has a wife and kids and he deserves general respect. That is all for now. Have a happy revolution.

There were also signs at these protests that contained the language "We need a Christian President", signs with confederate flags, signs calling Obama an undocumented worker, etc.

And Beck has not been 'politely asking questions'. What he has been doing is 'phrasing accusations in the form of questions' and 'asking people to prove a negative.' Responding to either is dangerous at best.

Perhaps you don't see it that way, and I can understand if you don't. It's a lot easier to see the mistakes in someone you disagree with than one you agree with. It's as simple as that. I disagree with Beck so it's easier for me to see the tactics that he uses. You disagree with Obama, so maybe you have a clearer idea about what's going on with that.

As far as Van Jones goes, he was fired for his beliefs. Now, maybe you disagree, but I think that in America we got done firing people for their beliefs back in the 1950s with McCarthy. They also were no longer his beliefs. Oh, and what was his job? Finding people jobs. That seems so very evil to me.

Listen, Obama's got a lot of flaws. Everyone in Washington does. But there has been no effort on the part of the right to actually talk about the issues that face this nation. Instead they shout "socialism!" "communism!" and "fascist!" Ironically, all at the same time.

Anyway, to sum up my post: All we are doing is asking Glenn Beck questions, and getting no answers.

And no, I am not a government employee, nor do I get any sort of funding from the government whatsoever.

Originally posted by ThomasPain
There were also signs at these protests that contained the language "We need a Christian President", signs with confederate flags, signs calling Obama an undocumented worker, etc.

And Beck has not been 'politely asking questions'. What he has been doing is 'phrasing accusations in the form of questions' and 'asking people to prove a negative.' Responding to either is dangerous at best.

Perhaps you don't see it that way, and I can understand if you don't. It's a lot easier to see the mistakes in someone you disagree with than one you agree with. It's as simple as that. I disagree with Beck so it's easier for me to see the tactics that he uses. You disagree with Obama, so maybe you have a clearer idea about what's going on with that.

As far as Van Jones goes, he was fired for his beliefs. Now, maybe you disagree, but I think that in America we got done firing people for their beliefs back in the 1950s with McCarthy. They also were no longer his beliefs. Oh, and what was his job? Finding people jobs. That seems so very evil to me.

Listen, Obama's got a lot of flaws. Everyone in Washington does. But there has been no effort on the part of the right to actually talk about the issues that face this nation. Instead they shout "socialism!" "communism!" and "fascist!" Ironically, all at the same time.

Anyway, to sum up my post: All we are doing is asking Glenn Beck questions, and getting no answers.

And no, I am not a government employee, nor do I get any sort of funding from the government whatsoever.

Van Jones was not fired. He resigned on his own. The White House didn't even want him to go. His job was to advise Obama on Green Jobs issues. He's the one who came up with the "Cash for Clunkers" mess. And beliefs in religion are not to be messed with but when your political beliefs threaten the constitution, there's a good reason to worry. Beck's questions are not worded as you say. He is asking simple questions like... "Did you know Van Jones is a self-proclaimed Communist and black extremeist? If so, why was he hired as one of Obama's advisers?" Easy and to the point. It's not only with Obama. It was with Bush too. Bush should have suffered the punishment of war crimes but he got off scott-free. But right now it's Obama who's in charge and within his first 200 days in office, he has spent more money than all other presidents full terms. It worries me when we are spending money we don't have and creating money out of thin air. It worries me even more that our money has no backing to it. We left the Gold Standard in 1971 under Dick Nixon. If it weren't for that, our money would have solid backing and inflation wouldn't be as high as it is. It would also put restrictions on how much money our government could actually use.... which is needed. Our country is bankrupt and the demise of our country is quickly approaching. The people of these tea parties are growing wrestless. Those who brought the signs about needing a christian president or the confederate flag do not speak for everyone at the tea parties. The confederate flag is not a racist statement though. It's a symbol to the White House saying "It's coming if you don't change your ways.... civil war." I personally would have chosen a "Don't Tread On Me" flag because the war would be more of a "revolution" to me. Anywho, I think we agree to disagree. Weather you trust Beck or not, my advise to you is not to trust our government. They are only after their self-interest and not that of the American People. Do yourself a favor and research "FEMA Camps" and tell me it does't strike a nerve in you.... especially with a so-called "Swine Flu Outbreak" that can be used to utilize these camps. Keep your eyes open friend. Have a happy revolution.