Christopher Hitchens on Glenn Beck's Rally

Originally posted by duality90

Originally posted by jibeho
Just another reaching article from the esoteric academic elite. Desperate times...

Mr.Beck himself seems to be in bed with quite alot of the people who are poisoning the well of our morality, despite hiding behind their pseudo-morals. People are free to do as they please, I am not castigating politicians and others in the sphere of influence for their actions - merely for their attempts to hide them behind and justify them with the thin veneer of moral superiority.

If you have video that'll get you a cool 100 thousand dollars....

Originally posted by dillweed
As a longtime follower of Mr. Beck it's obvious how few of the comments are from people that have actually watched him or listened to him for any lenghth of time. This man is not a 'nut'. Do not underestimate him.

You are correct, sir. How I wish he were only a "nut." He is evil incarnate. I do listen to him and watch him as a stimulus to do more to oppose that inhuman and inhumane evil.

LOL THANKS FOR THE HELP OP!!!!!!
Hitchens does a great job of proving my argument from a previous thread and supporting conservatives (I hope he never realizes he is doing so).
Remember this? I think you commented on it and said that Media Matters "quoted people in context"
NOTE: this is a post from a separate thread but fits just as well here.
My argument is this:
A lot of people for some strange reason put their ideology above common since.
Without looking into something they automatically attack it without doing any research, as many have done on this thread.
If you go to Media Matters you will find an entire section dedicated to bashing conservative talk show/tv show host.
Will you ever find anything negative about this administration? Hardly ever!
Why is this?
Let us take a look at what I stated in an earlier post shall we?
I will word it a little differently:
Media matters and progressive sites/news like it are boosting conservative talk show/tv show host ratings.
They are making people curious which leads to these people watching/listening to said host.
This person then goes back to the progressive site at a latter date and sees how the hosts' comments were edited/taken out of context and they start to wake up and begin to ask, why?
Theses progressive sites are in the pocket of this administration and the PTB.
Why would they spend so much time and effort going over every little word from these host trying to find something to use against them? Why would they even acknowledge them?
If most are just "crazy wack jobs" why not let them fail on their own merit?
Because they are scared (progressives). Scared that people will listen and actually begin to hear.
I have seen the argument:
"well why are all the conservatives worried about these things now? Where were they during the Bush years?"
The answer is that people of all ideologies are beginning to "wake up" to what has been happening in this country for over a century. It's not just conservatives or republicans and the endless attacks from the progressive side is helping tremendously.
It is all in the numbers. Mr. Obama won the election by a land slide.
Now look at all of the movements against this administration.
A lot of the people in them have to be people who voted for him.
Why the change of heart?
Because they now see what is happening.
Yes it took a long time for a lot of us but we see now. And we hope it is not too late to stop this forward momentum into a crashed economy where our rights and constitution will be forever fundamentally changed.
(NOTE: this next section I added to the post because on the other thread I was referred to as a "sheep". I thought I would leave it in for those that are confused about what the term means)
What is your definition of sheeple?
Mine is; Those who blindly follow the PTB without question, those who repeat talking points given to them without researching and asking, WHY?
Now who is acting more like sheep?
Those that get their information from a progressive site/news that support the administration and the PTB, with out researching?
Or those that get their information from those that are constantly taking on this administration and the PTB and doing the leg work to fact check it?

[edit on 31-8-2010 by Quadrivium]

Originally posted by weedwhacker
reply to post by mothershipzeta

 

Speaking of "Beck"....I hope this adds to your thread, since it involves him, at least tangentially.

That other "brainiac", who was invited to speak at Beck's "Rally", Sarah palin stepped in a goober....apparently, someone on her staff allowed her to use Twitter all by herself, and....

Poor confused former half-term governor Sarah Palin, when she isn’t slaughtering her native language to broadcast her nasty bigoted nonsense, she apparently can’t tell the difference between cool alt-rocker Beck and deranged Fox News personality and self-described rodeo clown, Glenn Beck. Palin took to her Twitter machine to slam the “silly media” for not buying into the right-wing’s inflated attendance numbers for Beck’s 700 Club-esqu “Restoring Honor” rally. And in doing so, she mistakenly referred her Team Sarah zombie army to musician Beck’s Twitter page, instead of the Beck who called our first black president a “racist.”

The example of Sarah Palin "Which magazines to I read? ALL of them, Katie!" and her 'fastest thumbs in Wasilla' Twitter fiasco, in this link.

It was Colbert's piece about "Glenn Beck's vatican source" that caused this whole thing in my humble opinion.
Palin watched the piece and saw when the vatican source recanted what he said about Glenn Beck's work being "wildly important", replying that there was some confusion in Rome and that it was a completely different Beck altogether that Rome was referring to; and in fact the Vatican was referring to a musical Beck, a completely different guy.

It was this scene that Palin watched and it caused her subconscious to become confused . So it was Colbert and his writer's who caused this whole incident to occur within Palin's mind

Now she's wishin' she had a sidekick that was a musician.

Originally posted by dizzie56

Education < gut feel

Just ask Christopher Columbus who had a gut feeling that he could get to the Indies by heading west. Just ask Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, etc. They all had some education, but it was the gut feelings that made them better men.

This is a common fallacy. The knowledge that the earth was spherical was commonplace in educated circles (yes, educated), and was known to Columbus. His view differed from the rest in his underappreciation of the distance needed to travel, and his lack of realization that there was another landmass in the way. But there was little in the way of thinking with the gut.

So for those keeping score, education > gut feel.

[edit on 1-9-2010 by Monsieur Neary]

reply to post by mothershipzeta

Originally posted by mothershipzeta
As usual, he says it best. Whether you agree with Hitchens or not, he would most likely DESTROY you in a debate.

I doubt if he would even come close to destroying me. And I doubt if anyone who is badmouthing Glen Beck can cite one specific example of any of the facts and sources on his blackboard that are indeed not valid or true.

And what difference does it make if he does not believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit? Mormans believe that Jesus was the Son of God, that's all that should matter to Christians. That is what all Christians are required to believe, not whether He was specifically conceived by the Holy Spirit............ The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one in the same.

It looks like the Progressives and Agnostics come out in force around Glen Beck and try to discredit him with such trivialities in the absence of substantive facts and figures to make their argument against him. It's the old name calling, labeling, and disinformation, every single time.

We'll see whose right come November.

reply to post by MY2Commoncentsworth



right on brother,


like this?


"You are correct, sir. How I wish he were only a "nut." He is evil incarnate. I do listen to him and watch him as a stimulus to do more to oppose that inhuman and inhumane evil."

let alone the op and the rabid pro left. lol, professional left. thanks gibbs!

Originally posted by saltheart foamfollower
Wow, MSZ, you sure have a lot of time to post everything you can about Beck.

Do you have any insights from yourself?

You know, like how much of my labor do you want? 25% 50% 75% 100%?

Tell me, do you believe a person should be allowed individual property rights?

Do you believe I should be limited in how much money I can earn?

Do you think it is my responsibility to pay for a mosque to be built? How bout a Catholic Church, a Jewish one, a Hindu, a Mormon?

Do you think that corporations should be allowed to own property and not have to pay taxes on their profits? You do know that not one corporation worth their salt in accounting, pays one dime do you not?

Funny how the leftists do not want to actually make the corporations devolve back into what they were meant to be created for, they want to take them over and STILL disallow individuals the RIGHTS to their LABOR, their PROPERTY, their LIFE, and their LIBERTY.

How would you feel about just a straight sales tax on everything, instead of the millions of myriad taxes that are placed on the individual? This would ELIMINATE the ability of ANYONE, including your supposed enemy the corporations from avoiding taxation. Funny how you peeps do NOT want change, YOU want POWER. Period.

You people make the giant want to puke.

Rose colored glasses and glass houses. Pffft.

[edit on 31-8-2010 by saltheart foamfollower]

This really has nothing to do with hating Beck and just goes to show easily manipulated people can be by watching Glenn Beck. There are rational people on the right who hate Beck too.

Becks rally was great, the biggest ever, for such an event...there were a mix of all peoples there....you had to have either been there or watched it on tV...

edited to bring my post back on topic...

[edit on 1-9-2010 by tspark]

reply to post by Snarf


You sir, could not be more wrong. I like Glenn Beck, I don't always agree with him, but overall I feel he's a good man.
I take great offense that you are grouping us with Old Testament bigots that hate gays. Are you insane or just a mean person? My brother is gay, so according to you, I hate my brother?
WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe some of you, instead of seeing the good that came out of all those people coming together IN PEACE, NOT ONE ARREST, you just spout hate, hate, hate.

Originally posted by MrXYZ
reply to post by tspark

 

Did you listen to the entire clip before posting that?

The only reason he said he'd vote for Hillary is because he KNOWS what troubles are coming during the time of the next president. The US is in a really #ty position economically and militarily and he knows that. And he was worried that if a republican would win, he'd get blamed and in the long term, the GOP would suffer. So it's better to let a "fall guy" democrat win and then come in like a white night once the crisis is over.

Number one cause for people loosing their housing...not being able to pay for health care!! Those are people are a HUGE cost burden. Most of Europe has healthcare like that, and last I checked they're not communists.

Just because Beck takes things to the extreme doesn't mean the health care bill is communism.

And yeah, sadly once they chose the bailout route, they had to follow up with more bail outs. It's like someone cutting off your leg, you can't just apply 1 plaster and it's fixed. You need bandages, antibiotics...

It's the same with the economy, 1 bailout wouldn't really have achieved anything.

Having said that, the bailouts are 100% useless now because every effort to regulate the financial industry more in an effective way was killed off under the "freedom" slogan. Problem is, it hurts the entire population in the long term.

Oh, and even though Beck said he'd vote democrat at the beginning of the video, he then promptly admits to voting for McCain in the end...better watch the videos you post before posting them mate

Let me guess, you saw the title of the video and thought "jackpot"...right? Stop only going with titles and slogans and start looking at facts!

[edit on 31-8-2010 by MrXYZ]

no not really "jackpot" what i was thinking was this Hillary didn't run for president...obama did and that perhaps Glenn like McCain better than obama?

reply to post by sickofitall2012


Is that so?

Are you anti-gay marriage?

reply to post by fooks


Exactly, and every single other anti-Beck post in this thread. They present no factual evidence to support their claims.

They automatically bring race into the discussion to try to get people to think that Beck is racist, and then try to intimidate those who would disagree with their false accusations.....like saying that most of the people at the rally were white....So what! That is supposed to automatically make them all racist?....lol Where do these guys come up with this logic?

Then they start in with the name calling.

And they attack the mans religion as well. So much for the tolerant left I suppose.

Liberalism is a lie. Pure and simple. Never ever one shred of evidence. It's always divisive propaganda........But that's alright, because they will all be taking a bath in November. I wish that bath would come sooner however,..............because I'm starting to smell it all the way over here.



[edit on 1-9-2010 by MY2Commoncentsworth]

reply to post by Snarf


Not that it's any of YOUR buisness, but I'm all for a union between two people that love each other, it's their God given right.

reply to post by sickofitall2012


I think you and Snarf might have gotten off on the wrong foot...you both might need a "man-hug".

As a Gay man ( all my life ) and a particular fan of the "anti"-religous factions, I think I have some ability to speak for those who may not otherwise have a voice in this thread.....

Originally posted by MY2Commoncentsworth
reply to post by mothershipzeta

 

Originally posted by mothershipzeta
As usual, he says it best. Whether you agree with Hitchens or not, he would most likely DESTROY you in a debate.

I doubt if he would even come close to destroying me.

First off, it wouldn't be online. And second, he's most likely much more knowledgeable about diverse subjects than you are. He knows the Bible back to front and can cite chapter and verse, yet he's an atheist. He routinely frustrates people with that knowledge.

And what difference does it make if he does not believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit? Mormans believe that Jesus was the Son of God, that's all that should matter to Christians. That is what all Christians are required to believe, not whether He was specifically conceived by the Holy Spirit............ The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one in the same.

First, off, Mormons don't believe that last bit. They believe that the "Godhead" is made up of three distinct beings. They say they are "one in purpose," but not one in being. Kind of a big deal.

And as for Jesus being the Son of God...sure, that fits. But add the little detail that Jesus and Satan are brothers and that Mary wasn't a virgin but was physically impregnated by God "knowing" her. I'm pretty sure that is not part of Christian teaching. "Begotten, not made" is kind of important.

Not that I care what religion someone follows, or what the mythology is that goes along with it...but if mainstream Christians can bring themselves to ignore those little details, they're committing heresy against their own faith. I think they take that pretty seriously.

Originally posted by saltheart foamfollower
Wow, MSZ, you sure have a lot of time to post everything you can about Beck.

Do you have any insights from yourself?

Sure. He's using you and his other fans to do the work of the right-wing - or he's just doing it to enrich himself (He's said he's "just an entertainer" who "could give a flying crap about the political process).

But on the side of his fleecing, he's helping the people who care NOTHING about people who make below $100,000 or so a year. That's why they keep giving the richest massive tax cuts and you consistently get the crumbs that happen to fall off the table.

You know, like how much of my labor do you want? 25% 50% 75% 100%?

Since it hasn't gone up one bit in the past 2 years, the current level will be fine. Oh, wait - I don't get any of your labor. It goes to the government in taxes, JUST LIKE MINE DOES.

Tell me, do you believe a person should be allowed individual property rights?

You aren't "allowed" individual property rights. You already have them. And if you have a problem with income tax, then take it up with the Constitution - the 16th Amendment allows it. And somehow I've never seen conservatives do anything about it other than say "I want to do something about it."

Do you believe I should be limited in how much money I can earn?

Cute. You're one of those people who want to protect the people who make money by moving numbers around because you harbor the hope that some day you'll be one of them. The GOP's dream is finally coming true - middle-class people are doing their work for them.

Do you think it is my responsibility to pay for a mosque to be built? How bout a Catholic Church, a Jewish one, a Hindu, a Mormon?

You already do, indirectly. Since religious institutions don't pay taxes (property or otherwise), that shortfall has to be made up somehow...and that burden falls on you and me.

Do you think that corporations should be allowed to own property and not have to pay taxes on their profits? You do know that not one corporation worth their salt in accounting, pays one dime do you not?

Did I miss something? Has Glenn Beck gone on the offensive against corporations not paying taxes?

Banning corporations from owning property and taxing them heavily? You're starting to sound like a socialist.

Funny how the leftists do not want to actually make the corporations devolve back into what they were meant to be created for, they want to take them over and STILL disallow individuals the RIGHTS to their LABOR, their PROPERTY, their LIFE, and their LIBERTY.

Yeah. Liberals are the anti-union, anti-labor people.

All this talk about the rights of labor...are you SURE you're not a socialist?

How would you feel about just a straight sales tax on everything, instead of the millions of myriad taxes that are placed on the individual? This would ELIMINATE the ability of ANYONE, including your supposed enemy the corporations from avoiding taxation. Funny how you peeps do NOT want change, YOU want POWER. Period.

Wait, I'm confused. A second ago you were railing about corporations not paying taxes, and how liberals want to keep it that way...and now you say they're MY "supposed enemy."

And a straight sales tax on everything in place of income taxes would result in the rich getting the most massive tax cut EVER, while the poor would see the biggest tax increase EVER. But helping those who need it least by milking the poorest dry is standard operating procedure by the people you apparently support.

And as far as a sales tax making sure that corporations pay taxes...businesses usually get sales tax exemptions on business-related expenses, or did you not know that?

So, as usual, the Glenn Beck defender is ill-informed. Imagine that.

reply to post by mothershipzeta


He was just making random baseless statements...like Beck. Actually, I think that's where he got those from, and he's just repeating slogans like a parrot without looking at the facts.

Originally posted by Quadrivium
If you go to Media Matters you will find an entire section dedicated to bashing conservative talk show/tv show host.

Will you ever find anything negative about this administration? Hardly ever!

I'll just answer this SAME THING that you posted previously and ignore the rest, since I've had enough repeats waiting for the fall TV season to begin.

This is irrelevant. There are also many sites that say negative things about Obama and his administration, yet go beyond lack of criticism of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck et al and actually praise them. But attacking the source is not the same as addressing the criticism, and you should know the difference.

And again - even if something is "out of context," as you claim, how on Earth is quoting someone "bashing?"

Media Matters has the audio so you can listen to the whole segment and hear what they're talking about IN CONTEXT. There are also transcripts to read on most articles. Just because you want to dismiss the site as having an agenda doesn't make Glenn Beck's claims suddenly valid.

Hell, ATS has an agenda, so why are you even posting here?

Originally posted by MrXYZ
reply to post by mothershipzeta

 

He was just making random baseless statements...like Beck. Actually, I think that's where he got those from, and he's just repeating slogans like a parrot without looking at the facts.

I'm just denying ignorance the best I can. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.