As the healthcare debate continues across the U.S., one symbol of opposition to revised healthcare is FOX News anchor Glenn Beck.
In the land of the free some believe Beck is exploiting free speech - starting harmful rumors while spreading inaccuracies and lies. Now his advertisers are dropping like flies.
“Everything that’s getting pushed through Congress including this healthcare bill are transforming America and they are all driven by President Obama’s thinking on one idea.” “Affordable rocket shoes? Musical vampire cop shows?” “Reparations.” “That’s crazier than the s*** I was saying." (Comedy Central)
But Beck’s base of conservatives is loyal – defiant he’s the only journalist that truly holds their values dear. Many believe the Beck boycott is politically motivated and an attempt to silence the right.
Sarah Palin endorsed Beck Wednesday just as the anchor has never seen higher ratings.
We’re taking a look at whether Glenn Beck is harmful or helpful to society with perspectives from The Huffington Post, The Daily Beast and FOX News.
But it’s Comedy Central’s Steven Colbert who starts us off with a sarcastic rebuttal on one of Beck’s most controversial opinions.
“This President has exposed himself as a guy over and over and over again who has a deep-seated hatred for white people.” -Glenn Beck
“You can’t say Obama doesn’t like white people, David Axelrod’s white, Rahm Emanuel’s his chief of staff white, Robert Gibbs is white. I’m not saying that he doesn’t like white people.” – Brian Kilmeade.
“Right Beck’s not saying Obama dislikes white people he’s saying he has a deep-seated hatred for them. Like how Beck likes arguing but has a deep-seated hatred for logic.” – Steven Colbert.
ColorofChange.org is a liberal organization determined to convince Beck’s advertisers to drop their sponsorship. The organizations founder described Beck’s words this way on Huffington Post.com.
“Beck's rhetoric is dangerous to the fabric of our democracy, and we are heartened that so many big companies feel the same way. We won't stop here -- we're going to continue our fight to see that as many of Beck's advertisers pull their support as possible.”
But The Daily Beast has the perspective that Beck actually diffuses radicalism by giving a voice to “strong, harsh views” and thus dampening “down the threat of violence.”
“Rather than stoke the fears of his audience, Beck's occasionally loopy warnings about socialist totalitarianism and the coming American civil war actually inoculate his viewers against truly extreme sentiments. You couldn't invent a better government stooge than Beck.”
“It’s Not About Glenn Beck, It’s About Freedom of Speech” – that’s the headline on 411AcrossAmerica.com.
“The names change, Rush, Hannity but the game is the same. Silence conservative talk. Today it’s Glenn Beck… the liberals want to control who says what. They don’t care who’s behind the microphone or on television. As long as they get to decide what can or can’t be said.”
(AOC)
Radio host Rush Limbaugh on Beck’s show defends the FOX anchor’s approach saying someone has to stand up for America’s freedom.
(SWV_Beck_Limbaugh2)(0:19 – 0:37)
“This is not politics as usual. This is not left versus right. This is not Republican versus Democrat. This is statism, totalitarianism versus freedom. And if these people are allowed to go where they want to go unchecked, then some people, a lot of people -- I don't think half the country, but close -- will wake up one day and find, "My God, what the hell happened?" (SWV_Beck_Limbaugh)(0:05-0:14)
“It’s a responsibility that we all have being honest and earnest to inform people of what these possibilities are because they are very real.”
(AOC)
So do you think a person like Glenn Beck is important for a vibrant democracy or harmful as he spreads his “original” views?
