I was expecting typical Glenn Beck myself. We didn't really see that. But to say it wasn't political isn't honest. It's been criticized (and I agree) as offensive- a bunch of white people gathering on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech to restore honor or take America back or something of that nature. As though Obama was the one who caused us to lose honor. Which would fit with the Glenn Beck model. And who lost America so they have to take it back. Obviously they aren't including Democrats in their all-inclusive apolitical "Christian" honor fest.
On Anderson Cooper, there was a Tea Party blogger and a guy from the left. I forget who he was. He belittled Christians and that didn't sit well with me. He was one who voiced the criticism above and she jumped on him saying sure he'd been to other events, but was he there to verify that every person was white. She seemed to imply that this was a Tea Party event. Hmmm. The Tea Party is very sensitive about stepping up and saying who they are and claiming events. You know- no single person's responsible for the event, everyone just comes out because they care about America and values; they aren't any particular party (even though they probably are conservative)- just Americans. Unity is great, but when you don't in fact all believe the same things, it's a lie or dishonest or just not descriptive. The group that gathered with Beck was probably all unified, but do all Americans believe that way? No way.
The message. Our rights come from a higher power. I agree. The coded message, however, was that to get back to our roots and values we have to elect Tea Party people. Here, I begin to disagree and get suspicious. The typical themes of supporting troops and fighting wars equals patriotism and freedom and values were addressed. The theme was supposedly to turn back to God and the values on which the country was founded. On the surface, a noble thing, but when you consider the source and audience, due diligence is needed. More decoding. Conservatives are (re)claiming the founding fathers and God as their own. I disagree. You must get a law/amendment/court decision banning abortion and gay marriage to be a good Christian and America- forget the other stuff the Bible says. The rub seems to be more of a political one rather than a religious one - do you think government shouldn't or shouldn't help people, gaining political power by singling out a few sins, etc. I don't know that I'll go into that since I have written quite a few posts on this issue.
Much was made of how many people were there. Beck seemed quite proud of himself as he strutted around delivering his "message." I tend to think if this wasn't intended as a political stunt or movement (Tea Party) then it was another publicity stunt because he can't get enough of himself, as if being infamous and having your own show isn't enough.
Maybe, though, the guy is turning over a new leaf. Maybe he will think about God as he yells at people and calls Obama racist and all the other offensive things. If he's trying to clean up the image (Restore Honor to himself?) by putting on this event, then goes back to his old show antics, then the rally really was a joke. Or maybe, he will actually tone himself down and be respectful and start to have meaningful discussions on his show.
Palin, another speaker at the event, certainly seemed to be trying to redeem herself - "Say what you want to say about me, but I raised a combat vet and you can't take that away from me." Isn't that stealing honor? Saying a bunch of bigoted, offensive things then borrow you son's honor? That doesn't seem fair.
Some links:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/08/30/glenn.beck.rally.monday/index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/27/AR2010082704860.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/28/thousands-expected-glenn-beck-rally-civil-rights-leaders-protest-event/
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Pictures:
The rally-goers were told not to bring signs. If it was religious and not political, I wonder why this had to be emphasized? Hmmm. They may not have brought signs on sticks, but, boy, did they wear them.
One of them is a Tea Party shirt about “Reclaiming America.” This, I believe, ties to the “Restoring Honor.” Who stole it, praytell? You guessed it! The liberals, socialists, and all those people who won’t forward those emails about how Obama wasn’t born here, Muslims can’t make good Americans, Obama’s a Muslim, Obama’s Hitler, etc. What’s the difference, anyway? Obama's a closet Muslim and Democrats are socialists, which makes Obama a virtual axis of evil, doesn't it?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/30/glenn-becks-restoring-hon_2_n_698834.html#s132392
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The same weekend as the rally, he says he shouldn’t have called Obama a racist. He doesn’t want to retract, but amend… Obama's not a racist, but a Christian who believes in liberation theology (Another attempt to say he's not really Christian).
"He is a guy who understands the world through liberation theology -- which is
oppressor and victim."
I think perhaps we need a few more leaders who understand the victim's point of view, myself (but not morally crippled by it like Israel).
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100829/pl_yblog_upshot/glenn-beck-regrets-calling-obama-a-racist
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Beck smears Obama’s daughter- May 28, 2010
This came probably as Beck was preparing his “return to God” rally. I realize no one’s perfect, but the amount of sludge that spews forth from this guy’s mouth is astounding, which makes the return to God theme more than a little suspect.
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201005280025
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He deliberately people misleads about Obama’s faith. When Obama used the phrase “submitted to His will” Beck attacked and translated that as Islam. What Christian hasn't submitted to the will of God?? Are we all Muslims, then? That’s a complete lie that he’s continuing to propagate and disseminate, showing no regard for truth or accuracy. That’s what Beck’s show is about. Will this change after the rally? Will he apologize for the tone of his show since America is turning back to God on 8/28? Maybe this excludes him.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,600150,00.html
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Glen Beck attacked Obama for so-called “collective salvation” remarks as evidence that he’s not Christian. And that sets him up nicely to be "slammed" as a Muslim- and I say it like that because we in this country have recently shown that we don’t think much of Muslims (Park 51 and the infamous survey done just before that about how many think Obama’s a Muslim). And the right has an even bigger problem with them, the survey shows.
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/200/43036/
Some articles called this "collective salvation" a perversion of Christianity. Interesting criticism coming from Beck, a Mormon, a religion with a whole entire book of these such doctrines. Which brings me to another interesting thing. Beck is Mormon, and talks about his faith (in general) a lot and held a rally to show people how Christian he is. Obama doesn't talk about it much in the way Bush and Beck did/do, but talks about community service and getting health care to more people and appears quick to listen and slow to anger, among other things. Given how much and what Beck does say, I wonder why people would think Beck is a Christian and not be sure of Obama.
Now, I took the collective salvation comments to mean that as a Christian, my salvation depends on helping people in need. This is true. My help could be their physical salvation, in a way. Or if you aren’t a Christian (Obama was appealing to a larger, more general audience?), helping others still makes you feel good and so it could work that way as well. I don’t think Obama was arguing for a religious doctrine of collective salvation. Actually, some on the right talk more about this. I have heard some say that if we don’t ban abortion and gay marriage God won’t look favorably on our nation. Sounds like collective salvation to me. Why these two sins and not others? I give up.
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Beck on Obama and Hitler: He’s not comparing them, but…
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200908120017
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Aha! That Obama-Hitler email I blasted not long ago. It came from a Beck follower. Should have guessed! Same phrase is used- “banana republic dictator.”
Beck suggests what Obama is doing is not "American," likens him to a "wannabe Third World banana republic dictator"
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201008200016
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Beck makes a big deal about Obama not taking the oath of office on a Bible, pretended to verify that all other presidents had, and was sorely mistaken as Teddy Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and John Quincy Adams didn't use Bibles, either. As the Bible says let your yes be yes and no be no, I (and many Christians) may have to take a pass as well. Or "affirm" rather than swear if that is an option. I mean, what's Beck saying here? That Obama's not Christian? That he's not American? That his oath didn't count? The implication is that he's not Christian or doesn't like the Bible.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/122063/not_only_is_fox%27s_glenn_beck_a_bigot,_he%27s_also_a_lunatic/
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The rally either was in fact political, or we should see a real change in Beck's show and attitude after this "change point" as Palin not-so-eloquently put it at the rally.
I know that many of us today, we are worried about what we face. Sometimes, our challenges, they just seem insurmountable. But here together, at the crossroads of our history, may this day, may this day be the change point. Look around you. You are not alone. You are Americans!
--Sarah Palin
Not political? In her comments are absolutely political, here. Religious revival? Hardly. She is talking about the economic situation and possibly the fact that Republicans "lost control of the White House" and now feel unrepresented (as I did for 8 long years with W). The message that this Tea Party contingent are the "real America" is 100% a political theme - a negative and false one at that.
