Glenn Beck

I don’t care to watch the Glenn Beck show. However, I don’t really think it any more fair to judge him as representing the Mormon church as it to judge Harry Reid as a representative of the church. I don’t like the whole premise of basing one’s attitude toward another because of their religious faith. How does the world view Catholicism after watching Bill O’reilly? Or how do they veiw (insert any religion here) after watching (insert any media person name here.) They don’t – it’s not an issue. So why is it an issue with Beck?

Okay, but to answer your question. I think Beck is probably well liked by religious, conservative Republican Americans, and in those cases he probably helps the church image. And I would guess that Beck is detested by the more liberal type democrats and (ALL Canadians ), and in those cases he probably is hurting the churches image. I think it is that simple.

Old-Timer:

“he helps and hurts the Church.”

I totally agree. However, two days ago he attacked and maligned Malia, the eleven year old daughter of the President of the United States, with comments such as “Why do you hate black people Daddy?” and “Have you plugged the hole yet Daddy?” I can accept stupid comments from entertainers like Beck, but he passed beyond the bar. I cannot accept it when he attacks children. Funny thing, my TBM sons agree with me and likewise now totally dismiss him. I had two daughters, I understood their tender spirits, that President Obama hasn’t responded shows great restrain. He obviously considered the source. Latter-day Saints must always be protective of children, ours and others. Our religion calls us to it. Our Savior calls us to it.

I don’t think he tries to be an ambassador of Mormonism or wants to be…and I don’t think he’s a good one either. His ideas are sensationalized to get ratings, not truth. He’s running a business. I liked hearing his views back in 95 when he started coming on to the scene as a refreshing and humorous view to things…but has since become so apocalyptic and dramatic, I don’t find I can follow him anymore.

I found this article (here: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/09/glenn-beck-post-modern-conservative.html” class=”bbcode_url”>http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/09/glenn-beck-post-modern-conservative.html) written about a year ago that provides some findings from polls on Beck and Limbaugh:

Buried in the cross-tabs of the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is a question that takes a temperature reading of Glenn Beck. Beck actually makes out pretty well. While just 24 percent of Americans have a favorable view of him (13 percent strongly so), only 19 percent have an unfavorable one (14 percent strongly). That leaves 57 percent who either don’t know Beck or are indifferent toward him.

This compares quite favorably to, for example, Rush Limbaugh, who was the subject of a similar question in the NBC/WSJ poll in June. Limbaugh was regarded favorably by 23 percent of Americans, but unfavorably by 50 percent — including 37 percent who held a strongly negative view. This is not a new problem for Limbaugh, incidentally, who has been roughly this unpopular since at least 1995.

(see graph below)

The difference between Beck and Limbaugh is that Beck is much more of an anti-establishment figure. I have posited before that running perpendicular to the traditional liberal-conservative spectrum is an establishment/anti-establishment spectrum; Beck is conservative but anti-establishment. And that may be working out pretty well for him, since the country seems to be becoming more anti-establishment too.

Of course, as Glenn Greenwald points out, Beck’s philosophy is neither particularly self-consistent nor particularly intellectually coherent. But since when, exactly, did that matter in American politics?

I look at it this way, “why do people enjoy mud wrestling”? Why would anyone pay good money to watch a wrestling match featuring famed Skater Tonya Harding

(the Olympic Athlete whose boyfriend beat Olympic contender Nancy Kerrigan). Why do people enjoy conflict?

I have to confess and admit that I enjoy channel surfing and watching Beck verses Keith Olbermann. The two are always at each other’s throats. It is very much like a “verbal form of mud wrestling”. I’ll even throw in the comic, Jon Stewart (the Daily Show) for good measure. We human love to hear debates, contrasting words, comparisons etc. We enjoy seeing and hearing the world around us from difference angles, prospectives and viewpoints. There is almost something in our brain that craves that. I think this is why controversial talk show hosts make sooooo much money. If we didn’t enjoy it, we wouldn’t watch.

Our U.S. Constitution grants us “Freedom of Speech”. Does freedom of speech have limits? Yes. Supreme Court Nominee, Elena Kaagan said that our first amendment rights do have limits. The limit – when our speech harms another human being. Hate speech, purgery, pornography, libel, slander,harassment, the baring of false witness, false advertising, etc. Sometimes, Beck crosses a line. So do his cohorts and many talk show hosts and even newsman. I think that these shows should contain disclaimers that the viewpoints are “views” and may not accurately represent true facts. I didn’t know this, but these men are NOT journalists and their programs are NOT news programs. They aren’t held to the journalist standards of checking and verifying information prior to a broadcast that journalists such as Dan Rather would be held to. They can basically say anything they want . . . . . and so can you.

condemning me for my heterosox

Heterosox? That happens to me when I am up too late blogging or posting on forums, and I am so tired I put on two different color sox the next morning.

I’m completely heterosox, I can never get a matching pair together in the morning. 😆

Or does this mean my socks are not gay?