Posted on 08/26/2010 5:57:21 AM PDT by STONEWALLS
When Fox News and talk radio host Glenn Beck comes to Washington this weekend to headline a rally intended to "restore honor" to America, he will test the strength - and potentially expose the weaknesses - of a conservative grass-roots movement that remains an unpredictable force in the country's politics.
Beck, who is both admired and assailed for his faith-based patriotism and his brash criticism of President Obama, plans in part to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. as an American hero. He will speak on the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech, from the spot where King delivered it.
Some "tea party" activists say the event, at which former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is also scheduled to speak, will have a greater impact than last September's "9/12" march along Pennsylvania Avenue. Though the attendance figures for that anti-tax rally are disputed, it was the first national gathering to demonstrate the size and influence of the tea party movement.
But with just a few days before the Beck rally, basic questions linger, including how big it will be and whether the event, which Beck says is nonpolitical, will help or hurt Republicans in November. Also unanswered is whether Beck can pull off the connection to King without creating offense - or confrontation with another event the same day led by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Beck said in a recent broadcast that he did not intentionally choose the "I Have a Dream" anniversary for his rally - but that he believes the coincidence is "divine providence."
"Whites don't own Abraham Lincoln," he said. "Blacks don't own Martin Luther King. Those are American icons, American ideas, and we should just talk about character, and that's really what this event is about. It's about honoring character."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This is just what we don't need, more ONE ISSUE and your toast support.
I guess for some gay marriage is way more important than the complete takeover of this country by Marxists hiding under the progressive label in both parties.
Democrats (actually Marxists now) have only been able to grow their party by using only one criteria. Will you vote for us.
Conservatives have actual values HOWEVER, way too often, just one issue will kill support.
There has to b e some middle ground where we can support someone who aligns themselves with 80-90% of our views.
Whatever he gets, the timing of this is terrible because of the 9/12 March on D.C., which will cut BOTH groups’ numbers by half. But, of course, the drive-bys know this and are deliberately avoiding any mention of the 9/12 march.
He's a solid Libertarian, so I'm not shocked. It's all government hands-off for them, no matter what the issue. He also came out at first as being for the ground Zero mosque. But now he has backed off some, now saying it's the Imam he has issues with, saying he would gladly write a check to help build the place if they had a true moderate running it.
I like Beck, and enjoy his TV show. He loves America, and I would call him a Patriot - but I also avoid being sold his Libertarian bill of goods. Separating the wheat from the chaff as I watch. I wouldn't let his comments stop you from going. Besides there will be other speakers, including, it sounds like, maybe Palin.
It will be necessarily low(er) than it should be because of the 9/12 March on D.C. Each event will look smaller, which is playing into the hands of the drive-bys.
In other words the MSM did their finest imitation of the Three Monkeys as combined with Sgt.Schultz and the Stooges to deprecate that assembly. The MSM said that the count was in the tens of thousands and left it dangling. From the pictures, it appeared to be more like hundreds of thousands but the MSM shut their reporting down as rapidly as they could. My most impressive factoid other than the count was that this massive crowd largely cleaned up after themselves, another fact ignored by MSM.
Now the MSM demonstrate completely how far they have moved to the left and their fear as this 08/28 event approaches. This WaPo article implicitly challenges Beck to exceed the prior year rally whilst hiding the goal line so that they have the latitude to claim FAILURE at their own whim!
FYI: Note that, like last year, the resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. will be out of sight by being out of town. Strategic thinking there, Mr President.
They reported the turnout as “several hundreds”, you mean to tell me that was wrong? (sarc/off)
Another benefit is train ridership is ALWAYS reported!
www.rockinthewall.com
If I remember correctly he is banned from saying a prayer at this rally because it is at a government site. I hope he leads a group prayer anyways. It would be very dramatic if he is swarmed by feds trying to stop him mid-prayer. It would be a scene that will affect millions of Americans.
I see they’re ignoring that Dr. King’s neice, Dr. Alveda King, will be a guest speaker.
Inconvenient fact?
1. On escalators, stand to the right, walk to the left.
2. Have your fare card ready before you enter/exit
3. Let people off of the train *before* you try to enter
4. Stay off of the Green Line south of L'Enfant Plaza
This will make your stay more pleasant. ;)
I assume Fox will be covering it live?
Ummm, no. There will be offense ... there is always offense. Al Sharpton leads the church of the perpetually offended.
I hope Dr. Alveda King, MLK's niece, who will be a featured speaker - leads in prayer.
Can't you just see the dilemma of the gendarmes about arresting MLK's niece for saying a prayer at a meeting commemorating her uncle's "I have a dream" day?
Either way, it would be news...but REALLY big news if they arrested or stopped her...or TRIED to stop her I doubt she'd be stopped without being arrested and hauled off.
We’ll be going ‘for the cause,’ not for Beck.
Last year Beck touted the 9/12 march (which we also attended) as if it were his own brainchild. The crowd was massive.
Alas, the MSM reported relatively small and disappointing turnout, which was not true. Neither Beck nor FNS ever challenged those numbers, faithfully repeating the low turnout. Beck backed off his earlier big talk. Very disappointing. Never really watched him again.
BUT showing up IS important and we will go nonetheless. It’s not about Beck or Palin, it’s about US; each of us who goes represents another dozen or more who can’t make it.
I was told that C-SPAN will be covering all of it. I’ll be on the road to a family reunion & hoping for a re-run!
Its two sides of the same coin. Marriage is the bedrock of civilization. That's why Marxists always try to undermine it.
Just checked and C-SPAN is covering the event live
I have NEVER heard that Fox News was involved with this in any way, shape, or form...the 'media' is lying again...
On the other hand; 500,000 people gathering in Washington for ANY reason should be a news story worthy of coverage...
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