Posted on 08/31/2010 9:35:43 PM PDT by This Just In
Special Report The Success of the Beck Rally
By Jeffrey Lord on 8.31.10
I love watching Glenn Beck on TV.
Day winding down, he makes so many good points. As someone who has spent a lifetime studying history, been there in government and politics, I find it great to watch Beck's particular insistence on educating Americans about real history that has gone missing. Having long ago learned first hand the progressive-race connection, for example, by having lived for a couple years in Woodrow Wilson's hometown, I am stunned to see someone have the wit and the chops to detail this particularly disturbing history of America's "progressive" president on popular television.
Bravo.
So I watched the rally on C-SPAN.
And you know what? (He says gently…)
I was elated -- and concerned.
Elated because putting together something like this is no day at the beach. Beck clearly worked his heart out on it and so too the Tea Party folks and all manner of others. It was a triumph. A huge success and Beck deserves congratulations for it.
If I may raise one concern.
Believe it or not, I found this event to be a bit of an intellectual muddle.
After considerable amounts of time doing a superb job on his television show analyzing American history -- from early American religion to the Founders to the Progressives -- and managing to draw a television audience of amazing size with all this, it was almost as if there was a bit of indecision as to what to say at this rally. Was this politics? Or religion? Or something else?
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
"In truth, I wasn't sure. There's a difference between spot-on political assessments of "social justice" and being Billy Graham. Of urging people to political action -- and religious action. Oddly, this is one of the reasons (in reverse) why Beck opponents in the world of liberal religion have lost members: they have presented themselves as religious leaders yet behave as if they were secular politicians. Beck seems to be struggling with being a secular talk radio commentator -- or the Reverend Glenn."
I respect Mr. Lord's position, but the has completely missed the point, and seems a bit muddled himself. He goes on to say that:
"Day winding down, he makes so many good points. As someone who has spent a lifetime studying history, been there in government and politics, I find it great to watch Beck's particular insistence on educating Americans about real history that has gone missing. Having long ago learned first hand the progressive-race connection, for example, by having lived for a couple years in Woodrow Wilson's hometown, I am stunned to see someone have the wit and the chops to detail this particularly disturbing history of America's "progressive" president on popular television."
Lord's wants to disconnect our history from our faith in the public arena? A simple Early American History tutorial should provide Mr. Lord with clear answers. If not for our Christian faith you wouldn't have America.
Mr. Lord serves as a perfect example of how some Republicans and conservatives wish to seperate the issues of faith and political principles. Our faith is the foundation for our understanding of freedom and liberty. Both Christians as well as non-Christians have and can continue to live freely in this country, but until our politicians recognize that the conservative platform represents, in part, Christian ideals, they will fail to understand and implement policy that is truly representative of true American liberty.
Day winding down? LOL. Gotta key in the Rats by saying "at the end of the day," but that would be too obvious. Hmmm, what to do... aha! "Day winding down!" That's it!
Believe it or not, I found this event to be a bit of an intellectual muddle.
I'll take "not" for a thousand, Alex. Rather, I find Mr. Lord tasked with attacking the thing that frightens the Rats about this rally the most - the absolute moral clarity of the crowd about the need for reliance upon God's grace for the protection of America from it's domestic enemies.
So what's the Rat solution to this moral clarity? Declare a muddle! Speak a muddle. Cloud up a muddle. Ask hesitant semi-questions. Make grimaces. Smile and nod with a wince. Agree with a question mark. And then don't own any of it - oh no. Instead, praise your own clarity, your, how was it put? Ah yes: "As someone who has spent a lifetime studying history, been there in government and politics..." So you see, Mr. Lord can't be in a muddle - why, he's been there! And done that! And stuff!
So... it's Beck who must be in a muddle. Or the crowd must be in a muddle about Beck. Or about themselves. Or at the very least, about what they thought they understood. But it's hard to say, because you see, it's such a muddle.
God & Politics? No no no, we need to let out betters ease us away from such confusion. It will only leave us in a muddle.
If I were to use one word to describe the rally it would be a “Sabbath” a sabbatical. A break from the world, to turn to the spiritual. Now is that so hard to understand?
I know Lord is an intelligent guy, but did you proof-read his article? Does he realize that he contradicts himself?
I’ve read a number of his articles, and have enjoyed his point of view, but this embarrassing.
Talk about completely missing the point.
you = he
Well, for Mr. Lord, the symbolism and point was too hard to understand.
I guess it was a little over your head Jeff, but keep working on it.
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