Useful Idiots like him are as Dangerous as the Terrorists.
“Useful Idiot” was the first thing I thought of too.
Useful Idiots like him are as Dangerous as the Terrorists.
***
It figures he’s is clueless
Without spending too much time on my opinion of the pundit/entertainer — I’m going to have to face my in-laws at the next family reunion, after all —
I’ll just say I think Beck’s unique brand of hateful rhetoric, fear-mongering and conspiracy theorizing represent a dangerous fringe of American conservatism.
That younger Mormons seem to be rejecting him is encouraging.
Of course, my only evidence of this assertion is anecdotal, and I’m not aware of any data that track the political leanings of LDS young adults.
But more broadly, a recent Harvard study has found that an increasing number of 18- to 29-year-olds consider themselves independent of either of the dominant partisan platforms.
It’s entirely plausible, if not likely, that the same trend toward moderate politics is taking place within the church.
I have written before about the hazards of our church becoming too mono-partisan.
If we risk alienating Democrats by being too Republican, then we risk alienating an even larger group — namely, rational people of any political ideology who find the rantings of extremists repellent — when we defend and even join the radical fringe.
There is no doubt that Beck’s story of repentance, recovery and conversion is an inspiration, and we should be careful not to demonize him as an individual.
But some of his rhetoric and some of his politics are uncivil at best and frightening at worst.
If we want our church culture to welcome people with a variety of opinions, we would do well to follow the brethren’s counsel regarding civility.
http://www.mormontimes.com/article/1710/The-Glenn-Beck-problem