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When Roger West first launched the progressive political blog "News From The Other Side" in May 2010, he could hardly have predicted the impact that his venture would have on the media and political debate. As the New Media emerged as a counterbalance to established media sources, Roger wrote his copious blogs about national politics, the tea party movement, mid-term elections, and the failings of the radical right to the vanguard of the New Media movement. Roger West's efforts as a leading blogger have tremendous reach. NFTOS has led the effort to bring accountability to mainstream media sources such as FOX NEWS, Breitbart's "Big Journalism. Roger's breadth of experience, engaging style, and cultivation of loyal readership - over 92 million visitors - give him unique insight into the past, present, and future of the New Media and political rhetoric that exists in our society today. What we are against: Radical Right Wing Agendas Incompetent Establishment Donald J. Trump Corporate Malfeasence We are for: Global and Econmoic Security Social and Economic Justice Media Accountability THE RESISTANCE

Friday, February 4, 2011

GLENN BECK AND FAUX NEWS......USEFUL IDIOTS

Republican TV viewers  have always searched for a leader and mentor whom could do the thinking for them. Whom do they find,  Faux News' featured "Useful Idiot"  and television's stupidest, AKA Glenn Beck-- How do we derive to this conclusion?

When he went searching for a religion after years of a drunken, drug-induced stupor he found just the right fit: Mormonism. The hook: he's honest about the fact the he's a self-loathing alcoholic and that he suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

While most sermonizing conservatives wait for a public debacle to expose their failings-- think of William Bennett and his slot-machine addiction, or Rush Limbaugh and his pill popping problem-- Beck and his many inner demons are on a first-name basis, and he's constantly introducing them to his viewers. His alcoholism is just part of it." Fact of the matter is, every time Beck opens his mouth his failings are exposed. His essential being is a failure. Faux News is simply trying to exploit the ridiculousness of the "C-list pundit" to make a few dollars.

Beck's moronic, and now notorious assertions that any all situations [are either a conspiracy, Nazism, and or total annihilation of the globe] have reached a fever pitch.

Low ratings and boycotts to Faux advertisers [to the Beck show] could be a few reasons for Beck's 27th personality to morph on TV. Beck’s opening monologues are always a jumble of ideas thrown together in a stream of consciousness shtick that conveniently avoids any logical arguments or theories.




Republicans, Glenn Beck, and Faux News must suffer from short term memory loss. Beck always manages to get some attention-- which, of course, is what he was looking for. Even the leather-winged shouting heads at Faux News look like intellectual giants next to this bleating, benighted Cassandra. It's like someone found a manic, doom-prophesying hobo in a sandwich board, shaved him, shot him full of Zoloft and gave him a show.

Becks revelations and predictions mimic or ape those of Nostradamus.

Maybe an attention-deficit host is exactly what an attention-deficit public wants. Listen to a few of Beck's shows and what strikes you most is the enormous ratio of words to substance-- how Beck can monologue for minutes at a time and leave behind almost nothing except the impression of great vehemence.




What is irrational is the failure of conservatives and Republicans to perceive the divergence between Fox’s interests and their own. Republican leaders should have put a hundred miles between themselves and Glenn Beck the first day he began dwelling lovingly on the possibility of right-wing armed violence in the United States. It’s a little awkward to do so now: that would look like falling in step with the Obama administration’s contrivances. But party leaders should quietly urge anyone with an (R.) after his or her name to keep as far away as possible from this unwitting tool of Obama administration spin.

The Glenn Beck show in no way achieves those vitally important aims. Beck's type of "journalism" is dangerous and can have wide-ranging negative effects on society. The kind of material broadcast by Glenn Beck and Faux News is not unique; as a number of other extreme radical tea bags operate the air waves in this same manner as well [AKA Dana Loesch, Rush Limbaugh]. However, none has displayed intolerance on such a frequent and irresponsible scale as Glenn Beck.

It is Rupert and James Murdoch who should answer for fear mongers such as Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly. They employ them. They promote them. They are responsible for them. It is time for thinking citizens in the United States to unite against the Murdochs’ vicious brand of politics that masquerades as publishing.
If Glenn Beck were here today I would say to him: “Glenn Beck, you are a fear monger. You bring shame to our country, not because you lack balance, but because you are an unthinking buffoon. Rupert Murdoch tolerates you because you are his useful idiot. He uses you to get a foothold in the doors of the powerful. Like his phone-hacking journalists and his pugnacious leader-writers, you as well are expendable. Let us hope he disposes of your nasty brand of intolerance sooner rather than later.


"We , in America, are, often, not as forthright in calling out the curse on America that is Glenn Beck. Neither are we as forthcoming in calling out the cancer in America that is Rupert Murdoch. But, the truth is Glenn Beck is a very dangerous person, whether or not he means to be. His frequent, intellectually challenged, rants are red meat for his followers, who cannot seem to discriminate fact from unconnected ramblings and act on what he says. One has only to watch Beck’s supporters on Twitter to realize what is happening .. and it may just need a single match to ignite a deranged mind to act against those who are the victims of Beck’s rants."
For example:


1: Beck has called President Obama a “racist” with a “deep seated hatred for white people”. he also has claimed that Obama’s agenda is designed to settle old racial scores.

2: Beck’s rants reportedly motivated Byron Williams, a California man, to assassinate workers at the Tides Foundation in San Francisco, a frequent target of Beck’s incredible claims that it is a center for left-wing plots against America.

3: Beck frequently tries to connect Obama and his administration to a dangerous group of left-wingers who live and work in the shadows.

Quick searches of Google and YouTube will give you a wealth of resources that illustrate Beck’s far-right conspiracy theories. They all seem to stem from his “guru”, Cleon Skousen, and from the philosophies of the John Birch Society. Often they seem to echo conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Jones.

Beck’s shows are permeated by paranoia and a constant, albeit subtle, incitement toward violence against the “enemies” who want to take down America, as he knows it, and replace it with a Marxist society. And here, Obama is always the enemy, ably assisted by a variety of Marxist/Communist/Socialist allies.

Here are a few quotes selected from the schizoids trunk of "useful idiots, a guide to insanity":


Hello, you sick twisted freak.

The Glenn Beck Program, Show Opener

Can you let your son's body become the same temperature as your son's head before you turn this into a political campaign against the president? Could you do that?
The Glenn Beck Program, Premiere Radio Networks, 2004-05-14


Comment on Michael Berg, the father of murdered American businessman Nicholas Berg

I find this guy [Michael Berg] despicable. Everything in me says that. The want to be a better person today than I was yesterday says he's a dad, he's grieving, but I don't buy that. I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I think he is grieving, but I think he's a scumbag as well. I don't like this guy at all.
The Glenn Beck Program, Premiere Radio Networks, 2004-05-14

"Clear Channel radio host railed against Nick Berg's father, called him a "scumbag"", Media Matters, 2004-05-17
"Radio host who called Nick Berg's father "a scumbag" responded to MMFA report: "I think public opinion will grow closer and closer to mine"", Media Matters, 2004-05-18



Would you kill someone for that?...I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore...I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it,...No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out. Is this wrong? I stopped wearing my What Would Jesus — band — Do, and I've lost all sense of right and wrong now. I used to be able to say, "Yeah, I'd kill Michael Moore," and then I'd see the little band: What Would Jesus Do? And then I'd realize, "Oh, you wouldn't kill Michael Moore. Or at least you wouldn't choke him to death." And you know, well, I'm not sure.
The Glenn Beck Program, Premiere Radio Networks, 2005-05-17
"Radio host Glenn Beck "thinking about killing Michael Moore"", Media Matters, 2005-05-18
    
Cindy Sheehan is a tragedy slut.
The Glenn Beck Program, Premiere Radio Networks, 2005-08-15

Reports show that death threats against President Obama are up around 400% more than against President George W. Bush. Beck cannot be blamed for all of this, but he feeds into the constant steam of vitriol and incandescence directed against Obama (and Democrats) by right-wing and far-right talking heads, bloggers, radio and TV hosts, and members of the GOP and Tea Bag Parties.



Beck says that he is a former alcoholic and drug addict, who also suffers from Attention Deficit disorder (ADD). Have these addictions been replaced by a “Messiah Complex”, or a need for adulation?

The problem I see is that Beck does not have to convince everyone who hears him to violence, but just one – just one nut. So, is Glenn Beck a curse on America? To most, he is, and too most he and Faux News are "Useful Idiots"


NFTOS