Friday, August 27, 2010

Beck and King

I'll admit up front that there is something that grates on me about Glenn Beck, who has been vocal in opposition to social justice as he understands it, speaking from the Mall in Washington tomorrow on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

I do believe Beck will be respectful. I do believe it is Beck's right and the right of any who would attend. I just don't like it. No matter how respectful he is, a very very large portion of America--including probably the majority of African-Americans in this country, will experience it as mimicry, as a mockery. I wonder what his intentions are. He strikes me as a showman through and through, which makes this feel like a stunt.

I'll grin and bear it. Since I don't have anything substantial to say about Beck today, I'll just keep my mouth shut... for now. Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.
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5 comments:

JRS said...

Does it help that Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of the speakers?

7:14 PM
::athada:: said...

As long as he stayed on the stage at Fox, it seemed plausible that his audience, and perhaps himself, understood that it was somewhat of a show, of hyperbole, the fun of theater. Seeing him actually in the person, at the Mall, at a "non-political" rally... it dawned on me that he might actually be real! Kind of scary, actually.

A simple reminder to evangelicals listening to him implore us to turn back to God: that he is a Mormon. No offense to my Mormon brethern, just to say that it's amorphous judeo-christian diety we seem to be turning back to, not Jesus who is the Christ. Perhaps reason for the emphasis on the founding fathers, many of whom had the same idea... ?

9:28 AM
Anonymous said...

Yes, Professor Schenck must bite his tongue and not lambast Glenn Beck for holding a rally in the District of Corruption. Does the idea of "Restoring Honor" offend you? Does pleading that we as a nation should turn to God as the solution to the mess human beings have gotten the world in sound that odd to you? No doubt you would prefer that he direct our faith toward Obama and divine government. Maybe challenging people to speak and act with integrity, honor and charity troubles your complex mind. Singing Amazing Grace in front of the Lincoln Memorial may be inappropriate in your book. Maybe you should have tuned into Al Sharpton's rally instead. I am sure that is where you would feel most comfortable.

11:23 AM
::athada:: said...

You are right, Craig. There are only two kinds of N. Americans - no more - and I am on the side that wants to see the destruction of Western civilization. ;)

Though I must say, Beck is blowing my mind of these black-and-white categories. I though MLK was the commie, being that he spoke so harshly against economic oppression and the war in Vietnam, but then Glen looks to him for inspiration. What?!

11:51 AM
Ken Schenck said...

I'm sure his words were perfectly acceptable. I find Sharpton just as skewed on the other end.

1:18 PM

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