Alcoholic, Mental Illness, Ex-Mormon- Just a few of Beck’s Problems
John Bench
Op/Ed by Sammy Glick
I simply have to go back to this (Commenter, Harvey Dent’s) statement…“I never have heard of Glenn Beck, I do not even have Fox News, but I do belive now he is telling the truth, it sounds too much like Chavez to be just a coincidence. I heard Obama diversity Zar is a great fan of Chavez.”
It’s fine to have opinions on the world — but to admit you don’t know what you’re talking about, rather defeats having a reasoned debate. Perhaps you might try watching Beck’s show, along with watching the other nighttime programs on Fox News, before making judgments on the network and its hosts and how ‘truthful’ their statements and analysis of complex issues are.
Yet this again, speaks to my original statement that part of the problem with American politics, is that segments of the populace are not as informed as they think they are. They watch cable news, or listen to the radio; but that’s just it…they passively listen and never engage their minds or seek out other sources to better understand the complex issues facing the world. I often laugh to myself over how Rush’s fans PROUDLY call themselves ‘ditto-heads’ (as in, yes Rush…I agree 110% with what you just said…no need for me to investigate or think for MYSELF…I’ll just agree with ANYTHING you say about the world…”).
No wonder people like Rush make such a hissyfit about the ‘Fairness Doctrine’. For if there was really a government mandate for ‘equal time’ on the airways, he might lose some of the power he and other conservative radio people have gained…as they wouldn’t own the debate on radio 24/7 unchecked.
How many of Beck’s fans know he’s a recovering alcoholic, suffers from ADD and hyperactivity, has a family history of suicide and mental illness (much less that he converted to Mormonism upon moving to Utah early in his life). How many of his fans know he got his start in radio from winning a DJ contest, or that he dropped out of college. Better yet, does any of his history bear on his present activities? Should it? Might one ask why a college dropout, former rodeo clown, ex-top 40 radio DJ, with a history of mental illness should have such a large platform in which to voice their opinions?
Or put it this way — if that SAME person walked into a TV/Radio studio with a resume with those details, should they be hired to host a political opinion show? The way in which this nation treats someone who simply had sex on camera, makes you wonder how THAT person is a notch above a leper, and yet Beck and his baggage makes him a ‘hero of the people’ because he’s asking dopy questions about the government (questions that I dare say, even Tanner Mayes, Sasha Grey or Brian Pumper could ask).
Again, for a political party that is always talking about the ‘power of prayer’ and how we should be judged on our ‘actions’ not our ‘past’ — the Republicans sure to tend to ignore one’s past when it’s politically expedient, and use it when it politically serves their interests.
Thusly, we’re supposed to ignore Rush Limbaugh’s past history with drug abuse and the law (all of which files contrary to his public statements about abusing drugs), Rep. DeLay’s ethics problems with lobbyists, Col. Oliver North’s illegal activities (Iran/Contra), O’Reilly’s sexual harassment of a staffer, Bush Jr.’s DUI & spotty Air National Guard records (not to mention his battle with alcohol and cocaine) — but we’re never supposed to forget that Clinton got a BJ from a pudgy intern, Sen. Byrd was once a high-level KKK member, Sen. Edwards screwed around on his wife while she had cancer, Hillary’s Whitewater dealings, and now that Obama was a ‘community organizer’ familiar with ‘left wing’ literature.
For a guy like Beck who claims to just be ‘asking reasonable questions’ about a whole range of issues (but let’s be honest, he’s not asking a lot of those questions about Republicans or Conservatives) — why can’t his critics do the same about him? Or for that matter, when did the ‘truth’ become exclusive to one political philosophy?
Op/Ed by Sammy Glick
I simply have to go back to this (Commenter, Harvey Dent’s) statement…“I never have heard of Glenn Beck, I do not even have Fox News, but I do belive now he is telling the truth, it sounds too much like Chavez to be just a coincidence. I heard Obama diversity Zar is a great fan of Chavez.”
It’s fine to have opinions on the world — but to admit you don’t know what you’re talking about, rather defeats having a reasoned debate. Perhaps you might try watching Beck’s show, along with watching the other nighttime programs on Fox News, before making judgments on the network and its hosts and how ‘truthful’ their statements and analysis of complex issues are.
Yet this again, speaks to my original statement that part of the problem with American politics, is that segments of the populace are not as informed as they think they are. They watch cable news, or listen to the radio; but that’s just it…they passively listen and never engage their minds or seek out other sources to better understand the complex issues facing the world. I often laugh to myself over how Rush’s fans PROUDLY call themselves ‘ditto-heads’ (as in, yes Rush…I agree 110% with what you just said…no need for me to investigate or think for MYSELF…I’ll just agree with ANYTHING you say about the world…”).
No wonder people like Rush make such a hissyfit about the ‘Fairness Doctrine’. For if there was really a government mandate for ‘equal time’ on the airways, he might lose some of the power he and other conservative radio people have gained…as they wouldn’t own the debate on radio 24/7 unchecked.
How many of Beck’s fans know he’s a recovering alcoholic, suffers from ADD and hyperactivity, has a family history of suicide and mental illness (much less that he converted to Mormonism upon moving to Utah early in his life). How many of his fans know he got his start in radio from winning a DJ contest, or that he dropped out of college. Better yet, does any of his history bear on his present activities? Should it? Might one ask why a college dropout, former rodeo clown, ex-top 40 radio DJ, with a history of mental illness should have such a large platform in which to voice their opinions?
Or put it this way — if that SAME person walked into a TV/Radio studio with a resume with those details, should they be hired to host a political opinion show? The way in which this nation treats someone who simply had sex on camera, makes you wonder how THAT person is a notch above a leper, and yet Beck and his baggage makes him a ‘hero of the people’ because he’s asking dopy questions about the government (questions that I dare say, even Tanner Mayes, Sasha Grey or Brian Pumper could ask).
Again, for a political party that is always talking about the ‘power of prayer’ and how we should be judged on our ‘actions’ not our ‘past’ — the Republicans sure to tend to ignore one’s past when it’s politically expedient, and use it when it politically serves their interests.
Thusly, we’re supposed to ignore Rush Limbaugh’s past history with drug abuse and the law (all of which files contrary to his public statements about abusing drugs), Rep. DeLay’s ethics problems with lobbyists, Col. Oliver North’s illegal activities (Iran/Contra), O’Reilly’s sexual harassment of a staffer, Bush Jr.’s DUI & spotty Air National Guard records (not to mention his battle with alcohol and cocaine) — but we’re never supposed to forget that Clinton got a BJ from a pudgy intern, Sen. Byrd was once a high-level KKK member, Sen. Edwards screwed around on his wife while she had cancer, Hillary’s Whitewater dealings, and now that Obama was a ‘community organizer’ familiar with ‘left wing’ literature.
For a guy like Beck who claims to just be ‘asking reasonable questions’ about a whole range of issues (but let’s be honest, he’s not asking a lot of those questions about Republicans or Conservatives) — why can’t his critics do the same about him? Or for that matter, when did the ‘truth’ become exclusive to one political philosophy?