Beck—an appreciation

Kathy P. writes:

The significance of Beck, with all his many flaws, is this: Over three million people a DAY watch his show. He’s the third most popular radio talk show in the U.S. People who watch his show are getting something that other shows don’t deliver: a genuine search for understanding of the catastrophe happening around us. Not just the political platitudes and cynicism of the usual right/conservative pundits is going on here. To “get” this, don’t listen to his radio show. Watch a few of his TV shows. Start with the Revolutionary Holocaust on Jan 22nd (I think) His shows are archived by fans at two sites: glennbeckclips.com and watchglennbeck.com. Start with a couple of specials. What you will see is his own shock and sense of betrayal at those who have taught us the past—and hidden it from us—his own amazement at what can be known, and his sense of responsibility to pass on what he has been and is learning to people who care about God, truth, political principles, and the beauty and value of America.

He has been the main guy getting the word out to ordinary people who aren’t scholars, who the people are that Pres. Obama has around him to counsel him and promote his agenda—Van Johnson, Bill Ayers, Cass Sunstein, Eric Holder, Andy Stern, etc. He plays clips of their overt Marxist statements and their plans to implement them. He shows how people are linked to each other and each other’s organizations; past associations professionally and organizationally. Really complicated stuff. And ordinary people are drinking it in. Every book he talks about is No. 1 on Amazon for weeks after. Liberal Fascism, books about Woodrow Wilson and his Second Bill of rights (which Obama is implementing), serious biographies and works by the Founders, economics, Germany, China, etc.

But his radio show is incredibly uneven. He is a “rodeo clown.” The Pasty Patriot. He plays silly tricks. His ADHD gets full exposure. The good stuff is in there, but a one hour TV show forces him to be organized.

Don’t let his persona prevent more “serious” types miss this Paul Revere who is rallying—and educating—millions of people.

He’s a man with a calling—to help save America. And people are learning economic theories and how to compare them. About the results of philosophical ideas. How the seeds of what we see now were planted in the 1800s. About Marx, G.B. Shaw, HG Wells and the Fabian Socialists. The eugenicists. Their shift from revolution as a plan—Russia, Italy—Germany; to evolution—progress through the culture—progressivism.

All this from a guy who spent part of one semester in college at age 30.

I suppose I’m reacting to the ease with which the “smart guys” on our side are dismissing the Joe the Plumber of the media world. That’s the burr—the too easy critique.

I’m rambling- can’t quite articulate why I think he’s significant and as underestimated by “us” as we are by large segments of the conservative, should be Traditionalist blogworld. This is a guy in progress. He doesn’t get it on the danger of immigration, , for example. But listen to him explain the meaning of the Statue of Liberty and read the poem by Emma Lazarus like no one has ever read it (at the end of his CPAC speech).

I’ll stop now. For now. Other battles to fight. For the West! Kathy P.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 26, 2010 02:30 PM | Send