Glenn Beck Spreads Fear with the "Bubba Effect"
Right-wing hack Glenn Beck has taken on his Fox News talk show to spreading paranoid fantasies of a coming totalitarian America, total economic collapse, and an armed citizens' uprising in defense of the constitution. On the Feb. 20 installment of his "War Room" segment, Beck and a paranoid panel of guests raised the spectre of the "bubba effect," a rise of individual militias across America in response to liberal tyranny, and suggested that America is on the verge of civil war.
The segment is pure melodrama, beginning with a warning that some might find the material disturbing and advising viewer discretion. Beck then opens with a nightmare vision of the year 2014 in Barack Obama's America: All US banks have been nationalized, Beck predicts; unemployment stands at between 12 and 20 percent; the Dow is trading at around 2800; the real estate market has collapsed; the government and unions control most business; and America's credit rating has been severely downgraded. As Beck and his guests continue, the picture gets worse: Since the Democratic victories of 2006 and 2008, the segment suggests, the USA we used to know has been transformed into the Islamic Socialist Republic of Obamistan, where income tax rates have risen to between eighty and ninety-five percent, and where we all must live in fear of the Obamist secret police who will soon be coming to take away our guns and bibles. Beck and his guests predict a Mad Max-like environment in America's cities, which have become no-go zones controlled by armed gangs presumably of angry blacks and illegal aliens. Meanwhile, the disenfranchised and betrayed "bubbas" of America's heartland have taken to setting up armed, self-sufficient communities hostile to outsiders, and to preparing for civil war.
Finally, Beck asks his guests how such a situation might be defused, and they suggest provocatively that perhaps it should not be defused at all but encouraged, since it is government that is at fault and such an uprising would be an uprising against tyranny in defense of the constitution. At this Beck feigns shock and surprise, though his barely-masked excitement at the prospect says he is really just playing along as his guests more-or-less openly advocate the armed overthrow of the US government. Indeed earlier that day on Fox, Beck had played the sad and fearful prophet of doom, showing us his shaking hands to prove how afraid he is at the prospect of civil war in America, and warning us: "You need to prepare."
I wonder how many "bubbas" who watched Beck's show are, even now, stocking up on guns, ammo, and survival supplies for the coming apocalypse: Ka-ching!
Mark C. Eades
http://www.mceades.com
It's too bad the Fox News entertainers who are able to foresee into the future can't give us next week's lotto numbers instead of all this claptrap.
February 22, 2009 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the guy who was taped saying he would pay for the bullet that killed Michael Moore. Keith O keeps an eye on this fascist.
He looks like such a dolt, somebody surely would regularly steal his lunch monies when he was young and he as overcompensated and now his over compensated on Fox.
Despise this man. Important and good post. We must be alerted. It was not a socialist who blew up the building in Oklahoma with horseshit.
February 22, 2009 8:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Other than perhaps the Dow, we could see everything in this paragraph, and we could see it this year. 2009.
"All US banks have been nationalized, unemployment between 12% and 20%; the Dow at around 2800; the real estate market has collapsed; the government and unions control most business; and America's credit rating has been severely downgraded."
The government & unions controlling most business is not even completely unreasonable. Ask yourself whether the Banks and the Big 3 are functioning on their own today, and if so, who actually controls them. Add that to existing government activity, throw on a stimulus package, and you're well on your way to "most" of the economy.
So yes... they're scare-mongering like crazy... and yes they're aching for this kind of thing to happen... But then ask, "IF such a scenario happens, in 2009 (or 2010) and not 2014 - precisely HOW will we react? How will the Government act? How will people who aren't reaching for guns organize themselves and their affairs?"
This thing is bigger than anything we've faced since the 30's, and the system is far more fragile, and fast-moving than any of us can imagine. So.... what do WE do? I'm of the liberal-left, I'm not interested in guns, I'm not over-excited, and I don't know the answer.
February 22, 2009 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
It has to be about calling them out. Calling them on their fantasies. First of all, we need to understand their fanatical revisionoist histories. We also have to believe that there are plenty of these folks who believe they are patriots reincarnated. It's truly laughable and there are many who would join in that laughter if they knew how absurd they were. I do not think the uninvolved people really appreciate how dangerous they are.
There are plenty of books written by these folks that advocate violence or make passing references to violence. Then they use this Jedi Mind trick, "These are not the calls to violence you say they are. Keep moving." They blame the victims for misinterpeting or over-reacting. It is not for them to decide what feeling another person may have or to what degree they may express them.
My proposal is that we expose them for who they are to the general population ASAP. Let this not gather any momentum. When the ballots were counted there were plenty of people opposed to their philosophies. People need to be warned about where these people are intending to go so they not get out of sight.
The self-characterizations need to be challenged, i.e. is the representative really suggesting people use IEDs to advance their agenda when they self-characterize their constituents as insurgents? Rush Limbaugh is the head of the GOP? Ask Steele about that someday and ask him why more Congresspeople have apologized for remarks questioning the declaration by Rush then have denied Rush's assertion. Pin back their ears publicly. We need the MSM challenging these asshats. It seems that their free pass for the Bush Regime continues with the Bush Residue.
February 23, 2009 2:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
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Yup . . .
A public outcry on sh!t-for-brains like these is what is needed.
Although many will put forth the old saw that you shouldn't be giving these jokers any cred by talking about them.
~OGD~
February 23, 2009 2:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
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Ooooo . . .
I've been transported once again back to 1968/69 . . .
I can't help but notice that Glen Beck and these clowns are dancing on a fine line here that borders on incitement versus freedom of speech protected under the second amendment.
For additional information on this type of speech and related law, see:
The elements of the test are: intent, imminence, and likelihood.
You be the judge.
~OGD~
February 23, 2009 2:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
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And . . .
Just in case folks are too damn busy to go further into the links at the above post...
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969)
And this another case relateing to the incitement law:
NAACP v. CLAIBORNE HARDWARE CO., 458 U.S. 886 (1982)
I post this just on the outside chance someone around here may wish to expand their legal knowledge.
That is all . . .
~OGD~
February 23, 2009 2:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is more than cute!!! Cite a couple cases instead of throwing out a possibility that there may be some issues under the Alien and Sedition Acts-oops--PATRIOT ACTS.
I talked about this a few times. He would pay for the bullet that kills Michael Moore.
I would never say that I would pay for the bullet to kill Lush Rimjob. Never.
First, I would have good people like TheraP all over my ass.
Second, I would have nagging feelings about it. Maybe the old altar boy in me.
Third, i could end up on somebody's 'list'.
Although I probably am already. hahahaha
Good little addition to this thread, as they say.
Deep down I am still eight years old and I still laugh everytime I see the duck.
February 23, 2009 5:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
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Well . . .
Hey DD . . .
I'd rather have these punks spewing their crap and know what they're thinking, than stifling their speech. Always take advantage of your enemy's inability to keep their dark side hidden.
~OGD~
February 23, 2009 6:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
These blow hards need to be challenged publicly and humiliated. The only chapmpions I know, who have effectively taken them down a notch are Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, and Olbermann. Maddow can do a nice job of exposing them as well, but she's not likely to humiliate them. The avante garde was Jon Stewart, from which came Colbert.
February 23, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is kind of off topic but..For the life of me I can not understand why Democrats bother to appear on "FUCKS NEWS".
It is time to let Democrat elected officials know that if they appear on "FUCKS NEWS" they will not get our VOTE!
They are just providing the appearance of credibility to the ASSHOLES at "FUCKS NEWS"!
February 23, 2009 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
We do not express strongly enough how misleading and decaptive FOX Noise is. Not us here. We sometimes show sufficient disdain, but our political leaders. They should just come out and say on another news cast or in a press release how FOX has lied, each and every day. There are an abundance of examples many of which are really not subject to debate. There are plenty of shades of gray where one can give them the benefit of the doubt, but there are plenty where it is just plain false, a complete and total fabrication. Those instances need to be exposed. Then the politicians can simply state, it is not about their point of view, it is about their credibility. There is definitely a high road on which they do not tread. Glorifying Liddy and North is the most obvious, nevermind Rove.
February 23, 2009 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
He just plagiarized all that from whoever invented John Titor (google if you don't know what that means.)
That's all this is - straight plagiarizing a widespread and very well done internet hoax that started I don't know how long ago. The civil war here between the Right and the Left, is supposed to start under the radar in'08 and explode into a shooting war by '10 and in '12, Europe nukes the US. Like I said - google "John Titor"
Who is the Right going to war with - everybody else? Do they have a clue how outnumbered they are? Do they really believe their own bullshit about liberals and guns?
February 23, 2009 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
HTX, having met some of these Reich-wingers to answer, do they really believe, I have to say yes. Many of them, too many of them, really do believe.
Oliver North believed he owed loyalty to the President, not the Congress. Monica Goodling may have made an oath to the President. We want to believe she misunderstood, but there is another possibility here in the politicized AG's office. Alberto Gonzalez feels perfectly justified to this day for what he did as do so many others, too numerous to mention, but I'm sure a dozen names will pop into your head. It's disturbing.
February 23, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
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This overlooked point should be repeated . . .
If they do, they sure haven't visited our block of the hood we have resided on since '69.
They should have been here the week of April 29, 1992.
~OGD~
February 23, 2009 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Plenty of news articles around reporting the increase in gun sales nationally since Obama won the Democratic Nomination (back in June 08).
I guarantee you that there are lots of people that think like Glenn Beck.
Thank God that those around me represent a small sliver of the US population.
Let's keep it small by calling out Fox and the corporate MSM every chance we get.
Also a great point by Gregor Zap. Glorifying Liddy and North- what small memories we have.
February 23, 2009 7:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm usually to po'ed about Limbaugh, Oreilly & Fox in general & the fact they're taken anywhere near serious to venture out to right of the right. These guys are the WWE of news. People believe that's real too. What are you going to do?
The minority is being defined a little more every day. They will always exist, at least it's clear who they are & their game is now transparent & obvious. They complain about being outnumbered & isolated, that's very true, but not on Fox.
March 19, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink