<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">What's the whining here? I would consider Jensen's response to listening to beck useful information, since i don't tune in to people like Beck. Jensen has been fervently anti-war and "progressive" consistently (aside from his tendency to talk about the value of attending church), and written effectively thereto. To accuse him of deflecting criticism from the Obama administration is perverse. <div><br></div><div>Are your right wing sympathies offended? :=)</div><div><br></div><div>--mkb</div><div><br><div><div>On Aug 31, 2010, at 5:07 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Jensen's a whiner. <br>
<br>
The White House is delighted to have Beck as a bogeyman, scaring all
the liberals back to Barack...<br>
<br>
I wonder if they pay him for the act?<br>
<br>
<br>
On 8/31/10 11:12 AM, Morton K. Brussel wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:69C0CF4D-4ADF-423B-9F36-E9D55B429435@illinois.edu" type="cite">Jensen was impressed with Glenn Beck, and hence
fearful…<br>
<div><br>
<div>Begin forwarded message:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family:
'Helvetica'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:
</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica';
font-size: medium;">"Robert Jensen Updates" <<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:robertjensenupdates@thirdcoastactivist.org">robertjensenupdates@thirdcoastactivist.org</a>><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family:
'Helvetica'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>Date:
</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica';
font-size: medium;">August 30, 2010 12:10:18 PM CDT<br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family:
'Helvetica'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>To:
</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica';
font-size: medium;"><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:brussel@illinois.edu">brussel@illinois.edu</a><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family:
'Helvetica'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>Subject:
</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica';
font-size: medium;"><b>Glenn Beck’s redemption song</b><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family:
'Helvetica'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>Reply-To:
</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica';
font-size: medium;">"Robert Jensen Updates" <<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:robertjensenupdates@thirdcoastactivist.org">robertjensenupdates@thirdcoastactivist.org</a>><br>
</span></div>
<br>
<div><br>
Glenn Beck’s redemption song<br>
<br>
by Robert Jensen<br>
<br>
[A version of this essay appeared on the Texas Observer
website at <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.texasobserver.org/thewholestar/item">http://www.texasobserver.org/thewholestar/item</a>/16898-glenn-becks-redemption-song.]<br>
<br>
About halfway through Saturday’s “Restoring Honor” rally on
the DC mall, I realized that I was starting to like Glenn
Beck.<br>
<br>
Before any friends of mine initiate involuntary commitment
proceedings, let me explain. It’s not that I really liked
Beck, but more that I experienced his likeability. Whether
or not he’s sincere, I came to admire his ability to project
sincerity and to create coherence out of his incoherent
rambling about religion, race, and redemption.<br>
<br>
As a result, I’m more afraid for our political future than
ever.<br>
<br>
First, to be clear: Beck is the embodiment of everything I
dislike about the U.S. politics and contemporary culture. As
a left/feminist with anti-capitalist and anti-empire
politics, I disagree with most every policy position he
takes. As a journalist and professor who values intellectual
standards for political discourse, I find his willful
ignorance and skillful deceit to be unconscionable.<br>
<br>
So, I’m not looking for a charismatic leader to follow and I
haven’t been seduced by Beck’s televisual charm, nor have I
given up on radical politics. Instead, I’m trying to
understand what happened when I sat down at my computer on
Saturday morning and plugged into the live stream of the
event. Expecting to see just another right-wing
base-building extravaganza that would speak to a narrow
audience, I planned to watch for a few minutes before
getting onto other projects. I stayed glued to my chair for
the three-hour event.<br>
<br>
My conclusion: What I saw was the most rhetorically and
visually sophisticated political spectacle in recent memory.
Beck was able to both connect to a right-wing base while at
the same time moving beyond the Republican Party and the Tea
Party movement, potentially creating a new audience for his
politics. It’s foolish to make a prediction based on one
rally, but I think Beck’s performance marked his move from
blowhard broadcaster to front man for a potentially
game-changing political configuration.<br>
<br>
My advice: Liberals, progressive, and leftists -- who may be
tempted to denounce him as a demagogue and move on -- should
take all this seriously and try to understand what he’s
doing. Here’s my best attempt to understand it.<br>
<br>
Religion<br>
There’s nothing new about mixing Christianity and right-wing
politics in the United States, and Beck put forward a
familiar framework: America is a Christian nation that
honors religious freedom. Christians lead the way in the
United States, but the way is open to all who believe in
God. Anyone teaching the “lasting principles” found in all
faiths is welcome, despite theological differences. “What
they do agree on is God is the answer,” Beck said in his
call for a central role for religious institutions, whether
they be churches, synagogues, or mosques.<br>
<br>
But for all the religious rhetoric, Beck never talked about
the hot-button issues that are important to conservative
Christians. No mention of abortion or gays and lesbians.
Theologically based arguments against evolution and global
warming were not on the table. No one bashed Islam as a
devilish faith.<br>
<br>
Instead, Beck concentrated on basics on which he could
easily get consensus. God has given us the pieces -- faith,
hope, and charity -- and all we have to do is put them
together. Rather than arrogantly assert that God is on our
side, he said, we have to be on God’s side.<br>
<br>
Beck may eventually have to voice clear opposition to
abortion and gay marriage to hold onto conservative
Christian supporters, but on Saturday it was his apparent
religious sincerity that mattered. I have no way to know how
serious Beck’s faith in a traditional conception of God
really is, but it doesn’t matter. He sounds sincere and
moves sincere; he creates a feeling of sincerity. He brings
an emotional candor to public discussion of religion that is
unusual for someone in his line of work. When religious
people believe that someone’s profession of faith is real --
that it’s rooted in a basic decency and is deeply felt --
then differences over doctrine become less crucial.<br>
<br>
There has been some discussion of whether Beck, a convert to
Mormonism, can really connect to Protestants and Catholics,
some of whom view the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints as a cult rather than an authentic Christian
denomination. No doubt some evangelical/fundamentalist
Christians will reject Beck, but his personal appeal could
overcome those objections for many others.<br>
<br>
Race<br>
There’s also nothing new in Beck’s analysis of race. Like
most conservatives, he argues that America’s racism is
mostly a thing of the past, and that racial justice means a
level playing field that offers equal opportunity but does
not guarantee equal outcomes. Rather than come to terms with
the way white supremacy continues to affect those outcomes
through institutionalized racism and unconscious prejudices,
folks like Beck prefer a simple story about personal
transcendence and the end of racism.<br>
<br>
What was different about Beck’s version of this story was
the supporting cast. There were a lot of non-white people on
the stage, including a significant number of African
Americans. The rally went well beyond the tokenism that we
are used to seeing, not only in the Republican Party but
also in institutions throughout society. Beck not only gave
a featured speaking slot to Alveda King -- one of Martin
Luther King, Jr.’s nieces, no doubt selected to bolster his
claim to be speaking in the MLK tradition -- but also paid
close attention to race throughout the day. Take a look at
the lineup for the presenters of the three civilian badges
of merit for faith, hope, and charity: An American Indian
presenting to an African-American; a white man presenting to
a Dominican; and a Mexican-American presenting to a white
man, with a black woman accepting on his behalf.<br>
<br>
Is it all cynical and symbolic? For those of us who are
white, do we have a right to ask that question in the
presence of so much passion from the people of color on
stage? These weren’t cardboard cutouts shoved in front of a
camera to add color, but an eclectic mix of people, all
espousing a fundamental faith that they seemed to share with
Beck.<br>
<br>
Whether a movement rooted in Beck’s approach can gain wide
acceptance in non-white communities is not the only
question. For white people who are struggling with how to
live (or, at least, appear to live) a commitment to racial
justice, this kind of space will be attractive. Tea Party
gatherings are weighed down by an overt racial ideology that
limits their appeal; Beck may have a strategy that overcomes
that problem, creating a movement that has a significant
enough non-white component to make white people feel good
about themselves without really challenging white dominance.<br>
<br>
Redemption<br>
The key message of the “Restoring Honor” rally was
redemption, personal and collective, the personal
intertwined with the collective. Unlike some reactionary
right-wingers, Beck spoke often about America’s mistakes --
though all of them are set safely in the past. Rather than
try to downplay slavery, he highlighted it. It is one of
America’s “scars,” a term he repeated over and over, to
emphasize that our moral and political failures are from
history, not of this moment.<br>
<br>
“America has been both terribly good and terribly bad,”
leaving us with a choice, he said. “We either let those
scars crush us or redeem us.” Just as all individuals sin,
so do all nations. Just as in our personal life we seek
redemption, so do we as a nation. Framed that way, who would
not want to choose the path of redemption?<br>
<br>
But while on one level America has sinned, on another level
it is beyond reproach. “It’s not just a country, it’s an
idea, that man can rule himself,” Beck said. An idea remains
pure, which means we don’t have to wonder whether there’s
something about our political and economic systems that
leads to failures; injustice must be the product of
individual’s mistakes, not flaws in the systems in which
they operate.<br>
<br>
This is all standard conservative ideology as well. The
United States is not just a nation struggling to be more
democratic, but is the essence of democracy. Our wars are,
by definition, wars of liberation. The wealth-concentrating
capitalist system is not an impediment to freedom but is the
essence of freedom. How any of this jibes with the
egalitarian and anti-imperial spirit of the Gospels is off
the table, because the United States is a Christian country
and the idea of the United States is beyond reproach.<br>
<br>
But, again, the key to Beck’s success is not just the
ideology but the way he puts it all together. A nation whose
wealth rests on genocide, slavery, and ongoing domination of
the Third World is the nation that defines faith, hope, and
charity? Beck “proves” it by connecting Moses to George
Washington to Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr. All
are part of the same tradition, the same striving for
freedom.<br>
<br>
Beck is the perfect person to sing this redemption song. He
talks openly of the alcohol and drug abuse that ruled his
life until he discovered his faith in God. Unlike George W.
Bush, Beck tells the story with conviction. Perhaps both
Bush and Beck tell the truth about their experience, but
Beck makes you feel it is the truth in a way Bush could
never pull off.<br>
<br>
Reactions<br>
Wait a minute, you say, none of this makes a lick of sense.
Beck tosses a confused and confusing word salad that
rewrites history and ignores reality. Maybe it sounds good,
if you throw in enough energetic music and inspirational
personal stories from veterans, ministers, philanthropists,
and skillful TV personalities. But it’s really nothing but
old right-wing ideology, no matter how slick and heartfelt
the presentation.<br>
<br>
What would Beck’s supporters say? Probably something like
this:<br>
<br>
So, you are one of those who wants to keep picking at the
scars. Why do you lack faith, reject hope, refuse to offer
charity? Why do you turn away from the values and principles
that made us great? Glenn said it: “We must advance or
perish. I choose, advance.” Glenn wants to help us advance,
and you want us to perish.<br>
<br>
I agree that Beck is wrong about almost everything. I agree
that given his record of demagoguery and deception, he is
unfit for work in the news media or political leadership. I
agree that he may be one of those people incapable of
sincerity, someone whose “real” personality is
indistinguishable from his stage persona. I agree that he’s
a scary guy.<br>
<br>
I agree with all that, which is why I don’t really like
Glenn Beck. If I ever got close to Beck I would probably
like him even less. But after watching his performance on a
screen over those three hours, I understand why it’s so easy
to like him, at least on a screen. His convoluted mix of
arrogance and humility is likeable, so long as one doesn’t
look too closely at the details.<br>
<br>
More than ever, people in the United States don’t want to
look at details, because the details are bleak. Beck is on
the national stage at a time when we face real collapse. One
need not be a Revelation-quoting end-timer to recognize that
we are a nation on the way down, living on a planet that is
no longer able to supply the endless bounty of our dreams.
That’s a difficult reality to face, one that many clamor to
deny.<br>
<br>
The danger of Beck is not just his appeal to fellow
conservatives, but rather his appeal to anyone who wants to
deny reality. My fear is not that he will galvanize a
conservative base and make a bid for leadership of that part
of the political spectrum, but that his message will
resonate with moderates, maybe even some liberals, who
despair over the future.<br>
<br>
Does worrying about Beck’s appeal beyond the far right seem
far fetched? The most important rhetorical move Beck made on
Saturday was to claim the rally “has nothing to do with
politics.” Many people across the ideological spectrum want
desperately to escape from contemporary politics, which
seems to be a source of endless frustration and heartbrea<br>
<br>
To those people, Glenn Beck’s redemption song will be
seductive.<br>
<br>
-----------------------<br>
<br>
<br>
Robert Jensen is a journalism professor at the University of
Texas at Austin and board member of the Third Coast Activist
Resource Center in Austin. He is the author of All My Bones
Shake: Seeking a Progressive Path to the Prophetic Voice,
(Soft Skull Press, 2009); Getting Off: Pornography and the
End of Masculinity (South End Press, 2007); The Heart of
Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege
(City Lights, 2005); Citizens of the Empire: The Struggle to
Claim Our Humanity (City Lights, 2004); and Writing Dissent:
Taking Radical Ideas from the Margins to the Mainstream
(Peter Lang, 2002). Jensen is also co-producer of the
documentary film “Abe Osheroff: One Foot in the Grave, the
Other Still Dancing,” which chronicles the life and
philosophy of the longtime radical activist. Information
about the film, distributed by the Media Education
Foundation, and an extended interview Jensen conducted with
Osheroff are online at <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://thirdcoastactivist.org/osheroff">http://thirdcoastactivist.org/osheroff</a>.!<br>
html. <br>
<br>
Jensen can be reached at <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:rjensen@uts.cc.utexas.edu">rjensen@uts.cc.utexas.edu</a>
and his articles can be found online at <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/%7Erjensen/index.html">http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/index.html</a>.
To join an email list to receive articles by Jensen, go to <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.thirdcoastactivist.org/jensenupdates-info.html">http://www.thirdcoastactivist.org/jensenupdates-info.html</a>.
<br>
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