Glenn Beck vs. Art: Does Symbolism = Propaganda?

I was about to put the finishing touches on an article about language and writing when I stumbled across a little gem I just have to show you all.  You see, I’ve been a bit busy as of late and have a few articles circulating (each of them close to being finished but not quite) and as such have not had the chance to really sit down and catch up on the news.

If you know nothing of right-wing, though he calls himself Libertarian, pundit Glenn Beck, then allow me to explain.  He is currently a very popular Fox News Host in the vein of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly, the difference being that at least the latter two are honest with themselves on what they say.  Beck is more famous for selling lies in the form of pipe dreams.  He’ll talk in circles, making conspiracy theories and “asking the hard (read: nonsensical) questions”.  To give a hyperbolic example: Is Obama capable of eating through his ear?  He won’t tell us if he is or not.  I’m just asking questions here.  Why won’t Obama tell us about his ear eating habits?

I only know of Beck mostly through my mother who has recently become obsessed with him, insisting he is leading us to the future.  She seems unaware of his extreme love of Skousen, a man famous for being so extremist that even the Mormon Church distanced themselves from him.  As of late, Beck has taken to resurrecting Skousen’s interesting, and wholly inaccurate, retelling of America’s history in The 5,000 Year Leap.  Give it a read some time.  Really, it’s…unique.

Whilst browsing Youtube.com I came across this video wherein Beck criticizes artwork in Rockefeller center.  Watch the whole thing for the full effect.

Okay, for those of you not familiar with this guy, yes he does this every episode on his show.  Yes, lots of people, including my trusting mother, are suckered in by him and his completely unsubstantiated and often circular theories.  I’m not even sure how he linked that last bit with the statue and the UN.  My head is still spinning from it.  Also, if I may be completely immature for a moment, I laughed my ass off for the entire video.

Back in September, Beck organized something he called the ‘912’ rallies where he convinced other conservatives to take up arms in “getting America back to where it was post 9-11” i.e. with all of us united in a fight against global terrorism.

On a side note, I find the post 9-11 times to be frightening, filled with confusion as new laws stripped us of freedoms and imprisoned innocents, but hey, that’s just me.

For these ‘912 rallies’ a symbol was created to represent the fighting individual against big government.

How interesting that they chose to use a red fist.  True, yes, the raised fist is a symbol of the individual fighting against the oppressor, but its connotations are strongly leaning toward radical left groups such as the Russian citizens who fought to topple the Czar and the Black Panther party that raged a race war against the white elite.  Most recently, however, the specific red fist is a symbol associated with the Progressive Labor Party.

Hey, I’m not saying Beck is a secretly a communist.  I’m just asking reasonable questions.  I mean, if he would answer my phone calls, and come directly to my house and explain just how he’s not a Communist then, okay.  But, he hasn’t done that so it shouldn’t be unreasonable to think his is one right?  Right?

On a completely random note, I will forever associate the song Satan Gave me a Taco with this man.

~ by sniffits on January 17, 2010.