COMMENT: In the wake of the shooting in Tucson, the GOP/Tea Bagger folks have been stridently denying that their incendiary, eliminationist rhetoric is in any way responsible for that incident.
Fox News’ star commentator Glenn Dreck (as I call him) epitomizes the kind of behavior that is the focal point of critics.
It would be impossible to interpret his comments in any other way other than an incitement to violence. When he said to his listeners that they will have to shoot Democrats in the head, it is a reach to interpret his comments as anything other than inviting bloodshed.
It is also noteworthy that he (Dreck) casually red-baits the Democratic opposition. With the Cold War a little over two decades in the past, we are seeing Born-Again McCarthyites casually tarring people with the Commie brush, a cowardly substitute for any form of intelligent, meaningful criticism.
EXCERPT: Discussing Democratic leaders during a June broadcast for the Republican Fox News Channel, conspiracy host Glenn Beck told his followers they would have to “shoot them in the head” in order to bring an end to an alleged “communist” agenda.
“They believe in communism,” he said. “They believe and have called for a revolution. You’re going to have to shoot them in the head. But warning, they may shoot you.” . . .
Filmmaker Michael Moore has created a list of Fox News commentators calling for the murders of various public figures:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/must-read/fox-news-no‑1
Glenn Beck is simply old-fashioned NSDAP.
Google “Glenn Beck + Jews” and you’ll find a variety of interesting articles.
Most recently, Beck’s “Nine Villains of the 20th Century” were 90% Jews:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201101140003
Whereas this is “dog-whistle” politics, Beck’s call for shooting Democrats in the head was not his first foray into this type of incitement.
Beck has also incited the murder of filmmaker Michael Moore (as has FOX commentator Bill O’Reilly):
http://mediamatters.org/research/200505180008
the fact that this demented “killer-by-proxy” is not yanked off the air immediately and that Faux News broadcast license is not suspended for hosting incitement to murder is a stark commentary on the degraded nature of media monopoly in the US.
@Stu: My sentiments exactly, fellow truth seeker.
Hello Dave,
Well, this time, I have good news. This era in which we live is so depressing, we are surrounded by stuff so terrible that a bit of fresh air is definitely welcome.
Finally, Fox News has decided to pull the plug on Glenn Dreck by the end of this year. Some analysts say that ratings plummeted at high speed since the winter, other insist on a tense relationship with Fox president Roget Ailes or other reasons.
But, personally, I would bet on two things: he said the truth about George Soros...and he publicly called for murdering Democrats, which calls were unfortunately answered, it would appear, by Jared Lee Loughner.
It is incredible how the United States has gone far to the right. In Canada, a TV host who would have made comments like that would have been sent packing right away. I am not even sure he would have been able to finish the show. A cameraman might have replaced him. Anyway, I am glad that the right-wing Fox News Network has a small amount of decency left.
It is a day a celebration for all progressives, liberals, leftists and centrists. As I said, good news are so rare that each one is to be savored fully.
After I click on the submit button, I will open a beer for all of us. Cheers to you Dave, all your collaborators and all the listeners.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/konrad-yakabuski/fox-drops-demagogue-glenn-beck/article1974164/page1/
To Newt’s credit, he wasn’t advocating shooting liberals in the head at a campaign forum today. Instead, he just wants the Federal government to fire them.