The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

[Woodsprite]

Originally Posted by Sonoran Na'vi

Glenn Beck had a decent point, but it appeared to me to have been lost in all his rhetoric. Apparently he is discussing why members of congress did not sign his pledge thing and fallaciously makes it about being against or for the two (I believe they are terrorist) groups/persons mentioned in the pledge. This is a good example of why I do not watch news talk shows or listen to radio talk shows.

"The trap" he was referring to was from part 1 of that video (I should've clarified it was incomplete). The "trap" was all about those two people, which is why he made it all about them (because it was all about them when referring to "the trap").

The other reason was the "still looking it over" excuse. He addresses both points, and only those points because those were the only points to make about the issue, because those were the only excuses given for not signing.

Personally, I think the unofficial reason for not signing the petition, even though it's a reasonable petition, was because it was tied to Glenn. If the petition came from any liberal source (which I doubt), congress would be lining up by the dozens to sign.

[Sonoran Na'vi]

Originally Posted by Woodsprite

"The trap" he was referring to was from part 1 of that video (I should've clarified it was incomplete). The "trap" was all about those two people, which is why he made it all about them (because it was all about them when referring to "the trap").

I figured that what he was referring to by "trap".

The other reason was the "still looking it over" excuse. He addresses both points, and only those points because those were the only points to make about the issue, because those were the only excuses given for not signing.

Did anyone say they didn't want to sing the petition because of the two terrorist groups mentioned? It seems to me that people in congress don't care to sign the petition. Glenn Beck just seems to be using these reasons as rhetorical devices in order to make a point about congress.

Personally, I think the unofficial reason for not signing the petition, even though it's a reasonable petition, was because it was tied to Glenn. If the petition came from any liberal source (which I doubt), congress would be lining up by the dozens to sign.

What's so important about signing the petition? If they don't sign it, it doesn't really mean anything. Professionals in particular fields are rather cautious (or should be) about associating themselves with the projects of those that make a living commenting on the work that they do. Glenn Beck is known for making a living off of discussing the politics/politicians in Washington, DC. I would be cautious signing the petition, too, if it were from or being promoted by Glenn Beck or other news/political talk show hosts.

[Isard]

Originally Posted by Woodsprite

Personally, I think the unofficial reason for not signing the petition, even though it's a reasonable petition, was because it was tied to Glenn. If the petition came from any liberal source (which I doubt), congress would be lining up by the dozens to sign.

That may be due to his firebrand reputation and borderline McCarthyism talking points. (Except he likes to switch "Communist" for "Progressive" more often)

Politicians usually don't like to be directly associated with people like Beck.

[Tsyal Makto]

'Cause we know congress is just teeming with lib-rhuls, right?

I'm with Isard on this one. After Palin, Beck is probably the most blamed for having rhetoric that sparked the shooting (judging that attempted shooters before Laughner have cited Beck for their beliefs). Both of them are just too radioactive right now to be doing something like this. Maybe some less controversial conservative, like Shepard Smith or Michael Medved, would have had more takers.

And regardless, I don't really think this is a left or right issue. A pledge created by a democrat would probably get just as many signers as a pledge by a republican. I mean the pledge IS about cooperation, afterall.

[Woodsprite]

The shooter's two favorite books were Marx's Communist Manifesto and Hitler's Mein Kampf. So... I think that pretty-much proves how insane this guy really was, and that you can't pin the shootings to conservatives (that's just being hateful).

EDIT: Shepard Smith is a hard-core liberal democrat, but he's one hell of a good reporter.