Here's a long series of clips from interviews of attendees of the Beck rally that are quite illuminating. I especially like the whole series of people who react with denial and even outrage when the interviewer quotes Beck's statement about Obama being a racist with a "deep-seated hatred of white people." Not only were they totally unaware of that statement, one guy reacted angrily and said that the guy was making it up and he wasn't going to talk to him anymore. A few others know about it and make lame attempts to justify it.
Dispatches from the Creation Wars
Thoughts From the Interface of Science, Religion, Law and Culture
Profile
Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media and the host of Declaring Independence, a one hour weekly political talk show on WPRR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.(static)
Search
Recent Comments
- Sesli Chat on America's Christian Colonies
- democommie@FuckAlanWestthatfuckingfucker.com on War Criminal Now a Republican Congressman
- democommie@FuckRonPaulthefuckingfucker.com on Ron Paul Rejects Evolution
- Stu on War Criminal Now a Republican Congressman
- democommie on Ron Paul Rejects Evolution
- Allison on Ron Paul Rejects Evolution
- DingoJack on America's Christian Colonies
- Robin on The Latest Attack on Planned Parenthood
- democommie on Closing Up Shop
- mote on Closing Up Shop
Recent Posts
- Closing Up Shop
- AIG and Wingnut on Wingnut Crime
- Behe and the Contingency of History
- Congratulations, Vic Hutchinson
- Big Bad Bob Enyart
- The Madness of Ron Wyatt
- Ellis Washington Projects About Projection
- Creationism on Dallas School Website
- Hovind Crony Blathers About Attenborough
- Not So Pyrrhic Victory in Texas
Blogroll
Science Blogs
- The Panda's Thumb
- Carl Zimmer
- The Austringer
- Evolution Blog
- De Rerum Natura
- Evolving Thoughts
- Preposterous Universe
- Butterflies and Wheels
- John Lynch
- Unscrewing the Inscrutable
- NCSE's Legal Blog
- Red State Rabble
- Thoughts From Kansas
- Appellate Blog
- Volokh Conspiracy
- Jack Balkin
- Legal Theory Blog
- ACS Blog
- Reason and Liberty
- Overlawyered
- Supreme Court Times
- Positive Liberty
- Reason's Hit and Run
- Andrew Sullivan
- Talking Points Memo
- Daily Kos
- Media Matters
- Patterico's Pontifications
- Classical Values
- Virginia Postrel
- Jim Anderson
- Strange Doctrines
- John Scalzi
- The Pryhills
- Temperantia
- Rev. Spork
- Electric Commentary
- Two Aarons
- Farkleberries
- Paul Phillips
- Henry Neufeld
- Talk.Origins
- Talk.Reason
- Antievolution.org
- National Center for Science Education
- Talk.Design
- Michigan Citizens for Science
Archives
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
- January 2004
- December 2003
- November 2003
Other Information
Ed Brayton also blogs at Positive Liberty and The Panda's Thumb
Ed Brayton is a participant in the Center for Independent Media New Journalism Program. However, all of the statements, opinions, policies, and views expressed on this site are solely Ed Brayton's. This web site is not a production of the Center, and the Center does not support or endorse any of the contents on this site.
Ed's Audio and Video
Declaring Independence podcast feed
YearlyKos 2007
Video of speech on Dover and the Future of the Anti-Evolution Movement
Audio of Greg Raymer Interview
E-mail Policy
Any and all emails that I receive may be reprinted, in part or in full, on this blog with attribution. If this is not acceptable to you, do not send me e-mail - especially if you're going to end up being embarrassed when it's printed publicly for all to see.
My Ecosystem Details
« Beck Admits Lying About Washington Document | Main | Florida Teacher Passes on Lies »
More Interviews from the Beck Rally
Posted on: September 8, 2010 9:07 AM, by Ed Brayton
Find more posts in: 
Politics
Politics
Comments
It's been my observation that the single most pervasive clip distributed by non-conservative media about Glenn Beck is the one where he calls the President a racist who hates white people. It's become so pervasive and is so consistent with his general theme that I would argue it is illustrative of who Glenn Beck is and his approach.
The fact these people weren't aware of Mr. Beck's calling the President a racist who hates whites is an illuminating example of how dominate conservative media has become coupled to the ability of conservatives to either avoid media outlets that present such news or avoid mentally digesting the raw data if it were to challenge their world view.
We're a long way from having meaningful productive debates in this country; Mr. Beck and his enablers are making that distance ever further.
Posted by: Michael Heath | September 8, 2010 9:23 AM
civil rights laws have not changed people's thinking or their hearts. Beck is bringing all of the hate to the fore. What can anyone say or do to rectify this situation?
Posted by: Bob Loblaw | September 8, 2010 9:28 AM
Some of these were on Chris Matthews' Hardball last night. I'm not sure the people who claimed they hadn't heard the racist line were telling the truth. Whether they were or weren't, it clearly wouldn't matter. My grandfather used to tell me mild horror stories, referring to the evil doer/monster in the story only as "one of the others". That seems to be how the people at this rally view President Obama: he must be one of "the others" because he sure as hell isn't like them. The definition of "other" varies from person to person, of course. (I believe the woman shown in the still here was the one who described the president as "a muslim at heart").
The best line of the show came from Chris (I'm paraphrasing here) "Clearly Beck was worried about this rally, because he told people to leave the signs at home. However, they couldn't leave their brains at home."
Posted by: dean | September 8, 2010 9:39 AM
Oh, for the love of...
The very first interviewee made me grind my teeth. You're not supposed to wear the US Flag in any way, shape or form - it's disrespecting it just as badly as burning the flag is.
Posted by: Merle | September 8, 2010 9:47 AM
Merle, next you'll be pointing out that the US Flag code recommends burning as the preferred method of disposing of the flag if it it has been marred or disfigured so as to avoid the possibility of it being discarded and disgraced by being thrown out with the garbage.
When Islamic radicals overran the American embassy in Tehran in 1978 the US marines stationed there first burnt cipher books and classified documents. $hey then burnt the American flags to prevent them being dishonored or used by the radicals for propaganda.
Posted by: Ian Gould | September 8, 2010 10:21 AM
dean at 3:
They may be telling the truth. If I recall correctly, Beck did not say it on either his own radio or TV show but on another Fox show (I think he said it on Fox and Friends, but could be wrong). The people at the rally may be fans of Beck but only watch/ listen to his shows. Also, it is unlikely that they'd watch or listen to any media that would have made it a point to air the statement for a broader audience.
Posted by: Jeremy Shaffer | September 8, 2010 10:27 AM
Anyone else find it weird that a bunch of racist assholes are marching to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," a song that explicitly links killing racist southerners to God's will?
Posted by: Darth Conans | September 8, 2010 11:18 AM
I'm just looking for that half-million people in the background. They had an average of 8 square feet each, and I'm surprised to see all that open grass.
Posted by: D. C. Sessions | September 8, 2010 11:31 AM
"They may be telling the truth. If I recall correctly, Beck did not say it on either his own radio or TV show but on another Fox show (I think he said it on Fox and Friends, but could be wrong)."
I believe you're correct on the show, and agree they could be telling the truth, but as closely as many follow him, I don't think all of them are.
"They had an average of 8 square feet each, and I'm surprised to see all that open grass." Especially, considering that the camera adds 5 to 10 pounds per person; you'd think they would seem bunched closer just from that. (half-kidding here)
Posted by: dean | September 8, 2010 11:45 AM
I don't like to assume that this video is entirely representative of the people at that rally - but... the stupid, it burns!
The most illuminating thing, for me, was that the people featured did not appear to be uber-wingnuts (lacking in ostentatious garb, for one). They seemed, on the surface, to be normal everyday folks. (I may have a biased opinion of what such people look like, since I live in North Georgia).
I'd be interested to see what landed on the cutting room floor - was it more damning, or less?
Posted by: TonyC | September 8, 2010 12:10 PM
Most revealing quote: "No, I didn't hear [Beck call Obama a racist]. But if I did hear it I'd believe it."
Posted by: H.H. | September 8, 2010 1:03 PM
It makes me wish that I had been there with a pickup truck of gold coins to sell.
Posted by: Troublesome Frog | September 8, 2010 1:46 PM
I think Beck would do a better service to his country by restoring healthy eating and dieting to his lard-assed followers. Fuck, have any of those people any idea what a "vegetable" is?
Just sayin' ...
Posted by: Fifth Dentist | September 8, 2010 3:29 PM
In my previous post, by "vegetable" I mean one that has not been battered and deep fried in lard.
Posted by: Fifth Dentist | September 8, 2010 3:31 PM
I think the B-roll of New Left Media's interviews is even better.
Best part there: A guy bemoans how blacks can use the N-word but he can't, and that's racist. He then talks about how people accuse those who disagree with Obama of racism, and the interviewer, without missing a beat, says, "Might it been [sic] because you used the N-word?"
Posted by: The Christian Cynic | September 8, 2010 4:19 PM
civil rights laws have not changed people's thinking or their hearts. Beck is bringing all of the hate to the fore. What can anyone say or do to rectify this situation?
Vote.
U.S. voter turnout is fairly low, particularly in non-Presidential years. This gives active, vocal minorities more political clout than their numbers represent. Know a lot of people who aren't bigots and don't like bigots? Convince the half of them who don't currently vote to do so.
Posted by: eric | September 8, 2010 4:32 PM
I was very impressed with the interviewer. It's not easy to listen to that kind of crazy without spluttering, 'but...but... none of that is even remotely true!' While it would have been very satisfying to hear all that misinformation challenged, that wouldn't have gotten the story.
Posted by: KathyO | September 8, 2010 8:00 PM
The B-roll mentioned by CC is definitely more interesting. Telling someone that Jesus does not exist is infringing on their rights. And that guy avoids using the N-word like, 99% of the time! Based on the B-roll material. it's looking like they used some of the more boring stuff for the main edit. Ouch.
Posted by: Djinna | September 8, 2010 8:41 PM
The B-roll made my brain bleed (I'd seen the other one before). "We have a right to have our own opinions, and someone saying that our opinions are wrong is infringing on our rights" Ouch, ouch, ouch... Girlie man, stopping abortions to fix the social security, flag shirt that hasn't been washed for ten years... *stroke*
Posted by: Kirsi | September 9, 2010 6:02 AM
I've learned everything I needed to know about Christianity from:
The Holocaust,
The Crusades,
The African Slave Trade,
The Inquisition,
Glen Beck,
etc.,
etc.,
etc.,
etc.,
... ... ... ...
Posted by: Alec Spencer | September 9, 2010 6:46 AM