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PDF versionGlenn Beck's Rally & the Banality of Goodness
by Michael Sean Winters on Aug. 28, 2010
Watching the Glenn Beck rally on the Mall, Mr. Beck has proven true to his word. The rally is not political if by political one means partisan. Every moment, every speech, every song has a feel good, I Love America, quality to it. A phrase, slightly modified from the original, fills my mind: The Banality of Goodness.
Who doesn’t honor our troops? Who doesn’t admire Albert Pujols and his work with Down Syndrome children? Who doesn’t think honor is better than dishonor? Who doesn’t think family is important? Who is opposed to charity? The only thing missing as far as I can tell is the tribute to apple pie.
There is, of course, a sinister side to the rhetoric. The invocations to a golden age of Americanism implies that the current age is somehow un-American. If we have lost our sense of honor, is it not possible that someone has taken it? For all the inspiring rhetoric that “We are Americans,” to which the virtually all-white crowd applauds, there is the counter-picture that some people, those not present, are not Americans. There is nothing explicitly anti-Obama or anti-Democrat, but there doesn’t have to be. The language is not exactly in code, but everyone understands the inferences perfectly well. There is a reason Gov. Palin was invited to address the crowd, just back from her defense of Dr. Laura’s right to use the “n” word. The references to Jesus Christ are heartfelt, no doubt, but the Master is presented exclusively as a prop for Americanism and not as the Savior of the World.
Mr. Beck himself is the star attraction and it is difficult not to conclude that the whole purpose of the rally was to boost his star appeal. All the speeches praise him. The mere mention of his name elicits applause from the crowd. His voice narrates the videotaped interludes which resemble nothing so much as those insipid, framed pictures one finds on office walls, the ones that show eagles in flight over mountains with an accompanying quote about “Success” or “Opportunity.” They are meant to be inspirational but they are merely motivational, in the most vulgar sense of that word.
The rally calls to mind a series of rallies the Rev. Jerry Falwell sponsored in the mid-1970s. Those were called “I Love America” rallies and they were held on the steps of each of the 50 state capitols. Falwell would contact area pastors in advance, to drum up a crowd. He would fly in with singers from his Liberty Baptist College who would serenade the crowd with patriotic songs. Falwell would give a speech, not a sermon, but the difference between the two was a bit blurry: The Gospel being preached was the Gospel of American Exceptionalism, but that exceptionalism derived not from the Enlightenment principles at the heart of our Founding documents, but from a more tribal instinct, rooted in the Bible Belt, built on Fundamentalist theology, organized out of the remnants of the Goldwater campaign and anti-civil rights groups. Then, too, the enemy was largely “within,” and condemned under the label “secular humanism,” whereas Beck’s target is now “progressivism.”
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Finally, there is something creepy in the cult worship of Mr. Beck. I half expected him to give a five hour speech announcing a new five-year plan for the economy. His simplistic, self-contained understanding of history, and especially of the Founding of the American Republic, is but a hop, skip and jump from the simplistic, self-contained understanding a Marxist would espouse: The premises and the conclusions are different, but the style and the invitation to group-think are astonishingly, and frighteningly, similar. Watching it, I felt a sense of deju vu, recalling the time I went with a Russian friend to attend a Communist Party rally at the entrance to Gorki Park in Moscow. One of the speakers said, “Let Marilyn Monroe drown in her capitalist perfume; her beauty is as nothing to that of the beauty of the Soviet woman.” You don’t forget a line like that. Today, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, similar nonsense is being spewed. There is no patriotism like American patriotism, no soldiers like our soldiers, no apple pie like our apple pie.
Mr. Winter's piece is so
Mr. Winter's piece is so predictable that it is laughable. He continues to demonstrate why he is your resident far left scribe. Unfortunately such diviseness, ridicule and exageration does little to advance constructive political dialogue. By contrast he almost makes Glen Beck seem like a moderate!
Beck and his devotees have
Beck and his devotees have every right to rally and preach, even in a manner many find distasteful. I find it curious, however, that Beck decried the "liberal predilection for symbolism in their activities" as "phony showmanship". Yet here he is on a stage and date drenched in historical symbolism, replete with bands, banners, and flags in a blatant attempt to appropriate to himself the honor of Martin Luther King, or worse to subvert what King taught and lived. I pray we remember Nuremberg as well as Red Square.
Thanks Mr. Winters for this
Thanks Mr. Winters for this review; it was the needed reality check that Tom Roberts called for in his piece, "The Taming of Martin Luther King." I'm especially sensitive to and grateful for his and your remarks because of something that happened earlier today. I had decided not to rile myself by paying attention to the rally until the inevitable sound bites on "the news". I inadvertently made a phone call during the broadcast to a family member who is one of the many who has responded to the "invitation to group-think" with unflinching loyalty. Normally she talks a long blue-streak; this morning she couldn't get me off the phone fast enough, saying "I'm watching television; it's such a great thing. It's marvelous! I have to get back to it right away." Needless to say that when I figured out what the stupendous event was, I definitely acquiesced. I'm a woman of great hope and faith, but encounters such as this within circles of family and friends are discouraging and a drag on the humor one needs in these days. Thanks for the support your piece provides.
When writing my earlier
When writing my earlier comment I forgot to mention an image that came to me in reading the opening paragraph of this blog. You mentioned the banality of goodness and that vividly recalled the movie WALL-E. Banality was a strong sub-theme as I recall. Your piece also revived other strong images from that movie: group-think definitely comes to mind for one, "star-appeal" and "cult worship" as well. In my earlier comment I confessed to a bit of discouragement. Reflecting on two other images from WALL-E in relation to this day's rally helped to restore hope, faith and humor. There's that persistent and never-give-up cockroach as well as new growth of life from desolation. The other side to chaos is always life.... The Holy Spirit dwells in chaos.
And no stupidity and
And no stupidity and corruption like out American stupidity and corruption dressed up in the "God is on OUR SIDE" at the heart of Tea Party politics!!
"Who doesn’t admire Albert
"Who doesn’t admire Albert Pujols and his work with Down Syndrome children?"
1. Obama I'm guessing, who can forget his filthy Special Olympics remark on The Tonight Show?
2. Liberals who see those born with special needs as people who should have been killed prior to being born, how often do we hear about what a drain they are on a family and a nation.
3. Haters of Sarah Palin. I'm convinced the only reason she's so hated is because she had the legal opportunity to slaughter her special needs son in the womb, and chose to give birth. The same year she had a chance to redeem herself in their eyes and kill her grandson, the son of her unmarried teenage daughter, and again she was on the pro-life side.
4. I'm betting Pujols is less admired today then he was yesterday to most liberals, but since there is no benefit to the liberals to having the best Latino athlete in America viewed as a conservative, I'm thinking he'll be given a pass.
Thank you for this thoughtful
Thank you for this thoughtful post. I couldn't stomach watching the entire thing, but from the bits and pieces I saw, you characterize it well. I think you managed to put your finger exactly on what made me uneasy about the entire thing. Apolitical and bland on the surface, but the homogeneity of the crowd, constantly proclaiming its "Americanness" tells you what you need to know.
Well, Mr Winters, you as an
Well, Mr Winters, you as an American have a right to voice your opinion. I think the crowd Mr Beck et al attracted today ( estimated upwards of
10,000 people) voiced their's....and the two would appear to be quite different! Yours appears to be the usual coming from the liberal/left whenever they have been "bested": play the race card!! And Mr Winters, I know it is "fashionable" in today's secular world to be global in our thinking and "down with nationalism" but it might be wise to recall our history from time to time so we don't forget what we owe to our past...and remember the lessons learned so we don't repeat the past mistakes as we try to determine our future. I appreciate that we live in a vast world among people of other faiths, no faith, and other cultures. However denying the worth of America's
contribution to the development of the world is not something we should be
always apologizing for and feeling ashamed of ( as some Liberal leaders do).It only makes us appear weak and vascillating re foreign policy. A nation that forgets or disregards their past is a nation that will fall on its own sword eventually. I think this is what Mr Beck et al were reminding
us today at that massive rally in Washington...and yes, thousands of those who stood with him today were hoping to make the point to our current leaders that they believe in their hearts we are headed down the wrong road and are
concerned about the future as it concerns the welfare of their children and their families. That is the message that should be seen above all in today's rally. They know in their hearts they are not racists,n or greedy to the point of not being concerned about their neighbor...nor are they convinced that all the woes of this world are caused by the capitalistic system. In short they are sick of the liberal agenda and see it as wrong-headed and just
not working for them...plain and simple! Big government ala Obama and Administration will be defeated in November. If these rallies don't convince you of this then perhaps you will just have to wait for the elections in NOvember to become a believer!
Clearly, Mr. Beck has a
Clearly, Mr. Beck has a messianic impression of himself.
Truely excellent article. Not
Truely excellent article. Not sure why I have not come across the Reporter before. You are now book marked!!
As a conservative Republican,
As a conservative Republican, I share Beck's views on most subjects but there is something about this cult like worship of him that makes me nervous. Remember, he betrayed the Catholic Church and became a Mormon; it is just a matter of time before he betrays America.
What's even more disconcerning is the attraction he has from the so called moderate, non-religious folks. They love him. I know people who don't even go to church and who consider themselves as moderates can't get enough of Beck. Now, Beck is trying to reach out to the LGBT community. He's like a false leader who will use the troubles of the day to convince that he is the savior. I don't see any difference between him and Obama. Both of them are scary and are anti-Christ types.
We should NEVER trust our politicans. It's unAmerican.
I can feel your hate Michael.
I can feel your hate Michael. I hope you're OK. I'll pray for you.
For anyone who didn't watch the rally, it is rebroadcast on cspan. Watch it and make up your own mind.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-5
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014993-503544.html
87,000 at Beck's "I Have a Scheme" rally.
Wingers always state their crowd sizes in multiples of delusion.
You captured the rally
You captured the rally perfectly.
I am not a fan of Glenn Beck
I am not a fan of Glenn Beck (I don't have the anger towards him that a lot of people do. I think "Father forgive him, he knows not what he does.") One thing that people on the right do not understand is that although charity is great, and commendable and everything, the poor (myself included among them) would rather work, take care of our families, but we need to make a just wage to do that. If you oppose abortion (which I do) you should also oppose capitalism, and the excessive profits at the expense of the population, especially children.
I will admit that capitalism
I will admit that capitalism isn't perfect by any stretch but it beats being told how to live, what I can get paid, where I can live, etc by a few who think they can control others, while THEY live very any way they want too. I am sorry for your troubles and hope and pray you will find the necessary work for your family. At least in America for now there is still hope and possibilities and of course with God there is always hope and direction through prayer.
Pretty good summary, Michael,
Pretty good summary, Michael, of the incoherent mess of confused souls on the national Mall reacting against Obama, colored people and foreigners in general, and anything suggesting that Americans, no matter how ignorant, are closer to God than anyone on Earth. In the Great Depression, FDR was attacked by the anti-semite Fr. Coughlin, the Townsendites and Huey Long and their millions of followers on the right and by several million socialists and communists on the left while such as Hitler, Stalin, Tojo and Mussolini rose in power abroad. Compared to that, such as Beck and Palin are just silly dilettantes.
Mr. Winters, you are way too
Mr. Winters, you are way too kind to Mr. Beck. Glenn Beck represents the George Wallace constituency of this generation. This constituency is ignorant, xenophobic, and just waiting for a demagogue to give it its marching orders. Glenn Beck was made to order for his simple minded followers.
Glenn Beck spews hatred and
Glenn Beck spews hatred and goes against everything we learned from Jesus.
I pray for all of you, how
I pray for all of you, how sad to think that acknowledging God's presence and blessing on this great nation can be condemned. It doesn't matter who called the crowds together, what matters is that someone did. You are so busy shooting the messenger that you completely miss the message. I pray that the hatred in your hearts is forgiven.
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