History according to Beck

[DrJohn]

Beck's 'documentary' shows him to be completely nuts (as if we didn't aleady know that)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31882.html

I'll bet my MIL and her husband loved this bullshit.

[Babba]

The problem with Beck is that he's not formally educated and he's looking at history to confirm a conspiracy and has forgone conclusions about everything. For example, he assumes because Hitler offered health care to Germans then that means if our government offers health care to our citizens then that means Obama is going to round people up and kill them. I know many FauxNews viewers can't stand "elites" and "elites" means well educated people, but they need to stop depending on Beck for their understanding of history and the bizarre conclusions he comes to concerning the present.

[DrJohn]

The problem with Beck is that he's not formally educated and he's looking at history to confirm a conspiracy and has forgone conclusions about everything. For example, he assumes because Hitler offered health care to Germans then that means if our government offers health care to our citizens then that means Obama is going to round people up and kill them. I know many FauxNews viewers can't stand "elites" and "elites" means well educated people, but they need to stop depending on Beck for their understanding of history and the bizarre conclusions he comes to concerning the present.

So you're saying that a formal education is required to understand history?

[RedstateBlues]

Interesting review, thanks for posting it, John.

From Jonah Goldberg:

But that doesn't mean he believes the historical arguments are meant to infer that the current Democratic regime could commit atrocities on the level of Hitler or Stalin. "If they're trying to make the case that Obama's going to lead to anything like the 65 million killed or the concentration camps, I'd be the first to condemn it," Goldberg said.

I'm not sure if he's implying Obama just won't hit those numbers when he starts exterminating people or that it's the other stuff Hitler and Stalin did that we have to watch out for. I guess creating any big, sweeping changes for the good of society is a signal that bad things will follow...?

I think the premise that we are on the edge of totalitarianism because Obama wants to do big things is based on the idea that if you take on ambitious projects, like Hitler did with the autobahn, for example, that the only way to do it would be how Hitler did it, with forced labor.

What I see is the idea that a great deal of people must suffer and be treated unfairly for the government to push the nation forward instead of capitalism doing it at a slower pace. Capitalism built the rairoads here, but that wasn't exactly pretty either.

I'm just so sick of these false choices.

[Babba]

The problem with Beck is that he's not formally educated and he's looking at history to confirm a conspiracy and has forgone conclusions about everything. For example, he assumes because Hitler offered health care to Germans then that means if our government offers health care to our citizens then that means Obama is going to round people up and kill them. I know many FauxNews viewers can't stand "elites" and "elites" means well educated people, but they need to stop depending on Beck for their understanding of history and the bizarre conclusions he comes to concerning the present.

So you're saying that a formal education is required to understand history?

No, but if you're going to try to teach history to other people you should have some formal education in it. I think I know a lot about history, but I wouldn't presume to go on the TV and try to teach it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of which he's got plenty, but he's trying to rewrite history. Like Hitler was a progressive. Hitler was a crazy person who wanted to take over the world and rid the world of anyone he didn't see as pure Aryan Christians. The idea that Obama and the Dems want to do something like that is just stupid.

[DrJohn]

IMO Beck is taking "scary" figures from the past and twisting their message to conform it to his own ideas about liberals.

He's a delusiac.

[Babba]

Interesting review, thanks for posting it, John.

From Jonah Goldberg:

But that doesn't mean he believes the historical arguments are meant to infer that the current Democratic regime could commit atrocities on the level of Hitler or Stalin. "If they're trying to make the case that Obama's going to lead to anything like the 65 million killed or the concentration camps, I'd be the first to condemn it," Goldberg said.

I'm not sure if he's implying Obama just won't hit those numbers when he starts exterminating people or that it's the other stuff Hitler and Stalin did that we have to watch out for. I guess creating any big, sweeping changes for the good of society is a signal that bad things will follow...?

I think the premise that we are on the edge of totalitarianism because Obama wants to do big things is based on the idea that if you take on ambitious projects, like Hitler did with the autobahn, for example, that the only way to do it would be how Hitler did it, with forced labor.

What I see is the idea that a great deal of people must suffer and be treated unfairly for the government to push the nation forward instead of capitalism doing it at a slower pace. Capitalism built the rairoads here, but that wasn't exactly pretty either.

I'm just so sick of these false choices.

And that's exactly what Beck is presenting - false choices. We have to do things the conservative, uber-capitalist way or we're being just like Hitler, Mao and Stalin. People who aren't conservative are Un-American, don't ya know.

[Caro]

It frightning how stpid people are to believe one word of what he says. But he figured out if he dumbs himself down the dumb will follow

[Doodles]

I wonder if this constitutes 'slander'. On his TV show today, Beck referred to Bono as a 'dope smoking celebrity'. If it does, I hope Bono hears and sues his pants off.

[RedstateBlues]

I wonder if this constitutes 'slander'. On his TV show today, Beck referred to Bono as a 'dope smoking celebrity'. If it does, I hope Bono hears and sues his pants off.

Bono? Sheesh, of all the people to slam, Bono has been the least hedonistic and egotistical and probably the most conscientous rock star...ever.

Not to mention he was very tolerant of George Bush and quite willing to praise him for things (aid for Africa in particular) where he thought he deserved praise.

And most of his songs are actually inspired by Christianity.

[Babba]

I wonder if this constitutes 'slander'. On his TV show today, Beck referred to Bono as a 'dope smoking celebrity'. If it does, I hope Bono hears and sues his pants off.

Bono? Sheesh, of all the people to slam, Bono has been the least hedonistic and egotistical and probably the most conscientous rock star...ever.

Not to mention he was very tolerant of George Bush and quite willing to praise him for things (aid for Africa in particular) where he thought he deserved praise.

And most of his songs are actually inspired by Christianity.

Beck obviously knows nothing about Bono and neither does Beck's audience. So they'll eat it up.

It would be pretty cool if he sued Beck.

[DrJohn]

I wonder if this constitutes 'slander'. On his TV show today, Beck referred to Bono as a 'dope smoking celebrity'. If it does, I hope Bono hears and sues his pants off.

Bono? Sheesh, of all the people to slam, Bono has been the least hedonistic and egotistical and probably the most conscientous rock star...ever.

Not to mention he was very tolerant of George Bush and quite willing to praise him for things (aid for Africa in particular) where he thought he deserved praise.

And most of his songs are actually inspired by Christianity.

Sounds like a no-goodnik to me.