Do You Think Rush Limbaugh And Glenn Beck Are Dangerous?

[RDJ]

Yes, all free speech is dangerous and has to be stopped!

And by the way, the "Barack the Magic Negro" bit was a quote from an LA Times article (and I think they were quoting Al Sharpton), Limbaugh didn't coin the phrase.

People are going to say things you don't like. Get over it. You wouldn't even have a country to say these things in if someone like Rush Limbaugh hadn't said something to turn people against the government back when we broke from England.

I never said free speech is dangerous. I think it is a very good thing that every country should have. I'm just worried that Beck or Limbaugh will say something that will make someone want to kill President Obama. I don't have enough posts to put links in here, but there are articles and videos about death threats against President Obama. See the story "Skinheads Held Over Obama Death Plot" on Reuters. There is also a video titled "Indiana KKK Says Obama Will Be Assassinated" on Youtube.
I know these stories don't have anything to do with Beck or Limbaugh, but it still shows how strongly the far right extremists are opposed to Obama and his policies.

 

[RDJ]

The Truth will set you free! What I'm anti-Gov't.......welfare is insulting and they have out weighed their welcome by over reaching onto my loaned liberty's, also they live as unprincipled, corrupt, lawless men. As above the law elites as" Above reproach". As they are shredding up our Constitutional rights!

How about some evidence to back this up?

 

[EdwinWillers]

Thoughts?

I think they are very dangerous people, especially Rush Limbaugh. I'm worried that what they say could make some people turn against the government, or actually threaten the government if they are already anti-government.
I also think what they do is kind of distasteful, especially Rush Limbaugh's parody "Barack The Magic Negro". The reason I really have a problem with this is that President Obama is half-white and half-black. It's okay to criticize a President when they have done something wrong. However, this parody seems more like bashing than criticism.

I'm sorry - no offense, but what a truly ludicrous notion. "Dangerous?"

Methinks you worry waaaay too much.

What IS really dangerous are uninformed people - people who make decisions, spew opinions, and worse - cast votes, who haven't bothered to educate themselves on the fundamental issues, who listen to their friends, coworkers, the state-run media and swallow everything they hear hook, line, and sinker without ever bothering to wonder whether what they're listening to is in fact true.

This is sad - because those who decry the dittoheads et. al. as mindless, brainwashed people - truly, truly ought to look in the mirror.

I would encourage you to take a few seconds (often that's all it takes) to inform yourself a little better - CASE IN POINT - "Barack the Magic Negro" was indeed a parody done by Paul Shanklin for Rush Limbaugh.

Do you know what it was based on, what PROMPTED the parody? An article by David Ehrenstein for the LA Times - March 19, 2007 - entitled "The 'Magic Negro' Returns"

Here's the link - (took 2 seconds on Google to find): `Magic Negro' returns - Los Angeles Times

Here's the first few sentences:

AS EVERY CARBON-BASED life form on this planet surely knows, Barack Obama, the junior Democratic senator from Illinois, is running for president. Since making his announcement, there has been no end of commentary about him in all quarters -- musing over his charisma and the prospect he offers of being the first African American to be elected to the White House.

But it's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination -- the "Magic Negro."
The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia http://en.-wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro.

Ignorance is what's dangerous. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, et. al. God bless them all, are the very few out there who are actually telling the truth.

I am a PROUD dittohead - have been listening to Rush Limbaugh since 1991 and have been getting his monthly magazine since that time as well. It's an amazing thing to see/hear those who know nothing about the man but what others have told them to think/believe, who may have listened to one or two soundbites here or there castigate him as they do.

God bless Rush Limbaugh and God bless Glenn Beck too - you know what dangerous venom Glenn Beck is spewing right now? Sit down, cuz this is going to truly bowl you over - REPENTANCE. Yep - that's the dangerous stuff he's spewing -- repentance, getting back to one's personal relationship with God. "Danger, danger Will Robinson!"

I will admit though that for some - the truth is very, very scary indeed - and frankly it ought to be.

 

[grasping the after wind]

at least these two have the integrity not to be pitch men for ridiculous products, which all the conservative talking heads live for. the big four (rush, hannity, beck and savage) are nothing more than unashamed advertising hucksters, salivating to ring the last buck out of their minions.

When you ring a buck does it sound like a bell?

 

[LightHorseman]

Thoughts?

I think they are very dangerous people, especially Rush Limbaugh. I'm worried that what they say could make some people turn against the government, or actually threaten the government if they are already anti-government.
I also think what they do is kind of distasteful, especially Rush Limbaugh's parody "Barack The Magic Negro". The reason I really have a problem with this is that President Obama is half-white and half-black. It's okay to criticize a President when they have done something wrong. However, this parody seems more like bashing than criticism.

I do think pundits can be dangerous. The sad truth is that there is a significant fraction of any population that will be drawn by appeals to emotion, regardless of accuracy or basis in truth. Whether Rush and Beck genuinely believe the stuff they come up with is really rather immaterial. Personally, I doubt they do. But the fact is that they are held as figures of trust by impressionable people who can't or won't critically analyse what they hear. And it is this that makes them dangerous.

I don't think Beck really cares whether or not, or believes, that Obama is really a Nazi communist Muslim athiest homosexual, or whatever the latest rant is. It doesn't matter. But the fact that when he makes such claims, they are believed by people who take it very seriously, and who may be inclined to act on it, that makes him dangerous.

 

[reverend B]

Posted by Ringo84:

“Are they stupid? Well.....…”

No. This is simply how some try and dismiss those they do not want to actually have to either debate or discuss.

Posted by the Reverend B:

“these guys have it down to a science and are seriously undermining the american discourse. rather than form cogent arguments, they forge demons in the image of their political adversaries, making fools of the childlike sychophantic followers.”

And you say this in a sentence where you incorrectly spell both American and sycophantic.

Limbaugh and Beck do not undermine the American discourse, they help to shape it in a manner which you apparently do not like. They provide information and a manner in which to view it which is in stark contrast to most within the media. Their message is not the Joy Behar message, which is love, honor, and obey your president. Their message is not the Rachael Maddow and Keith Olberman message, which is Republicans are evil and do not question us on this. This, I believe, is why you hate them so.

Posted by aisey Day:

“Maddow and Olbermann are dumb and essentially useless, but I don't see them inciting hatred towards groups of people”

You don’t see Limbaugh and Beck doing this either. What you see is people like Maddow and Olberman telling you to see this.
　

Sychophantic | Define Sychophantic at Dictionary.com

and i don't capitalize virtually anything, other than references to God and very few other exceptions. nothing else compares or deserves the comparison or honor.

hope that helps you to understand. the first you were simply wrong, the second is my personal idiosyncrasy. (you can look that up, too.)

 

[reverend B]

When you ring a buck does it sound like a bell?

you got me!

wring it is.

now, any comment on the issue?

 

[brinny]

The only people that Limbaugh and Beck, et al, are dangerous to are leftist politicians who know their agenda is threatened and their time is short.

Keep praying that November will be the most sweeping house-cleaning in American history (NO Democrat incumbents and NO RINO incumbents re-elected at ALL), and that the new electees are are solid conservatives, fiscally and ethically responsible, place the United States of America FIRST, and are determined and committed to nullifying Obama, past, present, and future.

We get that, and there will be no need for anybody to turn against the government.

i agree.

 

[mpok1519]

Rush's cholesterol is a threat to his left aortic valve...

 

[reverend B]

Neither commercial radio nor television shows exist without advertising. Even NPR hawks some products.

that doesn't make the hosts active pitch men or compensated by advertisers. they are paid salaries by their networks. there is a distinct difference.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I do think pundits can be dangerous. The sad truth is that there is a significant fraction of any population that will be drawn by appeals to emotion, regardless of accuracy or basis in truth. Whether Rush and Beck genuinely believe the stuff they come up with is really rather immaterial. Personally, I doubt they do. But the fact is that they are held as figures of trust by impressionable people who can't or won't critically analyse what they hear. And it is this that makes them dangerous.

I don't think Beck really cares whether or not, or believes, that Obama is really a Nazi communist Muslim athiest homosexual, or whatever the latest rant is. It doesn't matter. But the fact that when he makes such claims, they are believed by people who take it very seriously, and who may be inclined to act on it, that makes him dangerous.

Has he made such claims? Or do you really care whether or not , or believe, that he has ...

 

[SOAD]

The only people that Limbaugh and Beck, et al, are dangerous to are leftist politicians who know their agenda is threatened and their time is short.

Keep praying that November will be the most sweeping house-cleaning in American history (NO Democrat incumbents and NO RINO incumbents re-elected at ALL), and that the new electees are are solid conservatives, fiscally and ethically responsible, place the United States of America FIRST, and are determined and committed to nullifying Obama, past, present, and future.

We get that, and there will be no need for anybody to turn against the government.

Praying is what swept the democrats into power
God is wise in his ways.

 

[RDJ]

All I'm trying to say is that some of these controversial people might be a lot more dangerous than they seem. People thought that Adolf Hitler was a nice man when he started the Nazi Party. I know this is a controversial thing to say, and maybe a little off topic, but it's true and we have to accept that.

 

[LightHorseman]

Has he made such claims? Or do you really care whether or not , or believe, that he has ...

Beck seems to claim Obama is a Nazi and a communist with astonishing regularity.

But I admit I may have waxed hyperbolic, my point stands, however, that some people take the words of Beck, Limbaugh et al as gospel, and further that Beck, Limbaugh et al do not seem to take the responsibility this engenders with appropriate seriousness.

 

[reverend B]

I'm sorry - no offense, but what a truly ludicrous notion. "Dangerous?"

Methinks you worry waaaay too much.

What IS really dangerous are uninformed people - people who make decisions, spew opinions, and worse - cast votes, who haven't bothered to educate themselves on the fundamental issues, who listen to their friends, coworkers, the state-run media and swallow everything they hear hook, line, and sinker without ever bothering to wonder whether what they're listening to is in fact true.

This is sad - because those who decry the dittoheads et. al. as mindless, brainwashed people - truly, truly ought to look in the mirror.

I would encourage you to take a few seconds (often that's all it takes) to inform yourself a little better - CASE IN POINT - "Barack the Magic Negro" was indeed a parody done by Paul Shanklin for Rush Limbaugh.

Do you know what it was based on, what PROMPTED the parody? An article by David Ehrenstein for the LA Times - March 19, 2007 - entitled "The 'Magic Negro' Returns"

Here's the link - (took 2 seconds on Google to find): `Magic Negro' returns - Los Angeles Times

Here's the first few sentences: Ignorance is what's dangerous. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, et. al. God bless them all, are the very few out there who are actually telling the truth.

I am a PROUD dittohead - have been listening to Rush Limbaugh since 1991 and have been getting his monthly magazine since that time as well. It's an amazing thing to see/hear those who know nothing about the man but what others have told them to think/believe, who may have listened to one or two soundbites here or there castigate him as they do.

God bless Rush Limbaugh and God bless Glenn Beck too - you know what dangerous venom Glenn Beck is spewing right now? Sit down, cuz this is going to truly bowl you over - REPENTANCE. Yep - that's the dangerous stuff he's spewing -- repentance, getting back to one's personal relationship with God. "Danger, danger Will Robinson!"

I will admit though that for some - the truth is very, very scary indeed - and frankly it ought to be.

don't imagine i'm one of those that don't know anything about these guys. i listen to rush, beck and savage daily. what you say about listeners of mainstream media is very true about listeners of these guys. they don't stop and actually parse the arguments being made. they like to listen to beck laugh at a political opponent while never making a counter-argument (he does this daily). they like it when rush says "believe me!" and take that as some kind of evidence (which he does daily).

these are master manipulators who know exactly who their audience is.

do you have any idea of the mark up on gold that all of these guys pitch is? it will take you a decade to break even if you buy gold through these sources.

 

[reverend B]

i agree.

so you also agree that if you don't get your way you will be justified in turning against the government?

 

[SOAD]

What IS really dangerous are uninformed people - people who make decisions, spew opinions, and worse - cast votes, who haven't bothered to educate themselves on the fundamental issues, who listen to their friends, coworkers, the state-run media and swallow everything they hear hook, line, and sinker without ever bothering to wonder whether what they're listening to is in fact true.

WOW! You read my mind! I though this very thought when discussing the Muslim center in Mantattan.

As far as Limbaugh and Beck? They are not dangerous, just opportunists making wads of cash while creating a huge following of mindless talking point spewing robots. I hear them everyday! It is their right to be followers.

 

[DaisyDay]

at least these two have the integrity not to be pitch men for ridiculous products, which all the conservative talking heads live for. the big four (rush, hannity, beck and savage) are nothing more than unashamed advertising hucksters, salivating to ring the last buck out of their minions.

I don't have a problem with ridiculous products as much as stuff like gold swindles.

 

[RDJ]

Beck seems to claim Obama is a Nazi and a communist with astonishing regularity.

But I admit I may have waxed hyperbolic, my point stands, however, that some people take the words of Beck, Limbaugh et al as gospel, and further that Beck, Limbaugh et al do not seem to take the responsibility this engenders with appropriate seriousness.

A lot of people say this, unfortunately. Although I usually hear people call him a socialist rather than a communist. I also thought I should mention the rumor that he is a Muslim and not a Christian, and that a frightening percentange of people believe this.

 

[reverend B]

WOW! You read my mind! I though this very thought when discussing the Muslim center in Mantattan.

As far as Limbaugh and Beck? They are not dangerous, just opportunists making wads of cash while creating a huge following of mindless talking point spewing robots. I hear them everyday! It is their right to be followers.

absolutely their right, and our risk.