In a rational world, Reverend John Hagee, a Christian fundamentalist who has said the United States must strike Iran to fulfill biblical prophecy would have no say in public policy. In our world, Hagee gets a spot on Glenn Beck's CNN show, talking about whether or not Barack Obama is the anti-Christ.
I thought the "Obama is a closet-Muslim" was the be-all and end-all of stupidity this campaign season. I guess I'm still young and naïve. Then again, I lived to vote through the "John Kerry is a War Criminal" campaign, so it's all relative.
Glenn Beck is an entertainer, and has no more credibility than someone like Tom Green, Pauly Shore, or Sean Hannity. He makes a living the same way George Bush became president, playing the "I'm stupid, just like you; don't you want your average Squidbilly telling you how to think, since they will back up what you're already thinking?" card. Like Bush, he's an ex-addict who made a 180 degree turn after he found the Lord.
Excuse me for not being impressed. Beck has consistently called FDR evil, he wrote a book on global warming denial, thinks ugly women are "progressive", referred to John Edwards as a "communist". And so on.
In today's America, where the dollar is more important than the truth, radio-host Michael Savage can call Barbara Walters a "slut" as long as it ups his ratings. Rush Limbaugh can call a 13 year old Chelsea Clinton a "dog" as long as he gets a laugh from his 72-and-under IQ audience. Because it's not about the truth. It's about perception.
We're being played like never before. With 24-hour news cycles, pundits run out of things to talk about, so they resort to repeating administration talking points and reciting rumors if it gets people to tune in. Everyone on CNN and Fox News and MSNBC is a character with a gimmick. It's like watching professional wrestlers with their shirts on. The made-up female reporters showing off their cleavage seem about as informed as a WWE ring girl.
Our media culture has become the modern-day circus freakshow. When people got tired of the bearded lady, they focused their attention on a closeted-drug addict spouting rumors about our ex-president murdering people. Of course, when Limbaugh was questioned on his antics, the right changed the subject and spawned "the media is unfair to us" self-pity Phony Outrage to expand the boundaries of their lies.
Some people head over to Coney Island to see a guy with facial tattoos swing weights from his nipples. Some watch John Cena body-slam Mankind. Others get their fix listening to Sean Hannity talk matter-of-factly about a suicide mission to keep Nancy Pelosi out of power. And there's Ann Coulter wishing terrorists had blown up the New York Times building.
It's hard to believe political appeal and ideas in our pundit media are generated through banality, stupidity, and absurdity.
But look at where we've come. Ayn Rand used to top best-seller lists. Now Dan Brown does. Video games are marketed toward adults. FDR used to give 45-minute Fireside chats, which 75 percent of the country tuned in to. Now our presidential candidates are reduced to ten-second sound bites and ridiculed for not putting on the same American flag plumage pin worn by such American hypocrites as Tom Delay and Larry Craig.
No wonder they were able to trick us into buying duct tape to fend off the Sesame Street terror alerts.
As per above, when Beck actually asked Reverend Hagee if Barack Obama is the "anti-Christ" – you know, since Hagee is an expert on the subject...and there is such a subject – Hagee answered, "No" before reemphasizing his support of John McCain.
In a rational world, this endorsement would sink McCain's campaign. Luckily for McCain, 20 percent of America thinks the sun revolves around the earth.
Randy LoBasso is 24 years old, from Philadelphia, PA. Throughout his time writing for Opednews.com, he feels he grew as a writer and has a deep respect for the alternative media of which Op Ed News is a part. Because of the clips he created on this site, he recently landed a job in the political arena. However, he has been prohibited by his employer from publicly writing on politics for fear that it will be taken the wrong way, and used by the opposing side. He thanks Rob Kall and all of Op Ed News' editors for encouraging him to speak his mind and wishes the best for this young site.
Thanks.
A government that is 'owned', a media that is 'owned', I think both of those will have some small difficulty in serving the public, referenced in the phrase, 'public service'. I commend the efforts of all 3 Candidates, but honestly believe that I, Bert Walker, Independent Candidate(aspiring, gotta finish the paperwork, but that's done tomorrow, I think) from Oregon, will at the minimum, at the VERY minimum, bring some much-needed fresh air and breathing room to the whole apparatus. I don't want a check-n-go Congress, I don't want a runaway 'defense' thing, and I think livability for the majority far, far outweighs the financial needs of any one special interest. Further, Obama seems to support unions, as does Clinton, not sure where McCain stands on unions, but I feel that any organization that is allowed to nest itself in the inner workings of an otherwise generally acceptable company or corporation and be able to influence the management is, well, hmm....suspect.
Vote for Bert. Please. Not cajoling, no promising anything, not selling anything, 'cause that's what I think the right approach should be, a la Ron Paul. Think about it, and if you concur, pass it on!
Bert 08
by
truthtruffle (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 94 comments)
on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 1:33:20 PM
In a rational world, this endorsement would sink McCain's campaign."
No in fact, that's known as the ad logicam fallacy. Simply because a fallacious argument can be made for something (i.e. the nutjob pastor's argument) does not disprove the end position. It may be that a rational argument can be made for it too (or in this case, against the alternative- frankly Obama, regardless of the fact that he is not a muslim, is nevertheless a collectivist, and his election would have all the economic consequences attendant to that).
Be very careful to have flawless logic when arguing for rationality in the future :D.
by
Justin Hinkley (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments)
on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 4:50:24 PM
3 comments
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