FIRE!

I received an email from an organization I belong to yesterday that asked me to join them in asking businesses to “Turn Off FOX on their TVs, and stop promoting its dangerous rhetoric in our communities.”  They provided a video clip of Bryon Williams who three months ago was on his way to kill people at two non-profit organizations in San Francisco, Tides and the ACLU, when he got into a gun battle with police.  In an interview from jail, the "progressive hunter" has revealed that in fact Fox News' Glenn Beck was a major inspiration: "Beck will never say anything about a conspiracy, will never advocate violence ... But he'll give you every ounce of evidence that you could possibly need."

There are unbalanced people in this world.  People who are influenced by rhetoric.  I dug back into several of Beck’s videos to find out what he actually said that influenced this man.   This is what I discovered.

“I have a message for the people of the Tides Foundation.  I’m Coming for Ya.  Oh yes, I’m coming for ya on the battlefield of ideas.” 

Now, one might say that Beck has made it clear that this is a rhetorical battlefield.  A battlefield of words.  But then he goes on to tell his listeners to “grab a torch” and goes on to say “until the day I die I will find these big progressives and for the rest of my life I will be a progressive hunter.  I will drive a stake through the hearts of the bloodsuckers.”

A battlefield indeed with the weapons of choice incendiary and violent rhetoric that excites factions, quarrels, and sedition.  To quote  Bryone Williams again, "Beck will never say anything about a conspiracy, will never advocate violence ... But he'll give you every ounce of evidence that you could possibly need."

I have been struggling with the concept of free speech.  I firmly believe that it is one of the most important of our rights as Americans, to be able to openly express our beliefs.  I believe that this is as true for Glen Beck as it is for me.  In fact, I believe that it is absolutely critical to make sure that free speech is extended to those with whom we do not agree. Especially then;   when we do not agree. I also know that the law regarding our right to free speech does not include the right to yell FIRE in a crowded theatre when there is no fire. The purpose then being to instill panic and chaos.  To me, Beck is a man who purposefully and ­­­­willfully cries FIRE.  There is a word for this: eliminationism: a politics and a culture that shuns dialogue and the democratic exchange of ideas in favor of the pursuit of outright elimination of the opposing side, either through suppression, exile, and ejection, or extermination.  While Beck does not openly advocate violence, in his own words, he is a ‘Hunter of Progressives.’  Someone who will ‘drive a stake through the hearts of the bloodsuckers’.

So I’ve been asking myself, when does free speech become incendiary speech.  When do words become lethal weapons. What words do I stand up for, even when I abhor them.  Even when within my body beats one of those hearts Glen Beck is hunting.  First of all, I fervently believe that Fox News should not be able to call itself a News program.  This is a gross ­­distortion.  It can be called Fox.  It can be called a Talk Show.  It can be called late to supper, but it should not be allowed to pass itself off as News.  Aside from that, hate talk that does not explicitly instruct someone to maim or murder is allowed under our law of free speech.  We, as Americans, have a right to our opinions, no matter how ugly or distorted others may view them to be.  I have to stand up for this right.  But frankly, my heart is heavy. 

I am wondering today what it must be like to BE Glen Beck.  To live a life where you want to hunt people down and drive a stake through their hearts.  I’m thinking it must a pretty scary, fire yelling place to live.  I am trying my best to disagree but not pass judgment.  I am trying to remember the Buddhist precepts of right speech and right action and to to remember that I am the custodian of the words I send out into the world.  I am trying my very best to allow Glen Beck to be one of my teachers, and not my enemy.

The group that asked me to sign on to their campaign asked me to participate  “by encouraging businesses near us to turn it off”.  Encouraging.  Not hunting them down.  Not driving a stake through their hearts.  But, encouraging.  That is language I can live by.  Oh, and just in case you want to know a bit more about the threat of the mission of the Tides Foundation, I’ve copied it out below.

About Tides http://www.tides.org

Bringing together people, ideas and resources, Tides actively promotes change toward a healthy and just society, one which is founded on the principles of social justice, broadly shared economic opportunity, a robust democratic process and a sustainable environment. Tides believes healthy societies rely fundamentally on respect for human rights, the vitality of communities, and a celebration of diversity.

Pretty scary stuff.