Help me decipher this Glenn Beck piece on Julian Assange!

[subsuelo]

I came across a piece by Glenn Beck on Julian Assange:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,602442,00.html

(Normally I don't read or pay Beck any attention. I also rarely click anything over to Fox News. I just don't like feeling more stupid by wasting my focus on their usual garbage. But somehow I came across this and I figured, ok for some reason right now I'm curious as to the Glenn Beck angle regarding Julian Assange. So I spent a little time with it.)

He starts out making a pretty good case for why the "rape" accusations are not legitimate. He writes: "I want you to try to follow this along with me and then ask yourself this question: really, does this make sense?" He then walks you through a timeline of events involving the women accusing him, demonstrating how obvious these are all drummed up charges just to get him locked up somehow.

(So I'm reading, this and I'm thinking, Yeah... ok... so what's going to be your dumbass angle on this, Glenn..?)

But then he says "I am not defending Assange - I think he's a dirt bag".

(ok there's the expected denunciation)

Throughout the piece Beck keeps saying "something is wrong" - but he never says what really. There is some blabbering about how Assange wants to "bring down the system" - but isn't that sort of how Beck likes to portray himself? (at least, that's the angle it always seemed to me that he likes to portray, as this outsider that doesn't trust the government)

Maybe Beck's argument is most defined by this paragraph: "This guy believes in global chaos and bringing down the system. This man is different. And that — that is the problem. He is a dangerous man."

(so if he's so big and bad and dangerous, why are you spending half your segment demonstrating to your fox listening audience why the rape charges are obviously false. When did you become Mr. Be-fair-to-everyone?)

But then later, he acts like all this danger is a cool thing by saying "This is like hour one of season in '24'."

He follows that by saying: "This is the beginning of the time that I told you would come, where you wouldn't know who to believe or what to believe. You had to be strong inside yourself first."

Huh? "beginning of the time that I told you would come"?? You have to be "strong inside yourself first"?? Seriously? Whatever, Glenn.

(admittedly I guess I haven't spent enough time with Beck to know what this "beginning of the time I told you would come" is supposed to mean)

He also writes this, which I don't get his angle at all: "I'm not convinced this is anything other than a set-up by the left on the left. The cynic in me says that Julian Assange is a player with the left. And all the while, he's being used by the left. They'll speed it up. They're causing more distrust in the system.

Look at the reaction to the story. Everyone is calling this a honey pot or operation midnight climax, because they don't trust anyone in the government anymore and they shouldn't. But this story causes only more paranoia. It plays right into the hands of the uber-left. Look how everyone is questioning the establishment."

Again - HUH? I want to ask him: Is questioning the establishment a good thing or not, in your little whacko world? "Distrust in the system" - isn't that exactly the theme Beck has been riding the past 2 years? Distrust Obama, distrust the big bad government. Question the evil Obama establishment. Now the left is supposedly setting themselves up to cause more distrust?

What?

Sorry to put you DU readers through all this. It's like getting in the mind of a cockroach, I know. And it is ultimately a waste of time. Do any of you get what he's saying though? Is this guy truly insane or what? Why does he spend the first half of the piece questioning the legitimacy of the rape accusations, then goes on to write how awful it is that people are questioning the establishment, and it's all a big set-up "by the left on the left". Huh???

/facepalm

People actually watch this garbage? On a regular basis?

[Joanne98]

1. He's jealous cause Assange gets more pussy than he does!

[subsuelo]

2. Haha +1 thanks n/t

[madmax]

3. This man is different. And that — that is the problem. He is a dangerous man."

I've heard that before - it was about Jesus Christ.

I'm not comparing Julian Assange to JC - just the sentiment.

[subsuelo]

7. Actually I think some legitimate comparisons can be made.

You have two individuals who refused to sacrifice their principles, even at risk to their own personal safety. Calling out corrupt leaders, questioning cultural assumptions, that sort of thing. I don't have a problem making a comparison.

[cali]

10. oh dear.

could you amp up the hero worship just a tad more?

[Matariki]

13. Actually, all my heroes have been people who put personal safety aside for the greater good.

Harriet Tubman, Ghandi, MLK

[subsuelo]

15. Same here.

The odd thing about the comment is that there is no hero worship going on... I guess people read things quickly without thinking, or something.

[CJCRANE]

4. Beck's a storyteller...

spinning tall tales and bedtime stories for RW fantasists.

It doesn't need to make sense, in fact it's better if it's just beyond the edge of understanding.

I'm sure it keeps his viewers on tenterhooks, waiting for the next installment.

[subsuelo]

8. I think that is ultimately what it comes down to.

Telling stories for his enthralled audiences who don't understand that much about the world.

I think what Beck is trying to argue is that the rape charges are a set up within the Left, to make a martyr out of him. The charges obviously won't stick, and people will go "See how the establishment drums up fake charges". I can actually sort of buy that argument - it's just I don't have a problem with it like he does.

See, the part where I have difficulty deciphering is Beck's crying about how people are "questioning the establishment" like this is some horrible thing nobody should do. Isn't this how he himself as well as Fox News generally try to portray themselves? I mean, in their RW fantasy world, the "establishment" is this growing evil Leftist social-commie empire, and they are the vanguard rebels of morality and righteousness. Yet, somehow here he seems to argue that "questioning the establishment" is something to be feared.

Ultimately the RW fantasy doesn't need to make sense. As you say, it's just storytelling and spinning of tall tales to keep viewers tuned in. Kind of like that "hour one of 24" - only you have to tune in next time to get hour two from Beck.

Yep, definitely storytelling.

[elias49]

5. Sounds like the end times for Glenn

...please God...

[Javaman]

6. Easy. everything beck says is delusional. all clear now? nt

[subsuelo]

9. Crystal. nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. Psycho Babble but my Dad likes Glen but

He's 94, deaf and partly Senile.

[Javaman]

14. Not insulting your dad in the least but that becks target audience. nt

[Raschel]

12. Mr. Ambiguous