Conspiracy theorists find validation from Glenn Beck

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/08/AR2010100805640.html

Conspiracy theorists find validation from Glenn Beck

By Dana Milbank
Sunday, October 10, 2010


Glenn Beck has a friend in California.

"I would've never started watching Fox News if it wasn't for the fact that Beck was on there," says this friend, Byron Williams. "And it was the things he did, it was the things he exposed, that blew my mind."

"I do enjoy Glenn Beck," Williams also says, "and the reason why I enjoy that is because... no other channel will speak about the same things that he's talking about, and if you go and investigate those things you'll find out that they're true."

Unfortunately for Beck, this satisfied viewer currently resides at the Santa Rita Jail near Oakland and stands accused of a freeway shootout with police. Williams pleaded not guilty to four counts of attempted murder of a police officer. But according to court documents, he said he had been on a mission to kill people at the liberal Tides Foundation, which happens to be a favorite Beck target.

snip//

Williams, as you'd expect, is not an entirely reliable witness. At one point, he complains that Beck "criticizes all the conspiracy theories," but at other points he hails Beck for embracing them. Still, this part rings true: The prisoner told the Examiner that he already knew about Tides before he heard Beck speak about it in June; rather, "to me it was more of a confirmation of what I already knew," he said.

Exactly. Beck, who has encouraged his followers to hear what he is saying "between the sentences" he actually utters, gave legitimacy to Williams's conspiracy theories.

"So now they've got Beck labeled as this guy that is trying to incite violence, and what I say is that if the truth incites violence, it means that we've been living too long in the lies," Williams told Hamilton. "You know, when you become unemployed, desperate, you can no longer pay your bills... what do you think is gonna happen? You know, for crying out loud. It's gonna get worse, and more and more people are gonna get desperate."

Particularly if they have an enabler in the mass media.

[old mark]

1. Great job, Mr. Beck. Lies and con games to your nationwide following of

the mentally sick and the ignorant. Rec.

mark

[Heidi]

2. Anyone who has ever seen "Waking Life"

could probably see Beck in the Alex Jones role -- but I don't think for a minute that Beck believes a word of the BS he vomits into the world. So what Beck is doing is manipulating already fearful people to give him greater power in their lives. :puke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJXspT2VtOE

[yowzayowzayowza]

3. Cool movie!!! Haven't seen it in a while.

Netflix queue....

[Heidi]

5. One of my favorites, too.

Hey, you! Long time. :hug:

[Rex]

4. And of course Glenn will come out and say how he is appalled at this guys

actions, never would call for this kinda thing, blah blah blah...all while he has that FUCKING SMIRK on his ugly face! That means deep down Glenn LOVES his followers actions and would LOVE to do some of the things crazyass is accused of!

Beck should be put in jail for inciting his fan base to riot!!!