Politics: Glenn Beck and Stephen King

I love to read Stephen King. Even when I know a book has a hint of politics. Under The Dome, Needful Things and Insomnia all had shades of politics. In all cases, I politically disagreed. But I still enjoyed the books.
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My Choice!
Someone asked me, "Hey, now that King is saying things about Beck and Rush, are you going to stop reading him?" Well, no. First, just because I'm conservative in my values does not mean I am a watchdog for Beck or Rush! Second, anyone who has heard these guys knows they really are a little nutty.
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This is pretty simple for me: I choose to like Stephen King. I choose not to be offended when he says things I don't think are right on the mark. In fact, I didn't vote for the president, but I choose to like him. I don't agree with a lot in this country, but that doesn't mean he's not my president and I don't pray for him and support him. It's a choice. A choice to respect the opinions of others without getting all wadded up.
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King grew up in my parents generation. As Joe King said about his parents (and is true of mine), "the 60's were good to them." When King talks politics, I often feel like my dad is speaking. In fact, I think my dad did say that Beck was a nut. Or, more precisely, he said, "Beck was a big pain on CNBC, then he was a pig problem on CNN, now he's just going to be a pain on Fox." That's not my opinion, but I sure respect my dad. I choose to.
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I Like This About America
America has a long history of our leaders calling each other names. American politics has never been a nice, clean issue. It might be in closed countries, but in a place where we all get a say, it's going to be a little messy. Frankly, I can handle it if our favorite horror writer calls political commentators "nutty" "crazy" and "the devil's little brother." (Smiles on that last one, for theological reasons I won't dig into. But concerning Beck and religion... it might be a compliment).
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One person complained that King didn't cite any sources --offer any quotes -- before calling Beck a nut. Well, do you need quotes? The guy won't have guest on his show because he thinks they are needless, all America needs is one full hour of him ranting. He is a little nutty. Why do these guys get on TV? Because they're good entertainment; and trust me, people with all their marbles don't always make good TV. (Or why does CNBC have Mad Money?)
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I'll just note this about Beck; I find the "guilt by association" that Beck utilizes offensive. Because the president is friends with someone with radical views does not make the president a radical. Both sides in American politics are using this tactic -- and it's cheap. It drains the substance from any discussion.
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Put Your Name On Your Paper
You have to give King credit; he put his name on what he thought. In our world of "anonymous" blogging and comments, it's gotten easy to yell without making your voice known. A person has a right to speak, but if they want their thoughts to carry any weight they need to put their name on it. That takes courage. After all, if you put your name on what you think, people might call you a nut!
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Not Mad About It
The danger for conservatives is that as they get more frustrated with America's direction they turn to people who express their concerns with zeal that's over the top. They risk becoming "ditto heads." In fact, often they're mean. Frankly, I like Huckabee's comment, "I'm a conservative, but I'm not mad about it." Conservatives are giving ear to people who are more alarmist or radical than the situation really calls for. And I'm tired of conservatives being angry all the time.
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America Under The Dome
King said we all live under the dome. True, in an environmental sense. But in a political sense, it seems that conservatives and liberals are each beginning to live in their own domes. We've stopped listening to each other. Or, we've stopped listening to the substance of what we have to say. We now listen for "gotcha" moments. Thusly illustrated when King told students to get an education so they don't end up in Iraq. Was that a big giant slam at the military? I don't think so.
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Can you disagree with King and still read his books? Yes! We're in trouble, friends, because we've come to beleive that we have to move only in the circles that hold our world view. I am startled when someone says to me, "I don't know anyone who voted for Obama." Or, "I don't know anyone who's against gay marriage." Really! Those are big issues. I want to say, "Get some friends!" When did we become so closed in? I have friends, good friends, who are on the absolute opposite of issues I support.
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I don't agree with Ken Follett on... probably anything. But I still love Pillars of the Earth and World Without End! Going more historically, same is true of A. Conan Doyle, but I still think Sherlock Holmes is the best detective stories ever. I certainly wouldn't have agreed with Helen Keller politically -- but I still have enormous respect for her!
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Here's what went down on O'Reilly last night:
Ya know, O'Reilly -- that "no spin yapper" in Under The Dome! This is from newsbusters.org, which has plenty of ranting against King.
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O'REILLY: All right. Do you know who this guy, Stephen King, is?
BECK: Who?
O'REILLY: Stephen King. Do you know him, the author?
BECK: Oh, yes. He's the guy that usually when I release my books at the same time, he's No. 2.
O'REILLY: OK. So you think he's jealous of you. He lives up in Maine, this guy. He writes about spooky things.
BECK: Yes. Actually...
O'REILLY: A little like you.
BECK: I am a huge fan.
O'REILLY: "The Overton Window," very, very frightening. So maybe he's jealous. But this is what he...
BECK: Biggest selling fiction of the -- of the year.
O'REILLY: Of the year. Your book. Not Stephen King. You.
BECK: Huh?
O'REILLY: Here's what King writes in Entertainment Weekly.
BECK: Yes.
O'REILLY: Let me quote it to you: "I sort of dig on Glenn Beck. He reminds me of certain people you encounter in big cities. You know, the ones wearing robes, sandals and signs but claiming the world is going to end because American men are eating too much red meat and American women are wearing their pants too tight. He's crazy, but like those urban nut cakes, he actually seems to believe what he is saying." Stephen King.
BECK: I think he meant that in a good way.
O'REILLY: Yes.
BECK: No, look, here's the thing. So what he's saying is you're a nut cake. But I'm a sincere nut cake.
O'REILLY: That's true.
BECK: I'm sincerely crazy.
O'REILLY: Uh-huh.
BECK: I appreciate that, Stephen. Stephen King is the guy who called me Satan's younger brother. And if I'm not mistaken, called Bill O'Reilly Satan's mentally challenged older brother.
O'REILLY: You would come off better.
BECK: I'm the younger brother.
O'REILLY: Right.
BECK: He got that right.
O'REILLY: I'm old and mentally challenged.
BECK: Not too much. Not too much.
O'REILLY: Here's my question: should you and I take the Bold Fresh Tour up to Maine.
BECK: Yes. I would love that.
O'REILLY: OK.
BECK: Could we?
O'REILLY: And rent a place near King's place and then, after the show, lead the whole crew over to his house for coffee.
BECK: We could gather arms and -- I mean, lock arms, not gather arms. That would be crazy. Lock arms and sing "Kumbaya." And then he can come out and tell us spooky stories.
O'REILLY: You know...
BECK: I'll wear a sandwich sign.
O'REILLY: I used to think that I was the most misunderstood person.
BECK: Right.
O'REILLY: But now, I know that I'm not.
BECK: Yes, no. It's Stephen King.
O'REILLY: Right. There you go.
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http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/08/06/glenn-beck-and-bill-oreilly-bash-stephen-king-we-should-go-visit-him#ixzz0vqgPj4XU