I read the New York Times article on the group that met yesterday in Washington, D.C. led by the Reverend Glenn Beck. I have many thoughts and responses to the story, and the mission of the latest pastor-in-chief for the conservatives.
This was written about a women called Becky Benson.
Many in the crowd said they had never been to a Tea Party rally, but they described themselves as avid Glenn Beck fans, and many said they had been motivated to come by faith.
Becky Benson, 56, traveled from Orlando, Fla., because, she said, “we believe in Jesus Christ, and he is our savior.” Jesus, she said, would not have agreed with what she called the redistribution of wealth in the form of the economic stimulus package, bank bailouts and welfare. “You cannot sit and expect someone to hand out to you,” she said. “You don’t spend your way out of debt.”
If Becky was one of those who claimed not to have been to a Tea Party rally, she sure had the teabagger lingo down! But when one can only parrot what others say, there is not much to be surprised at when such comments are made.
The very first thing that struck me after reading Becky’s words was a verse from Matthew. No, I did not know the exact chapter so I did a google search and it comes from 19:24. Even though I might not have been able to source it at once from memory, I knew the words and the meaning. Becky clearly did not.
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
The sad thing about the type of conservatives that gathered yesterday in D.C. is that they have been led by fear, and then act accordingly. On Saturday they all acted like they might be in church. No one was fooled who watched it on television. Beck stood before them and used the language of his television show to lead them to a conclusion that matches with his objectives. He wants to foment distrust, resentment, and anger. Then he wants to mobilize it. He is smart enough to know what he is trying to achieve. Those on the mall seem not to be aware of the role they play in his passion play of politics.
These are the same types that crammed into congressional listening sessions and ranted and screamed, trying to shout down a member of congress. They are the ones who lament health care for everyone, or federal assistance for those who have been struggling for many months while unemployed.
Saturday they bemoaned the lack of faith or honor in the nation, as if they knew exactly what that meant. The undertone of a black president who continually gets cast as a muslim is never more than a whisper away. They may not have understood the message, but the rest of America got it at once.
Looking at the crowd Saturday it was not hard to imagine some of those on the mall being only qualified to mow that black man’s lawn. Therein lies some of the undercurrents of anger that runs through the white gatherings.
Let us be honest about the obvious, and what mainstream reporters can not say about the group that met on Saturday. These folks were not the most educated voters in the nation.
I just am making an honest assessment after reading and watching news reports over the last 24 hours. Reverend Beck has found a group of Americans that can be counted on in these nervous times to agitate and get reaction from. If I were to poke a caged bear, I would get a reaction too. Beck wishes for a podium to meet his ego, and is using his skills to go for a segment of the nation that follows rather than leads, as they have little choice.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
