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Thread: US conservatives rally on civil rights anniversary

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    US conservatives rally on civil rights anniversary

    US conservatives rally on civil rights anniversary
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    Sarah Palin: "You have the same spine and moral courage of Washington and Lincoln and Martin Luther King"

    Tens of thousands of people have attended a controversial rally in Washington DC organised by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck.

    Civil rights leaders criticised Mr Beck for holding the rally at the Lincoln Memorial, the place where Martin Luther King Jr made his "I Have a Dream" speech 47 years ago to the day.

    Former US vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin also spoke at the rally.

    Civil rights campaigners held a counter-rally nearby.


    'Restoring honour'

    Addressing the conservative rally, Mr Beck - a presenter for Fox News - said the US had "wandered in darkness" for too long.

    "America today begins to turn back to God," he said.

    He told the crowd the timing of the "Restoring Honour" rally was coincidence but also divine providence.
    Continue reading the main story
    “Start Quote

    You have the same steel spine and the moral courage of Washington and Lincoln and Martin Luther King”

    End Quote Sarah Palin Former governor of Alaska



    Mrs Palin compared those at the rally with the civil rights activists who marched on Washington in 1963 to hear Dr King's speech.

    The same spirit that helped civil rights activists overcome oppression and violence would help this group as well, she said.

    "You have the same steel spine and the moral courage of Washington and Lincoln and Martin Luther King," Mrs Palin said. "It is in you. It will sustain you as it sustained them."

    Our correspondent in Washington DC, Paul Adams, says those in attendance were there to reaffirm their patriotism and share their conviction that the country had lost its way.

    The crowd was good-natured, our correspondent says, but the people there believed their freedoms were being taken away from them by an overweening government.

    A counter-rally organised by the civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton took place at the same time.

    Participants marched to the site of a proposed memorial to Dr King, not far from the Lincoln Memorial.
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    Glenn Beck: 'America today begins to turn back to God'

    Civil rights leaders say Mr Beck's message runs counter to that of Dr King.

    "It's an affront to what the civil rights movement stood for," Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

    "We didn't do anything in anger and never tried to divide people. Glenn Beck is a very divisive force."

    The 1963 march was a pivotal moment in the US civil rights movement. Dr King's "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial that day foresaw a united nation, free from racial discrimination. It is one of the most celebrated works of American oratory.

    Mr Beck is a prominent voice in the anti-establishment Tea Party movement. Last year he accused President Barack Obama of racism, saying he had a "deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture".

    He said when he was planning the rally in the US capital he was unaware that Saturday 28 August would be the anniversary of the 1963 march.

    "It's not the date, it's the message," he said on his television show on Thursday.

    "I've heard it over and over again in the media that because of this event, on the date of this event, I'm somehow or another hijacking Dr Martin Luther King's speech. I'm not big enough to do that. No-one is."

    The Tea Party movement has galvanised conservatives opposed to taxes and government intervention.


    BBC News - US conservatives rally on civil rights anniversary
    "They want to test our feelings.They want to know whether Muslims are extremists or not. Death to them and their newspapers."

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    Death, the Destroyer of Worlds... Senior Contributor -{SpoonmaN}-'s Avatar
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    Senior Contributor Bigfella's Avatar
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    Beckapalooza: where middle class white folks convince themselves they are: a) victims on the scale of southern blacks at the time of MLK; OR b) the true inheritors of King's legacy. You really can't make stuff like this up.
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    Wonkette.com had some nice pics of old folks in their scooters there to complain the goverment does too much....on the scooters the goverment bought. They cry the goverment does to much but you won't find many of those middle aged attendees who want to cut the Social Security or Medicare they will recieve. It's anger directed at the ether not real goverment action. Anyone with half a brain has seen enough of Beck to realize He is a liar and a Hate Monger.

    Also, I reject the theme. I do not live in a dishonored nation. If they are ashamed of America and believe it dishonored that's their problem.

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    Senior Contributor Mihais's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigfella View Post
    Beckapalooza: where middle class white folks convince themselves they are: a) victims on the scale of southern blacks at the time of MLK; OR b) the true inheritors of King's legacy. You really can't make stuff like this up.
    Neither,IMO.You missed the part about Washington.The MLK references are there to prevent further ''mis-interpretations'' of their message.MLK is a sacred cow,so no one following in his footsteps can be a ''racist''.
    White middle class-interesting choice of words.You don't suggest race and class overlaps in US,so whatever class conflict is also a race conflict,don't you?
    Those who know don't speak

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    Global Moderator Defense Professional JAD_333's Avatar
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    Rallies of this kind are more frequent in hard times and always stand in opposition to "them", or those someones who the organizers and attendants believe are guiding the country away from its "core values". There is no way to dismiss them by arguing against their message. It doesn't matter whether our problems today are caused by what these folks think it is. The fact that these rallies are happening around the country, not their content, is the message, and it will be heard loud and clear by every politician campaigning for office. Remember, politicians do not lead the people so much as the people lead them.

    Beck told people to leave their signs at home and to forget politics for the day, but the political message was impossible to miss.

    At Lincoln Memorial, a Call for Religious Rebirth

    By KATE ZERNIKE and CARL HULSE
    Published: August 28, 2010

    “Something that is beyond man is happening,” Mr. Beck said in opening the event as the crowd thronged near the memorial grounds. “America today begins to turn back to God.”

    It was part religious revival, part history lecture, as Mr. Beck invoked the founding fathers and the “black-robed regiment” of pastors of the Revolutionary War and spoke of American exceptionalism.

    The crowd was a mix of groups that have come together under the Tea Party umbrella. Some wore T-shirts from the Campaign for Liberty, the libertarian group that came out of the presidential campaign of Representative Ron Paul, while others wore the gear of their local Tea Party group, or of 9/12 groups, which were founded after a special broadcast Mr. Beck did in March 2009.

    But the program was distinctly different from most Tea Party rallies. While Tea Party groups have said they want to focus on fiscal conservatism and not risk alienating people by talking about religion or social issues, the rally on Saturday was overtly religious, filled with gospel music and speeches that were more like sermons.

    Mr. Beck imbued his remarks on Saturday and at events the night before with references to God and a need for a religious revival. “For too long, this country has wandered in darkness,” Mr. Beck said Saturday. “This country has spent far too long worrying about scars and thinking about scars and concentrating on scars. Today, we are going to concentrate on the good things in America, the things that we have accomplished, and the things that we can do tomorrow.”

    Mr. Beck was followed on stage by Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, who said she was asked, in keeping with the theme of the day, not to focus on politics but to speak as the mother of a soldier.

    “Say what you want to say about me, but I raised a combat vet, and you can’t take that away from me,” said Ms. Palin, whose son Track served in Iraq.

    But Ms. Palin did not steer entirely clear of politics. In a veiled reference to President Obama and his pledges to fundamentally transform America, she said, “We must not fundamentally transform America as some would want; we must restore America and restore her honor.”

    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.”

    Mr. Beck’s themes were ones he returns to on his radio and television shows, and people in the crowd echoed his ideas, saying that “progressives” were moving the country toward socialism and that the country must get back to a strict interpretation of the Constitution, which would limit the role of the federal government and do away with entitlement programs.

    “The federal government is only to offer us protection from our enemies and help us when we need it,” said Ron Sears, 65, who came on a caravan of three buses from Corbin, Ky. “The states are supposed to control education and everything having to do with their citizens, except when they need federal help.”

    Mr. Beck billed the event as the Woodstock of this generation, telling listeners that for decades, people would be asking, “Were you there?”

    He had instructed his fans to leave their protest signs at home and to bring their children.

    While there were few signs, people carried American flags or yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” banners, which have become mainstays at Tea Party rallies.

    The event had the feeling of a large church picnic, with people sitting on lawn chairs and blankets with coolers and strollers.

    Officials do not make crowd estimates because they are unreliable and can be controversial, but event organizers put the number of attendees at 500,000; NBC News said it was closer to 300,000, but by any measure it was a large turnout. The crowd stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument.

    The rally organized by Mr. Beck, a Fox News broadcaster who has been critical of Mr. Obama and Congressional Democrats, has come under attack as dishonoring the memory of Dr. King by staging the event on the anniversary of his speech. Critics have suggested that Mr. Beck was trying to energize conservatives for the midterm elections.

    Across town, several hundred people packed a football field at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School to stage a rally commemorating Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

    “We come here because the dream has not been achieved,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, an organizer of the rally. “We’ve had a lot of progress. But we have a long way to go.”

    “They want to disgrace this day,” Mr. Sharpton told the crowd, referring to Mr. Beck’s event.

    While the crowd at Dunbar was mostly African-American, the audience at Mr. Beck’s rally was overwhelmingly white, though a number of speakers and performers were black.

    Among them was Alveda King, a niece of the civil rights leader, who in a speech said that if Dr. King were alive he would commend the organizers of the event and “would encourage us to lay aside the vicious lies that cause us to think we are members of separate races.”

    Mr. Beck made a surprise visit on Friday to a convention held by FreedomWorks, a Tea Party umbrella group, for Tea Party supporters. He received a thunderous welcome from a crowd of about 1,600 in Constitution Hall.

    He told the crowd that he had begun planning his march on Washington a year ago, thinking “it was supposed to be political.”

    “And then I kind of feel like God dropped a giant sandbag on my head,” he said.

    “My role, as I see it, is to wake America up to the backsliding of principles and values and most of all of God,” he said. “We are a country of God. As I look at the problems in our country, quite honestly, I think the hot breath of destruction is breathing on our necks and to fix it politically is a figure that I don’t see anywhere.”

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/us...nted=2&_r=1&hp
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    Quote Originally Posted by -{SpoonmaN}- View Post
    I'm told Sarah Palin couldn't say who the Coalition was fighting in Afghanistan...
    She wasn't asked. She gave a short speech and introduced 3 veterans and told their stories.

    But she has a son in Afghanistan, I'm pretty sure she knows who he's fighting against.

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    Defense Professional Dreadnought's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigfella View Post
    Beckapalooza: where middle class white folks convince themselves they are: a) victims on the scale of southern blacks at the time of MLK; OR b) the true inheritors of King's legacy. You really can't make stuff like this up.
    *or C) The Right to protest a government in which they pay taxes to represent them and thier interests be yet fail to do, as they can pass Bills without even one person from the opposite side even having a say such as in your Health Care Bill. It would appear from that instance alone that many dont need convincing as they watched the Bill get passed without even one Republican voting on it. Checks and Balances within the system come into question and a fair reason to protest on whichever day and whichever sight they choose so long as they have permission to do so. It appears they did.

    A counter-rally organised by the civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton took place at the same time.

    Who couldnt foresee this camera loving shister marching. Many are still trying to figure out just what Ministry he does serve beside the "his own interests" ministry.

    So in other words what he is stating is that they are racists for holding it (the rally which is their right) the very same day as Kings speech was held many years before?

    Or just exactly what is he stating in all of this. Please, I would rather someone expain it so that many here can better understand.

    Furthermore, I more suprised the community still recognizes this guy as legitimate. He's about as far away from Martin Luther King Jr. in idealism as Pluto is to Earth in distance. And a far more checkered past then Kings as well. The man has proved himself a hipicrit on several occassions so many dont even give him the time of day anymore and havent for a long time now.

    Al Sharpton is still trying to paint himself into history (Jesse Jackson is already there) and many times it is a contriversy or its a "camera day" affair..

    Beck's not a racist,not by far. He's just like Al (above) and every other oppertunist out there beit media, politicaL or religious. Simple difference is though, Beck can offer the truth in material and written fact. Sharpton seems to have alot more trouble in that area.

    Do you think Al just might be pissed that someone is using the Lincoln Memorial for their purpose of sending a massage on a particular day other then him being allowed to on MLK's Dream Speech Anniversary? Interesting.

    Would he have rallied againt the protest if say it was held in Seattle Washington instead of Washington DC?

    There are several other places Sharpton and followers could have gone and sent a message from on the anniversary of MLK's speech, instead they chose to protest anothers right to do the very same thing they do. For some strange reason they seem to believe they have more of a right to do so then anyone including Beck and other attendees. Imagine that.
    Last edited by Dreadnought; 30 Aug 10, at 12:29.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigfella View Post
    Beckapalooza: where middle class white folks convince themselves they are: a) victims on the scale of southern blacks at the time of MLK; OR b) the true inheritors of King's legacy. You really can't make stuff like this up.
    You just did.

    Of course, it has nothing to do with the rally, which was mostly just a bunch of bible-thumping. Which they have a right to engage in, as per the U.S. Constitution.

    Did you know MLK's niece was on Beck's radio show endorsing the rally? Beck showed nothing but humility and deference to her and her uncle. But then you wouldn't be interested in that sort of thing....

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    Defense Professional Dreadnought's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Roosveltrepub;754372]Wonkette.com had some nice pics of old folks in their scooters there to complain the goverment does too much....on the scooters the goverment bought. They cry the goverment does to much but you won't find many of those middle aged attendees who want to cut the Social Security or Medicare they will recieve. It's anger directed at the ether not real goverment action. Anyone with half a brain has seen enough of Beck to realize He is a liar and a Hate Monger.


    A "hate monger" as you state that happens to reveal some very interesting and yet provable points every single day he is on about government spending, government favors. clasuses and fine print in Bills that "your political heros" would never once mention to the public. Maybe its because he is unhappy along with many other that surely are not "Tea Partiers". You know that term used to descibe all criticizers and opposition to the Democratic government if you cannot call them racists or white supremeists.

    Cute phrase but misleading to the public as well and in more cases not true as compared to the truth.

    A liar? Hmm, care to put him up against Democratic politicians, such as Nancy, Harry, Barbra and the bunch in regards to the Health Care Bill, Buyout Stimulis or other political actions they have taken?

    Hows about we put him up against Al Sharpton as well? Who do YOU as in YOU Rosey think will win that one?

    My money says Beck (does that make me one as well)?

    One of the most brilliant analyst's (not by my terms but by many others in Washingtons circles) Charles Krauthammer seems to disaggree with Obama's administration and the Democratic led Congress as well and the way they have treated the people and misled them in some major issues.

    Maybe he is a "hate monger" or "Tea Partier" or White Supremesist as you have descibed Beck as well?

    Or maybe its just a political cop out label when one is found to be in the wrong and finds it even more diffacult to admit it.
    Last edited by Dreadnought; 30 Aug 10, at 12:18.
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    I didn't see anywhere it mentioned that Beck has the ear and support of Alveda King, MLKs niece. Hell, they are good friends! Sharpton ain't got that because Alveda knows the score and knows Sharpton is not the answer, but somehow Beck is? Think about that for a minute?

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    Lord High Hullabalooster Senior Contributor dalem's Avatar
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    I thought this was interesting.

    Kinda speaks for itself.

    I love the delicious irony of fiercely bigoted lefties.

    -dale

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    Lord High Hullabalooster Senior Contributor dalem's Avatar
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    This is great too. I didn't have to go further than the first sentence to find rampant ass-hattery:

    Author and TV host Glenn Beck denied he has any aspirations of running for office during an interview on "Fox News Sunday" the day after his Restore Honor rally attracted scores to Washington.
    "Scores." To the mouth-breather that wrote this article, 300,000 can be represented by the term "scores". Don't these idiots have editors?

    -dale

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    Staff Emeritus Julie's Avatar
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    Beck asking people to turn back to God for the sake of our country is hardly "hate mongering."

    I'm beginning to turn into a hate mongerer however. My business is going to have to file umpteen 1099's to each of my suppliers this year due to the new requirements in the HC bill just so Obama can keep all businesses honest with their money. And he wants to know why businesses aren't hiring... dumbass

    On the other hand, our Administration is suing Arizona so illegal immigrants can flow freely into our Country and get food stamps and welfare checks of which they are in NO WAY entitled to.

    Oh God ...... I hate him.....

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    Lord High Hullabalooster Senior Contributor dalem's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roosveltrepub View Post
    Anyone with half a brain has seen enough of Beck to realize He is a liar and a Hate Monger.
    Have you ever listened to his show? What does he lie about and how does he monger hate?

    -dale

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