Roots of Palin Hate

I began writing this with the intention of examining some of the alleged Palin Gaffes to see if they, like her recent remarks about Paul Revere, were less offensive than the LSM meme.  While googling for blogs or articles that might have a list of gaffes, I found something interesting over at liberal Daily Kos: The Mistake Named Sarah Palin, a Compilation, "which aims to sum up everything we've learned about Sarah Palin, presumptive Republican VP candidate, just within the first 24 hours of her announcement."


Twenty-four hours after her announcement, she was being labeled a mistake.  That's stunning.  The obvious conclusion that I want to make is that the Democrats were scared of Palin, but I'm trying my best to push that aside and look at the evidence amassed by the writer at Daily Kos.  Perhaps it will show something.  According to the Daily Kos, she is a "mistake", but the writer does not say to whom.  I presume it's meant to be a mistake for the Republican VP candidate, and therefore a benefit to the Democrat/Obama ticket.


1. Palin is a "celebrity".  Evidence: she posed for Vogue magazine.
2. Palin's young.  Evidence: Palin is a few years younger than Obama.
3. Palin is inexperienced.  Evidence: She was mayor of a town of 8,000 until two years ago.
4.  1-3 negates the arguments against Obama.
5. Palin supported Romney in the primary. Evidence: none.
6. Palin praised Obama's energy plan. Evidence: link to a Politico article.
7. Palin is embroiled in scandal.  Evidence: link to singular Alaskan scandal article in TPM.
8. Said scandal diminished her reputation.  Evidence: Claim that +90 fell +60, no link.  Mention that +60 is still damn good.
9. Palin is nationally unknown.  Evidence: none.
10. The average person wouldn't want Palin one heartbeat away from president.  Evidence: none.
11. Palin didn't want the job.  Evidence: link to Politico article.
12. Palin didn't "know what it [the job] was about".  Evidence: #11 Politico
13. Palin thought the job would interfere with her work.  Evidence: #11 Politico
14. Palin wanted to use the job to favor Alaska.  Evidence: #11 Politico
15. Palin called Hillary Clinton  "whiny".  Evidence: Newsweek link.
16. Palin is a hypocrite for criticizing Hillary Clinton, since it happened at a "Women and Leadership" event.
17. Palin is a hypocrite for criticizing Hillary Clinton, since she owes her nomination to Clinton.  Evidence: Claim that Palin was chosen "to appeal to the disaffected female Clinton supporter vote".  
18.  Palin was chosen because she is attractive.  Evidence: McCain quote (no link) "I can't believe a guy that handsome wouldn't have some impact", in regards to Dan Quayle.
19. Conservative's reactions to her indicate if she is a good pick. 
20. Some conservatives are gushing like a teenagers, thus their opinion should be omitted.
21. Other conservatives are not happy.  Evidence: broken link
22. Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney are not happy with the pick.  Evidence: Washington Post article.
23. Joe Biden is a better VP candidate than Sarah Palin.  Evidence: Two favorable quotes from Senators about Biden.

Ending statement: "Well, I think we've just won the VP section of this campaign."


Going back (and without verifying claims), there's a few things you can do right away.
Delete #1 & #9, since they contradict each other.  
Delete #5, since the game changes after nominations are made.
Delete #6, since it appeals to swing voters and won't be enough to sway Republicans to flip.
Delete #2, since (as noted) she is nearly the same age as Obama and was the same age as Al Gore when he was VP.
Delete #8, since maintaining +60 when "embroiled in scandal" is telling
Delete #10, since it is one person's opinion
Delete #11, since it is no longer applicable and "reluctant leader" is a powerful identity
Delete #12 & #13, since she was made aware of the demands of the job, and prior lack of knowledge does not infer inability to do the job.
Delete #15, since all politicians have criticized one another at some point in time, and many did think Hillary Clinton was whiny at that time.
Delete #18, since good looks are not a reason to discount someone
Delete #19-#21, since there is no evidence and they contradict each other.
Delete #22, since other possible-VPs' disappointment in not being picked does not qualify nor disqualify Palin
Delete #23, since two positive quotes do not singularly qualify a VP


That leaves us with this "Mistake" of a VP candidate:  An inexperienced mayor embroiled in scandal with a history of favoring her homestate is anti-woman and lucked into the job by being a token planted with the intention of stealing would-be Hillary votes.


Yikes!  That's a seriously flawed individual.  Better validate those claims.


3. Palin is inexperienced.  Evidence: She was mayor of a town of 8,000 until two years ago.
Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the 6th largest city in Alaska and the largest borough of Anchorage.  And then... she was elected governor.  There are two different ways to approach this topic.  If Wausilla is considered a small town like the Daily Kos wants you to believe, then it is amazing that she was able to land the governorship.  If Wausilla is a legitimately sized town, that only adds to her experience.  Is a few years of being governor a small amount of experience?  Certainly.  But she had more political experience than Obama had. (Evidence: wikipedia)


7. Palin is embroiled in scandal.  Evidence: link to singular Alaskan scandal article in TPM.
Yes.  Sorta.  There was a scandal locally known with it's own -gate.  In retrospect, it was not a large enough scandal to prevent her from becoming a nationally known figure, nor was it sexy or financial.  (In short, someone may or may not have been fired for unethical reasons.)  The conservative in me wants to jump up and down and say "but at least she wasn't hanging out with Bill Ayers", but I need to reel that in.  "Scandal" is not a quality wanted in an ideal VP, especially a currently unfolding scandal.  I think "embroiled" in scandal is overkill.

14. Palin wanted to use the job to favor Alaska.  Evidence: #11 Politico
Here's the quote: "We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we’re trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S."  Palin said this a month before she was named VP.  At the time, she had a few things going on.  She was governor of Alaska.  It would be poor PR for her to not mention how her taking the position would effect her constituents.  She specifically noted that her interest in Alaska was an interest in Alaskans accomplishing things for the rest of the country.  Sounds pretty damn patriotic to me.  


16. Palin is a hypocrite for criticizing Hillary Clinton, since it happened at a "Women and Leadership" event.
I'm going to inject my own feelings about feminism here, because this is a pet peeve of mine.  Women are allowed to criticize each other.  Women should treat each other like people.  Palin's ability to speak her mind at this kind of event shows that she is not sexist and speaks what she believes to be true, regardless of the circumstance.  She's not one to alter her opinion to please her audience.


There are two items left, which I need to save for the time being:

17. Palin is a hypocrite for criticizing Hillary Clinton, since she owes her nomination to Clinton.  Evidence: Claim that Palin was chosen "to appeal to the disaffected female Clinton supporter vote".   

4.  1-3 negates the arguments against Obama.


So, now our description changes to a quickly rising governor with a high approval rating and a history of non-sexist, straight-talking.  Yikes!  That's scary for the Democrats. 

As for #4 and #17...
I do think that one of the many reasons McCain picked Palin was that she's a woman.  Personally, I think it is because she wouldn't make him look small while not appearing short herself.  There have only been a few times when the shorter candidate has won an election, especially since the media took over.  Height indicates power and strength.  John Mccain's height is estimated at 5'6"-5'8".  (Obama is 6'1".)  When it comes to politics, visuals do matter.  Romney and McCain simply did not have a chance.  And, really, what were McCain's option?  A taller guy who makes McCain look small, or a smaller guy who make them look like two hobbits...

Frodo and Gandalf
click to enlarge

McCain & Romney
click to enlarge

Ah!  But this is a new era, and it's "okay" for women to be in politics.  And wouldn't that be something, to have a female VP?  Palin wasn't chosen to be the anti-Hillary, she was chosen because McCain is short (AND capable).  Honestly, what's so bad about being chosen in that way?  Daily Kos wants to say that Palin was chosen just because she's pretty and she's a she.  That obviously is not true.  She has a political record and had a high approval rate in Alaska when she was chosen.

As for Palin negating Obama's weaknesses (too young, inexperienced), I think she did the opposite.  During Obama's time in politics, there was little he had to actually show for what he had done.  Palin, on the other hand, was younger than Obama, was a minority like Obama, had been in politics for a similar amount of time as Obama, and had accomplished much more.  She had a record in Alaska that showed she was capable of governance and leadership.  Obama had no record -- just hope and change.


From day one of Palin's time as a VP candidate, she was embroiled with attacks from the left.  You can blame it on the MSM worshiping Obama.  You can blame it on her being a woman, and therefore "attack-able".  You can blame it on lots of things.


This examination leads me to believe that the Democrats did not expect a woman to enter the campaign, and in their own words, they were scared that Palin would appeal to the disaffected female Clinton supporter vote.  Perhaps it was the one piece of the puzzle that had not been anticipated.  And not only was she a woman, she balanced out McCain well, appealing to the more religious voters (etc) in comparison to McCain's moderate Republicanism.


Sarah Palin was a threat.  If she were truly a mistake, then she wouldn't have been a threat, and they would have saved their bad press for McCain.  Instead, Palin got more memorable media coverage than the actual candidate.  When was the last time that happened?  No, really?


The Daily Koz shows us that the most dangerous aspect of Palin was that her record, when juxtoposed next to Obama, made him look that much more inexperienced.  If that were to become a media reality, the Democrats might split their vote (with Hillary-supporters going for McCain/Palin).


Thus, the attacks began.  The only acceptable smear?  Palin's dumb.  That way, no one could use her to emphasize Obama's inexperience, and Obama would safely receive the Hillary-supporter votes.  


Now, what to do to really cinch it?  Hmm... too bad women are known for standing by each other.  Wait a minute.  Women are known for cat-fights!  Score!  How do we make women hate Sarah Palin?...


Say that she's pretty.


Honestly, I don't usually see that in her.  Nor do I think Hillary Clinton is ugly, which is another popular view. I think both are objectively attractive.  (Or, perhaps, not unattractive.)  Their noses aren't weird, they don't have protruding foreheads or saggy necks.  They can style their hair or wear makeup to accentuate features or styles, but I don't think that either woman is stunning or disgusting.


But women are more harsh to women they think are attractive.  And society says that a woman can be attractive or smart, but not both.  


We have a winner!  Emphasizing Palin's attractiveness, particularly her beauty queen history, not only alienates her from the female vote, it reinforces that she's dumb and keeps Obama's inexperience off the table.


Were they scared of Palin?  No.  Were they scared of how Palin would make Obama look?  YES.


Based on the Daily Kos article (and a bit of critical analysis and speculation), I believe the roots of Palin hate stem not from the fear of Palin's strength, but instead from the fear of what those strengths would look like juxtaposed against Obama.


Sarah Palin's mere existence in the 2008 campaign could have shown that the emperor was wearing no clothes.


These are the three key bits from the Daily Kos that most stick out to me now:

Who is Sarah Palin?
People don't know much about her; we can make her be whoever we want her to be.


If Sarah Palin were not an attractive female, would she even be under consideration for the vice presidential post - being unexperienced and undistinguished other than the scandal she's embroiled in?
Sarah Palin is attractive.  If she's also experienced and smart, we're screwed.


Well, I think we've just won the VP section of this campaign.
Crap, we might lose the election.




After all, Palin did have a scandal up in Alaska...  How come that wasn't better utilized in the 2008 smear campaign?  Oh right... doing so would have pointed out that she had experience in government.  Best to just call her a pretty (e.g. dumb) girl, and leave it at that.

Sarah Palin's Ride

Pop Quiz!  Which of the following phrases and descriptions are applicable to Paul Revere's Ride?  (I will use the colloquial terms American and British, rather than the more historically accurate terms British and Regulars.)
A. One if by land, two if by sea.
B. The British are coming!
C. Paul Revere was a lone rider.
D. Paul Revere warned the British
E. Paul Revere warned the Americans
(Answers at the end.)


Ruh-Roh! The media caught Sarah Palin again...  During her One Nation tour, she stopped in Boston and checked out the Old North church, of Paul Revere fame.  A reporter had a chance to talk to her.  Did he ask about her views on the debt ceiling?  Medicare?  Libya?  NOPE.  Did he ask about founding principles (which is, after all, the purpose of her tour -- to educate and energize Americans about our nation's founding principles)?  NOPE.

Actually, we don't know what question was asked.  That's conveniently not included in the video that's been running around the internets like a rat at the county fair.  Presumably, it was a question about early American folklore/history.

“He who warned, uh, the British that they weren’t going to be taking away our arms uh by ringing those bells and making sure as he’s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free and we were going to be armed.”

(The clip cuts out before she finishes her sentence, but you can catch those last few words here.)

OMG!  Palin said Paul Revere was warning the British?!

Well, actually, yes.

And she's right.

Paul Revere was captured during his ride and did, in fact, warn the British that we were ready to go.  What?  All you know about history is Longfellow's poem?  And you dare criticize Palin for a "flub" on a topic about which your knowledge base is a poem written decades after the event?

If you don't believe that Palin was accurate, try reading Paul Revere's own words here.

This isn't what bothers me, though.  Do people really care if a presidential candidate is an early American history scholar?  If so, then why was Obama never asked these kinds of questions?  The answer is simple.  It's a non-issue.  The media asked Palin a question that they had no business asking her; they might as well have asked her if she knew the Lone Ranger's nephew's horse.  The media likes to watch Palin flounder, so they ask her obscure questions -- obscure when compared to the large amount of information that a candidate must have on the tip of her tongue at any given moment.

There have been times when, caught off guard, I have answered questions about my personal life with stutters and stammers.  It's not that I don't know the information (I mean, it's my own frickin' life), it's that I wasn't expecting the need to flip through the file cabinet in my memory and pull out the story of losing my first tooth, for example.  Palin's biggest crime here is that she was not prepared to answer questions about historical trivia.

Actually, there's one more thing.   I have a deep love of early American history, and one thing I find very satisfying is learning the real stories behind the oral mythology.  Sam Adams lost his brewery, because he was too interested in revolution to manage a business.  There was no George Washington cherry tree.  In 1776, Abigail Adams' husband John was serving in the Continental Congress, and she wrote to him and asked that he "remember the ladies."  African-Americans and women even had the right to vote in many of the colonies.

When I learn something new about American history, the most fascinating things are those that change my previous conceptions of reality.  You know what I'm talking about, those Aha Moments.  New information is exciting, and it takes time to mentally repaint your previous perspective.

So here we have Sarah Palin.  I don't know if she loves American history in the same way that I do, but she certainly loves the founding principles.  Loving the history isn't a far stretch.  The day of this interview, Palin had just visited the Old North church.  Prior to that visit, she might have always known the basics as they were taught in high school and college, cemented into her brain by the Longfellow poem and general American folklore.  (I know I didn't remember that Paul Revere had been captured, and not only have I spent much of my adult life reading about Early Americana, but I've also been to that church.)

Honestly, Paul Revere was never one of my favorites.  I like Sam Adams, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin...  Paul Revere and John Hancock always felt like the pretty boy jocks of the revolutionaries.  That's okay.  You can be enthralled by early American history, hell, you can be a maestro... but that doesn't mean you know everything about everything.

But Palin had been to the Old North church, so the reporter asked a question about it.  I am incredibly suspicious about the framing of this video clip, because we are not shown what question was asked.  If the question weren't clear or was disrespectful, that could account for Palin's uncomfortable oration style.  I think something else was happening.

I think Palin knew the familiar story, and if she had been asked about it prior to visiting the church, she would have been fine.  Instead, she had this new knowledge floating around her head.  Now, put yourself in her shoes.  You can do this even if you dislike her.  (That actually makes it easier.)  You know that the media is trying to catch you saying something stupid every time you open your mouth.  This time, they ask a question about something you learned THAT DAY.  Hells yes!  You can show them.  You can pull out the big guns and tell the story, including the new information you learned that day.

Unfortunately, you only learned it that day.  It's not cemented in your head.  It comes out as if you're searching for words.  And the information you provide does not align with what the general, uneducated public believes.  The reporter wanted the storybook version, and you're giving the f-a-c-t-s.

It doesn't help that you stumble over your words.  Then again, if you had spoken clearly and concisely, it would sound just as bad.  Speaking "lies" with certainty makes one look calculated and cunning.  Speaking "lies" while babbling makes one appear buffoonish.

The nail in the coffin for Palin is her body language.  She looks drunk.  She obviously is not drunk, but she has all those signs -- wandering speech, swaying, eyes a little unfocused.  I don't think anyone's accusing her of being drunk... But let's think about her day.  She had been to three different national landmarks that day, and she's a week into her tour.  She has minimal staff with her, and she has family with her.  With no scheduled press stops, she has to be On all of the time.

I get exhausted going to the Farmers Market.  That's a few blocks from my house, I go alone, and I'm home within a few hours.  I cannot imagine how exhausted Palin must have been during that interview.  Imagine, if you will, taking your family to Disney World and, at the end of a long day, being asked to recite your favorite poem.  You would stutter.  You would sway.  You would look confused as you search for words.  Add on to that being asked to recite a poem you had learned that day.  Sheesh, America.

Watching the Palin video certainly is uncomfortable.  I wonder if, after she spoke, the reporter said "uh... he warned the British??" and she succinctly replied, "Yessirree.  I was surprised when I learned that, too.  Here's what happened... [Much less uncomfortable clip of the Paul Revere story]."  Given that the point of the clip was to embarrass Palin and given that the entire clip (question, reply, reporter saying thank you) was not shown, it is not unreasonable to presume that the omitted portions of the clip could be redeeming for Palin.

We can't know what's not there.  All we know is that people are taunting her for giving an uninformed answer, which she did not.  What people could reasonably talk about is Palin's questionable speaking style.  I provided a detailed possible explanation for her appearing, well, not presidential.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter why she appeared that why.  The issue is that she did appear sloppy.

We don't want a sloppy president.  We want a president that will present herself with decorum while winking at the camera to make us feel special.  With Obama's stumble through Europe and public meeting with Israel's Netenyahu, we want a president who will emit strength while being diplomatic, empathy while laying down the law, intelligence while managing children in Congress.  We want this all of the time, at any time, whether or not she is exhausted from her tour.

Why, then, didn't the media and the public pick up on that?  Yes, for whatever the reason you believe, Palin is now a target for Gotchas, especially those that could make her appear unintelligent.  Apparently it doesn't matter if she's actually saying intelligent things or not.

The much strong argument against Palin's oratory is not that she is unintelligent, it's that she appears unintelligent.  This is a matter of opinion, of course, but it's an easy argument to make.  Everything from her accent to her chosen phrases ("hockey mom", "fight like a girl", etc.) speaks to stereotypes associated with lesser intelligence.  I have no counter-argument to someone who says that they don't want a president who appears unintelligent, even if she's the smartest person in the world.  One of our president's largest jobs is to be the face of the country and communicate with other countries.  I don't want someone in that role that the rest of the world sees as a bumpkin.

The media does not choose this meme.  The public do not choose this meme.  Instead, it's just "Palin's dumb."  From a marketing aspect, that sure is easier to push, but aren't the media supposed to be above marketing tricks?  (I know, I know...)   But there is another way to look at it.

"Palin appears dumb" is the most appropriate meme, and it would be just as effective.  In marketing terms, it's less effective than "Palin's dumb", but since it's impossible to disprove, it measures out ahead.  There's one vital flaw, though.  To say "Palin appears dumb", it is assumed that she has something of merit to otherwise be considered.  Not necessarily that she's actually smart but appears dumb, but something deeper: Sarah Palin is legitimate.  To contemplate how she delivers the message inherently implies that she has a message that  is worth contemplating.

As a previous governor and vp candidate, she obviously has something legitimate to consider.  If the Palin haters were being sincere with their hatred, they wouldn't be afraid to let that something *be* considered.  Instead, they use every attempt to delegitimize her.  On the surface, there's not much difference between "Palin is dumb" and "Palin appears dumb", but use of the latter prevents the possibility and prevents contemplation of the message.

I mean, why even bother listening to the woman's words?  She said Paul Revere warned the British.  She's dumb.

Here's what I want to know: who is calling the reporter dumb for demeaning the country by asking a politician trivia questions.




answers: A, D, E

Glen Beck Countdown

It's official. Beck's last show is June 30th.

The Glenn Beck Program, June 3 LIVEBLOG

This is a liveblog.  I type while I watch.  Sometimes I find appropriate links during commercials.  I type as fast as I can, so it's riddled with typos.  Pbbb.
---------------

Brett Baier!  A special edition of Special Report!  WTF.

/palmforehead

The Glenn Beck Program, June 2 LIVEBLOG

I'm catching this at the 1:00 a.m. second-cycle, so I'm not gonna have the same mental energy to try and trype every word.  We'll see how it goes.

Also, I heard elsewhere that Beck has announced the date of his last show.  JUNE 30th.

I didn't think there was a chance it'd be so soon.  I thought August at the absolute earliest.

This sucks.
---------------------------

Palestinian propaganda video.  It was hosted on Coldplay's site.  Good/evil, the lines are being blurred.  Might be puppets, who knows.  Made for refugee camps under "Israeli occupation".  Dangerous words.  Supported by same groups that supporterd british gaze flotilla.  packaging it in a way that everyone can embrace, if you're paying attention.

we are behind the curve.  thought we were ahead, but we're not.  it's not about destroying israel, it's about palestine.

the artists are on the wrong side, beck makes call to artists/hollywood to stand up.  some of the people joining him in general and in jerusalem will be surprising.

this isn't about political views.  will you be a shield for israel.  everyone is welcome to be a shield and to stand up to the truth.  we all have our different points of waking up.

the world is lining up,, and they're going to start pointing at israel more and more.

people are waking up here.  in israel, they're awake.  told beck they feel along for the first time, fear it's happening again.  it won't happen again!  there are enough who are waking up.  the administration doesn't speak for the american people.  this time around, we won't be quiet.

join glenn in israel.  pledge <big breath to stop tears> that you know who you are.  list of ways to help.  like a blog, yard sign, etc.  take a stand, do whatever you can to tell people where you stand.  talk to strangers.  poeple have risked much much more in the past.  and tonight you are going to see the results of their labor.

Opening song.
Hello America.
"He who saves a single life save the entire world."
Oscar Schindler.  economic opportunist trying to profit off the war.  eyes were open to horrors, so he tries to save as many lives as he can.  At end, he weeps, because he realizes that everything he owns represented another life that could be saved.

Beck talk about seeing movie in theiater.  Guy ushered him out after the credits, because he was still bawling. You have to see it.  If you haven't, watch it this weekend.  Another powerful move is Life is Beautiful.  This one is about father/son, dad convinces son it's a game to help him survive.  When you couple such beauty next to such horror, it is staggering.

What hits you so hard is that they are true.  The story of the holocaust is true.

Beck said that he's going to do something that he never ever wanted to do.  Visit Auschwitz.  Before the Restoring Courage event in August.  Beck cries again.  Lots of places he wants to go, and Auschwitz isn't on the list.

Beck's of german descent.  Ancestors came over 1800s.  he wonders if any of them tried to do anything.  That's why he owns a copy of Mein Kampf.  To see if they knew.  They did.

In Turkey, it sold 100,000 copies in two months.  (JFC)

The hate that emerged in the 1930s, most people turned a blind eye.  They knew but chose not to stare evil in the eye.  once you wake up and face it, it changes your life.

70 yrs later, the world is finding itself in the same situation.  It's emerging from the shadows.  Fingers are pointing to Israel.  We are turning a blind eye.  There were a few awake last time.  This time there is no excuse.  We have electronics/TV.  And we have history.  If they yell kill the jew, they probably do

Encyclopedia among the Righteous of the Nations: Glenn shows stadck of books  for countries.

it's easy to stand up NOW.  Scare the monstres back into the shadows.  It only gets tougher, as it has in the past.

Shows card of "you help a jew, you get shot"

Staring this evil in the face and doing nothing just to live another day is a far worse punishment than anything the Nazis can dish out.  We must be the righteous among nations.  It's hard.  You have to fix yourself first.

If you just be who you were born to be, you can be amazing.

He who saves a single life, saves the world entire

Tonight, you will meet people who risked everything to save people.  You will hear their stories and I hope find your way and your place in the world.

COMMERCIAL.

I should have kept a tally for how often Beck cried.  (Or me, for that matter.)  I don't know how to make a difference in the world.  I rarely speak to people.  I have this blog, but it's small and strange and no one reads it.  I'm educating myself.  I just... don't know.

DUNDUNDENDUN

This a show that needs 2 hrs.  There are efforts to deny the holocaust.  When this generation passes, no one left to say "I lived it."

Christine & Marion.  Christine hid in a sewer for 14 months, had one green sweater the whole time.  What do you recall?
"I remember everything.  So shocking, experience like this you don't forget.  It was dark and loud, father had to push her to make her go in." Shows pic of her standing at sewer cover, going back to see it.  "I will never forget. Sometimes I have the dream where I wake up with the fear.  It was terrible experience."
The person who saved you family was a thief?
"he was in prison a few times.  Then he was working for the sewer department."  "After a few months of sitting there w/o seeing daylight..  Soha would crawl in to bring food everyday."  He brought her to a place where you could see a sliver of daylight,  "It was medicine.
Marion, saved by Oscar Schindler.  it was your family?  "No, me and my mother."  Thanks to him, we managed to get out, bribed the guard.
Beck: Where was everyone?  How did they not see it?
"You have to remember that we live in Poland.  Very antisemitic.  Very difficult to find somebody to help you, even friends."
COMMERCIAL

Dr Mordecai Heldial -- "The Girl in the Green Sweater", "Defying the Tide", "Righteous..."
he's also a survivor.  When he was being sneaked out at night, they told him to b quiet and look up to the trees.  "We're taking you to see Tarzan."
What happened was they were suddenly challenged, faced with a few Jews, eye contact, and there's a transformation.  They have a right to live, so I'm going to do everything I can do. It's a mystery.  There is something in the human constitution...  when you ask these people, what caused you to risk your life (the Germans threatened with the death penalty) and they say it was the most natural thing to do.

Beck: America, you don't want to get to the point where you have to do THIS.

Ruth Bachner, hidden by nuns in a convent.  Beck shows the star she would wear, while she was still allowed to go to school.  "I am here because of a righteous gentile... He put himself into jeopardy to do what he did, and I am so forever grateful. And noow is the time to do for everyone what he did for me, because the situation is terrible."

COMMERCIAL

He says, telling a quick version of story.  guy had to issue thousands of visas.  had a decision. help jews escape into spain, portugal?  govt says no, he says yes.
felipe proppper (son) says he did it because he didn't know how not to do it (lost everything)

Beck: in the end, i want my children to say that he wouldn't sit down, that he'd do the right thing.  is that what you saw?

guy: learned the importance of holding to one's own belief.  my father was only 45, i was only 10.he told those germans -- and i was amazed to hear it -- you have not won this war, you will win this war only when your troups will be marching in the streets of london.

COMMERCIAL

Next up.  Hidden in an attic.  Sally Engelberg Frishberg.  guy found them, her mother persuaded him by telling him to talk to his wife.  he was bonded to this family, he called them "his jews".  he wanted to help them, the guy's wife wasn't so sure.  they gave her all of their jewelry, and they did it.

another one.  reha abraham sokolow.  her helper was apalled at what was happening, she made up her mind that she would try to help jews in need.  she looked for them, was following the speaker's mother, and after following for several days, she said she wanted to help "and my  mother was petrified"

COMMERCIAL

these people are not used to telling these intense stories in soundbites.

DUNDUNDENDUN
From New York, Goodnight America

ADDED: video.  I will be doing a multimedia condensation of these episodes, as time permits.  As this happens, I will link them to the original LIVEBLOGS.

Reading up on Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  No simple answers.  But, still, can't help but think about Czechs.

In other news, while I'm sick sick sick of Weinergate, I love that Brett Baier used the word "drawers".

The Glenn Beck Program, June 1 LIVEBLOG

America, we've grown a little too accustomed to seeing scenes like this from the Middle East <clip of "Death to America, Death to Israel" chant>
We're desensitized to this hate, and the media doesn't show it.

1998.  radio clip of Beck warning about terrorism and buildings blown up.  no one took him seriously.

We look at pictures <clip of tahrir square celebration> and at the same time they were raping the journalist and yelling Jew Jew Jew.

The truth you will see tonight is the truth without an agenda.

DUN DUN DEN DUN

Hello, America.  TOnight I'm going to continue my quest to wake up America, and tonight it will be the whole ball of wax.  Looking at the history will help us see what is coming our way.  Growing dark and sinister, comparison to 1930s.  The lengths that people have to go to to ignore it is stunning.

Prominent cleric yesterday came out urging to increase suicide bobing attacks.  good or evil?  say it and speak it by its name.

Nachbah Day.  N'Bah = the great catastrophe = the founding of independence of Israel.  Like the rest of the world chanting "Kill the Americans" on july 4th.
FB, youth of june 5th.  pro-palestinian groups (not anti-israel).  rush the israeli borders from all sides to force the israelis to shoot them.  Will Americans understand that Israel (and us) are being set up.

Now, people are gonna say that they always hated each other, just let them attack each other.

Beck talks about 9/11 attacks.  He used to be on Iranians and Muslim extremists.  Showing muslim extremists in their own words was like pulling teeth on the other network (CNN?).  It is no longer an acceptable position for any of us to close their eyes.  Not because we have the reposniblity to protect, but because self-imposed ignorance is dangerous.

As Israel goes, so goes the western wrold.  They are the keystone to democ in ME.  If they fall, we all fall.

Keep up. We're gonna cover 2000 yrs quickly.  Do your own homework.
People forget that our country is based on Jewish history.  Moses holding up something on a building.
Statue of Liberty, not a crown, the rays of light from god.  She's holding the tablets of 10 commandments.
QUote from leviticus on Liberty bell.
Seal of US, the original was moses holding a flame, leading people...
rebelliance to tyrants is obediance to god.  all this stuff center around exodus & moses

We're too far removed from the types of oppression of our founding fathers and ME.
If you fundamentally transform America (the best country ever), you should explain what you are changing to. No one will lay that out for you, not even Obama.  Same happening in ME.

We are a Judeo-Christian society that protects all religions so long as you are not trying to blow things up.  Will we remain this way?

TONIGHT.  No accusations.  Lots of hate in the history.
175-163 BC in Syria.  King of S was the first to try and outlaw Jews (Sabbath, circumcision).
Crusades
1215 - Pope Innocent the 3rd, Jews should wear a yellow circle, said
1240 King Louis arodered the Talmud on trial
list of dates of jews being kicked out of different places,
1290
1306
1394
1492
1445
1495
1497
1543 martin luther, fundamentally changed christianity but also wrote "the jews and their lies" (hitler liked martin luther)
1555 jews forced to wear yellow hats in the ghetto
missed the date
1772

1925 Mein Kampf
1939 -- jewish ship carrying german refugees denied entrance here
1945 attempt at extermination.  67%. that was done without any real technology.  imagine it now with GPS, internet.  how to escape.  or, if you're all gathered in one place like israel...  and if allah says it's your job.,..
<clip> memri TV.<>

What else was happening at the same time?  Will explain why they want to push Jews into the sea, why they deny the holocaust.

COMMERCIAL
I'm so glad I was reading about WWII yesterday.  Hmm.  He waited til after opening monologue to start with ME history.  yikes.

DUN DUN DEN DUN
beck agrees with chuck schumer (wow, he says).  clip.  arabs don't believe in peace in the ME, and anyone who tries to figure out a way in this conflict w/o realizing this is screwed.  clip from 29 may.
THe left is trying to convince the world that Israel is oppressing the Palestinians, but when you see how steeped in Israel -hate, you see that chuck chumar is right.

guy was grand mufti of jesursalem.  this was when brits owned the whole area.  he led violent riots for a national home for

hassan albana 1928 founded a group called the muslim brotherhood. allied with the mufti.  cos they both hated the jews.  slognas: down with the jews, get the jews out of palestine.
they pulished a regular column.  called for the boycott of jewish goods.

mufti made a new friend -- Hitler.  pic of them meeting in germnay

mufti sent ideas to germany, he was eventually tried for his role in shit, led to tons of jews being murdered.

the hassan was also close with germany.  brotherthood became an arm of the nazi party.  provided them with anything they needed.  helped train, build #s

persia changed its name to iran due in large part of influence of nazis.  iran means aryan

current muslim leader -- missed name -- has broadcast each week that is heard/seen by 40 million arabs.  he says scary stuff (me, from memory: about not only killing jews but that hitler's stuff will look weak in comparison, and that the muslims are gods true chosen people to carry out this mission to extinguish the rats)

beck shows recent article.  new nazi party (muslim nazi party?  in muslim brotherhood?  i didn't catch  it).  but it's a problem with the frame of reference, they say. as if the problem with the nazis were outdated uniforms

COMMERCIAL
I wonder if there's any way for me to back up and smooth out this recap with links and whatnot.  DVR (damnit, not yet) will help.  Hopefully I'll be able to link some of the documents or fill out some of the empty dates.  I'm just guessing about some of the names and spelling.  hanging on here, typing as fast as i can...

DUN DUN DEN DUN
It seems like this doesn't mean anything here, but it does.  The Western way of life is at risk.  The economies will shake apart, we will be more active in places like Libya, and we'll all chase jews tot the sea...

Hamas & Hezbullah.
hez -1982.  goal to spread islamic revolution, goal inspired by ayatollah in iran.  iran's revolution believe they can spread it elsewhere.

before 911, hezbullah was the org responsible for more american deaths than any other org.  1983 ship bombing.  ufti.  anti british, anti jewish.

then we have hamas.  code pink (et al) standing with hamas.  hamas grew out of muslim brotherhood.  hamas charter rejects muslim brotherhood's policy of non-violence and very antisemitic.  "when the jews will hide behind the stones and trees..."

from spiritual leader of muslim brotherhood, 2009.  "even if in a wheelchair, i will shoot them dead.. (applause)"

Lots of criticism whenever beck tals about the nazis.  get over it, he says.  you don't have to go back to htler to find the desire to exterminate a race of people.  just turn on your news.  but most in the mainstream media will not connect these things together.

these are people surrounding israel.  flew planes.  other stuff.  they want to destroy the western way of life thru israel. stand up.  they are left alone.  does america still stand with israel?  they are our only true ME ally.  does america still stand?

COMMERCIAL

I did a horrible job of capturing that last part.  damn it.
Ican't help but think about Obama's speech.  People made a big deal out of the 67 lines, which remind me so much of the Czech lines in 1938.  But the thing I heard that stood out to me was that Obama said that Israel has the right to defend itself BY ITSELF.  when we give billions in aid to both sides over there, what the hell does that mean?  Did Obama get us into Libya so there would be reason not to help Israel?
Those 67 lines are more than "we're throwing our ally under the bus".  We're setting them up, and at a time when their enemies are stronger than ever before, stronger even than 1939.
This will be WWIII.

DUN DUNDEN DUN
i don'tk now if anybody even cares, says Beck, I just know what I'm supposed to do, and I'm hopingit connects somebody.
Tonight we've been going through a lot of history.  read it, share it, don't take it for gospel, question it,

Ben Shapiro.  quote with Sesame Street founder admiting to libneral propaganda with kids.
shows clips of muslim propaganda on kids shows.  many people were illed in wwii, they've over used the holocaust for the zionist cause/

After 911, the cries in the ME were the jews did it, the jews had advanced warning. it was all just a jewish conspiracy.  ahmadinejad reaffirms this and more recent stuff.

1920s.  germany.  mein kampf publish in 1925, millions killed by 1945.  the excuse, they said we didn't know.  we don't have that excuse anymore.

if you really want to look at for a group of the oppressed in history, it's clear that it's the jews.  shows scroll list of those dates. (D!V!R!)  why?  people don't pay attention.  some dismiss it, oh they'll never do that.  some just let stereotyupes fester.  but there are people who will do it.  it doens't change the meanings of their actions, or yours.  the choice is coming, is here.  we must choose.  are we going to be a force for good/evil.

to not speak is to speak.
to not act is to act.

after commercial, will go back to 175 BC and show something that is now happening in san francisco.
COMMERCIAL

Tonight, we are going over history.  I want to go back to the first date, the king of syria, when they outlawed circumcision.  SF trying to do the same thing, saying it's health reasons.  It's commonly practiced by many, but it is a jewish RIGHT, a token of the covenant with god.  on the next city ballot, there will be a vote to ban circumcision.  beck believes it has nothing to do with health, it has everything to do with antisemitism.  beck says this is evil.  he knows that is a strong word.  Genesis 17, where it talks about the covenant.  They are forcing people to break their/a covenant with god.  and isn't it interesting that this is the covenant where, in exchange for circumcision, god will give the jews the land of canaan (Israel).

COMMERCIAL
me: even if it's not antisemitism, it is.  even if the main reason is the more recent arguments that parallel female genital mutilation, they are ignoring that this practice has deeply religious roots for a totally legitimate and peaceful religion in the US that has the right to exist and practice its rights and traditions.  we look at sharia law and do whatever the fuck we can to make sure we're not being anti-muslim, but a large city in the US is putting something on the ballot that would make something like christian baptisms illegal?  even if the claim is that "we didn't realize that it was that important to the jews", its the antisemitism of ignorance.  well, if they really need this, they can go to other cities... but why should they?  why is it okay and progressive to pass a law against a deeply rooted tradition of one religion for which there is no proof that it is harmful etc etc.


Back!
plug for tomorrow's show, which i will likely miss.
Goodnight

me: i'm gonna need to go back and try to link some info.  first need to digest the show.