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Glenn Beck ‘should be fired’ after Van Jones rant
With 46 advertisers deserting the presenter, his latest broadcast goes over the top – again
The latest on-air campaign by the right-wing Fox News presenter Glenn Beck has turned even nastier than normal. The object of his ire is Van Jones, the former civil rights activist appointed by President Barack Obama in March to be his "green jobs czar". Beck has accused Jones of being a dangerous black radical and a communist and unfit to serve at the White House.
"Why is it," Beck asked, "that such a committed revolutionary has made it so high into the Obama administration as one of his chief advisers?"
Jones has a strong history of green activism. He co-founded Green For All, a national organisation dedicated to "building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty", and his 2008 book, The Green Collar Economy, was a New York Times bestseller.
But though Jones describes himself as a capitalist, Beck and other right-wing commentators have accused him of never disavowing his earlier communist beliefs.
Yesterday Beck took his campaign against Jones a stage further by calling him "the same kind of radical" as the controversial black pastor from Chicago, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, whose apparently divisive sermons nearly scuppered Obama's election campaign.
In a broadcast which was over-the-top even by Beck's standards, the Fox News man also questioned whether the FBI had turned a blind eye to Van Jones's history when he was vetted for the White House role.
But what Beck failed to remind viewers during yesterday's rant was that Jones was the co-founder of Color of Change, the advocacy group for African Americans which has led the campaign to persuade advertisers to withdraw from Beck's show since he called Obama a "racist".
Beck attacked Obama for jumping to Henry Louis Gates's defence following the Harvard professor's recent run-in with a Cambridge, Massachusetts police officer.
Forty-six advertisers have pulled out in recent days, leaving Fox in a quandary: can they afford to stand by their man when it's costing them a fortune to do so?
One liberal commentator who is in no doubt what Fox should do is Beau Friedlander, editor in chief of American Air. Blogging last night for the Huffington Post, he said Beck had "crossed the Rubicon of human decency" and that Fox should take him off the air.
"Van Jones is one of the brightest lights in activist circles," wrote Friedlander. "He is a Yale graduate whose pro-business, pro-green professionalism is planting the seeds for a new generation of entrepreneurs whose focus is to make the planet a better place through better stewardship of communities and the environment."
Beck, on the other hand, was "a racist, hate-mongering mouthpiece for the worst tendencies in right-wing politics. He has become a spokesperson for white nationalism."
Friedlander concluded: "It is time to remove this blight from the media landscape." Over to you, Fox. ·
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Note to Eloxi - Van Jones wasn't fired, he resigned and is going back to what he was doing before. Many say it's the best thing that could have happened because he can be far more active now than he would be sitting behind a desk.
Well there is the case of free speech but then I think that only applies to liberals not conservatives in the US today.
Awesome that I can now come to a liberal website to see people defending Glenn Beck! I love this crazy liberal train we are on....where is it taking us though?
Odd that Van Jones was fired on a Friday before a holiday. What else is this transparent government going to do without notifying us of?
Somebody has paid Steven, the unlicensed Plumber to post day after day to shill for likes of GB. This is the end of America as we know it. Torrent of prevarications and lies flow out of the mouth of a TV personality right into the impressionable minds with low cognitive functionality. The entire game plan of certain cable news shows has boiled down to smear and slandering someone base on a quotation and an excerpt from here and there. No one is asking WHAT exactly that very person is doing; how he/she is performing. No, no, forget about the issues at hand, stick to pop tabloid garbage but as soon as this is brought, they turn around and claim to the exigency of such piffle to be discussed openly. Either this malignant cancer must be removed or we all die of coughing up bull*hit.
I haven't seen so many caterwauling casuists climb out of the crazy box since mad Mel Phillips' last rabid rant. What I wonder is "why?" as only amerikans could believe such rabble soothing dissembling. As FredSmith said above, it must indicate a wide readership in that benighted society who are finally seeing the dawn of democracy, hence their need for decent journalism such as this esteemed electric organ.
Glen Beck should have been fired years ago. This vicious right-wing thug isn't a "journalist". Fox News is simply Nazi propaganda screened to cheer on the rise of fascism in the United States. Some of the weak-minded dupes who believe this shit can be seen posting comments above.
Praise God for Fox News, I love their radio shows, I get them regularly on the internet. No sane person believes the UK media's picture of the US - the BBC are the worst of the worst in this respect. No US president will be interviewed by them, they are anti-American and anti-Republican with a sting. I automatically disbelieve ALL politicians and media ALL the time, whatever they say. Then I ask myself 'Does make ANY sense, and do I care even slightly?' Sometimes it's yes and yes. FoxNews rates highly by this scoring method. Good old Glenn Beck, bring it on.
Oh wow, and actual member of the media who IS NOT defending the government or lying and protecting the failed presidence of Obama. I can remember the "good old days" when the media's FUNCTION was to question the government, and serve to protect the people, apparently in todays government run propaganda arm, the so called "media", performing their constitutionally defined function in America warrants them being fired. What a crazy mixed up country we are living in. I hope and pray Obama, and clueless dullards like the author of this article keep it up, it will really help hasten the ejection of Obama and his failed administration, the sooner the better, before he does even more harm.
Glenn Beck and Fox news are pure sensationalism. The problem is that some people are gullible. They don't fact check for themselves. Did you know that Glenn Beck got caught crying on cue for a photo shoot? Did you know that he perpetuated conspiracy theories and spun misinformation for ratings? Did you know he said he was sick of 9/11 victims? Did you know he's listed as the "white supremacist commentator" by the KKK? Did you know he claims not to condone violence yet continues to rile people up to do just that? Did you know that Fox fired John Gibson for saying the sort of things Beck is saying? Why is ranting over a white president bad but it's all good now? You can spin it however you want, but defending people like Beck only makes you look like a conspiracy theory fanatic and a right-wing crackpot.
Be Fired??? Is the author insane? Or perhaps only in favor of speech restraint while being sane in other aspects of life. However, ONLY if the author would diagree with the speech. Free speech is easy when one agrees with what is being said. Glenn Beck is the first one to have the guts to say the truth. Now many others have jumped on the bandwagon.
If not for Glenn Beck how would we ever know what this guy really thinks? MSNBC? CBS? CNN? Nope. Not a word.
Does anyone suggest Olberman be fired when he rants on with his diatribe? Thought not. Then why would we want someone fired who speaks the TRUTH. If tghis is to remain a free country, we need both sides. Not just the "Olbermans of the world" side. Beck has only shown tapes of and repeated Van Jones (and others) actual words. He has invited the White House to call him and tell him where he is wrong. He has stated over and over how he HOPES he is wrong. Did any of the Liberal mouthpieces ever make that offer when they would spew?
Van Jones isn't the only one of concern in this administration. This is the makings of a very scary entourage. We should be very concerned. This is OUR country! And we should thank God for Glenn Beck and Fox News for having the guts.
By the way. Beck being a racist? He has many blacks on his show. He is a friend of (although they seldom agree) Al Sharpton. Beck hires many blacks. He deplores racism. Which may be another reason he dislikes Van Jones to this degree. Listen to Van Jones own words...this guy IS a racist. And there is no place for that crap in Federal Govt.
If Beck was wrong, please point out specifics. Apparently Van Jones feels that Beck's reports were accurate. In case you missed it, he apologized for HIS radical ant-white rants captured on You Tube.
Mr. Bremer, if you will only be patient I'm sure that Glenn Beck will be fired and Fox News will be off the air, just as soon as President Obama can put more communist and socialist in key places in our goverment. As he has already taken over our auto makers and wants to take over our health care, I'm sure that TV stations and radio are also on his list. In the mean time maybe you should spend your time asking why your country supports a Royal Family that no longer has a real purpose and less time concerning yourself with The United States.
I've watched the so-called rant. Your comment "Beck has accused Jones of being a dangerous black radical and a communist and unfit to serve at the White House." Is innacurate at best. Stop looking at color. Most people do not. Beck continually quotes MLK and agrees that we judge a man by his content of his character, NOT the color of his skin. Van Jones is quoted in just the opposite manner (on video).
Again, What is the misinformation? Van Jones was the one who made inflamatory statements himself. Why doesn't he defend himself? Or is he using this site to do so?
Freedom of speech doesn't apply to slander. Glenn Beck is an instigator and a designated white supremacist commentator. I have watched Van Jones speeches and read up on him. Beck is spreading misinformation and has already been caught in many lies. I'm amazed anyone believes a thing he says anymore. He's a radical right-wing conspiracy theory fanboy. A rebel without a clue. A conservative cry baby. The man should be held accountable for the violence and hate he perpetrates.
Who is Bremer? And why does he not want to hear the truth from Beck and others. Somebody has to tell it.
Either the First Post has a wider US readership than I previously thought (and kudos to the First Post if it is making waves in the US) or the preceeding comments look uncomfortably like a co-ordinated US Republican Party campaign in the blogosphere (with all the genuineness of the rent-a-psychos popping up in healthcare town halls across the US and making such amusing and prejudice affirming viewing in TV news highlights in Europe). Having said that, I'm not entirely convinced from reading the article that Glen Beck's comments in this case are any nastier or more rabid than usual. Fox advertisers know full well what demographic they are going for on Fox and Glen Beck seems to pander to that demographic's collective psychosis perfectly. So he's just doing his job very, very well. I wish US Republicans could be catered for by a slightly less emotionally damaging approach to news than Fox offers, just as I wish that the Daily Mail wasn't like crack cocaine to the commuting masses of the English home counties, but life is what it is, and we must let rabid dogs lie.
For a 3rd time I'll ask you, just what you found to be offensive. Why don't you go after Van Jones? It was he, not Beck who continually spoke these words.
Thank GOD for Glen Beck. Real truth. Or are all the video clips about Van Jones made up? Jones sounds like a racist.
Fire Glenn Beck! Are you nuts? Have you ever heard of anything called "free speech"? Besides, if you don't like it challenge his comments. He asks time and time again for people to do their own research. He seems a fair man, if you have credible information to the contrary present it to him he would welcome you as a guest on his show. Silencing people for decenting opinions is a typical solution for the lazy and uninspired. We should challenge our government and challenge it often. I wish Glenn nothing but the best on his quest for the truth. It seems to me our government has been highjacked and overthrown without a shot being fired. I am boycotting any sponsor that pulls their advertisment from the Glenn Beck Show and I think others should do the same. How's that "hope and change" working out for you?
Reva
What has Glenn Beck said that isn't true? Have you listened to Van Jones? FOX won't get rid of Beck because he is the only one that's connecting the dots. Welcome to the United Communist States of America.
I'm certainly no fan of Glen Beck, but why single him out? Keith Olbermann and (arguably) Chris Matthews have made remarks that are far more egregious and outrageous and for a lot longer.
If Mr Jones credentials are so impeccable, critics ought to have no problem skewering Beck- and they should.
It is true there has been a successful campaign to to get advertisers to leave Beck's show but they have not left FOX News. In fact, FOX viewership numbers- and advertising rates and income are higher than ever. That is especially notable because even in major markets like Los Angeles, Beck's numbers are through the roof.
It is hard to say a boycott is effective when the target of the boycott is more popular than ever.
All he did was play clips of Van from March of this year. Why is that offensive?