Glenn Beck in the Shadow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – “Social Justice” and the Marketplace of Ideas

Yesterday, August 28, 2010 marked the 47th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, which took place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

 Dr. King, as most people know, built upon the traditions of Henry David Thoreau and Mahatma Gandhi, as well as his own religious and moral education, to develop and implement methods of nonviolent protest and social and political action that advanced social and political justice for many African Americans as well as poor people of all backgrounds.

Yesterday, on the very same steps of the Lincoln Memorial Glenn Beck, who considers himself an heir to the MLK tradition and a torch-bearer of the civil rights movement as it applies to our current time, held a “non-political” event called the “Restoring Honor Rally” which focused on helping America “return to God.”

Despite Mr. Beck’s insistence that he is in some sort of genealogical relationship with past civil rights leaders, there are significant ideological differences between Mr. Beck and those who follow in the tradition of Dr. King.

For Dr. King social justice was, in many respects, the focus of his life work. (See e.g., "Social Justice and the Emerging New Age" address at the Herman W. Read Fieldhouse, Western Michigan University, (18 December 1963)).

For Mr. Beck, “social justice” is a conceptual anathema; it is a feel good idea that embodies a sinister meaning. Within Beck’s political framework “social justice” is a code word by which the State, at the direction of “progressives,” can force itself into the private lives of citizens to actively manipulate and limit individual choices and freedoms – freedoms such as: what you can teach your children and what you can do with your privately accumulated wealth and other privately accumulated property. More generally, “social justice” handcuffs the individual to the greater good of the group (e.g. “entitlement programs”) when instead “our Founders believed it was the power of the state that was to be cuffed…” (See generally Glenn Beck’s Common Sense and see specifically pg 68). [In an upcoming post I will provide a more thorough analysis of Mr. Beck’s political philosophy as a partial answer to the question of what people mean when the cry out at Tea-Party rallies, “I want my country back!”].

More below....

When in the Course of human events....

This is my very first blog post - ever. It is really more of a test than anything else. I have decided to start this blog as an experiment; the idea behind the blog is to create a forum for legitimate and thoughtful discussions about difficult and challenging issues. As I will address in upcoming posts, I have been thinking a lot about where humanity in general and Americans in particular are headed -- especially in the context of what seems to be a peculiarly intense, vitriolic, and hateful atmosphere in the country right now.  I have decided that instead of grumbling about it....

Grumbling Baby

....I would at least try and do what I can to repel or counteract what seems to me to be an extremely heightened intolerance wrapped up in and supported by an almost willful ignorance. To say the least, that bothers me. I mean for example, take this particular gem. Which is stirring up all kinds of concerns, that will likely be met with all kind of angry grumbling by people with everything to gain by being intolerant and nothing to lose. And there is this and of course that. And this guy. And of course that guy. Oh yeah and this other guy  who was the author of this legislative dime-piece.

And my concern, as I will address in a later post, is that the marketplace of ideas is no longer a functional mechanism (if it ever was) to test, contest, and press the validity of ideas. So I have decided to start my own little marketplace where ideas can be tested and debated. Although I have my political leanings, I am not interested in partisan hackery. I want to create a forum where multiple view points can be shared and eloquent dissent will be encouraged. I want to think about current topics from multiple perspectives and opposing viewpoints. And to the degree possible I want to deflate them of hot air so they can be seen for what they are and not what they purport to be. I think it is the duty of every citizen to engage in debate about core issues that concern one's immediate political and social environment. I have decided to accept that duty and would ask that you join with me. Please feel free to post topics, suggest ideas and anything else to get the ball rolling.