Context is key

Daily Kos comes on like gangbusters.

It claims to have found evidence Glenn Beck inspires politically motivated violence.

http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002800/

Daily Kos has worked to spin this into something bigger, but why has it waited until now?

The Beck-bashers watch his show daily. And, especially since the Color of Change adverstising boycott began in August 2009, have dutifully reported what they consider to be examples of Beck's inflammatory rhetoric.

So now, suddenly, they "discover" a clip from June 2010?

Amazing!

Ryan Witt at Examiner.com takes on the Kos spin. Witt does so by providing additional context.

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-national/the-context-behind-beck-s-you-re-gonna-have-to-shoot-them-the-head-quote

But even Witt may have missed the mark in concluding "Beck's quote seems to violate his own claim that he consistently advocates for non-violence."


In reality, Beck seems to be warning against forming political alliances with those who advocate or have advocated revolution, sometimes violent revolution, in the past. His point appears to be attempts to co-opt radicals may simply play into the hands of radicals seeking a foothold on power.

Beck warns hard-liners can't be co-opted, that those of more moderate views who try to co-opt radicals for expedient political gain may at some point have those radicals turn on them.

Beck's warning is broad. His focus may be on Democrats, but the principle applies to Republicans and Tea Parties as well.

That's why this "violent" rhetoric was overlooked last June. The intent of Beck's monologue appears to be opposite of the Daily Kos spin. It's a call to disassociate from violent elements.


Gotta ask, what's the agenda behind Daily Kos and others who take Beck out of context? Is it simply to smear? Or do they seek to incite and escalate political tension to benefit an agenda?

And why are many "progressives" quick to spread Daily Kos spin prior to checking context for themselves? Perhaps because these spreaders have fallen into a herd mentality, and no longer subscribe to the concept of personal "due diligence" when it comes to politics or association.

Check the facts. Dig for context. Connect the dots.

Choose your friends, and who you follow, wisely.

Don't allow yourselves to be led like sheep, or herded like cattle.