According to CNN, Glenn Beck is comparing the summer camp on Utoya island, where most of the 76 victims died during last week’s massacre in Norway, to the Hitler Youth organization of Nazi Germany.
Here we go, Beck’s Nazi tourettes is manifesting itself again.
To his credit, Beck declared the killings “the work of a madman” and called the suspect “as bad as Osama bin Laden.” But before launching into that condemnation, he questioned what the victims were doing at a summer camp run by Norway’s ruling Labour Party.
“… Sounds a little like, you know, the Hitler Youth or whatever. Who does a camp for kids that’s all about politics? Disturbing,” Beckster said.
Beck’s comments were condemned by Torbjørn Eriksen, a former press secretary to Jens Stoltenberg, Norway‘s prime minister.
Eriksen described the comment as “a new low” for Beck, telling the UK’s Daily Telegraph: “Young political activists have gathered at Utøya for over 60 years to learn about and be part of democracy, the very opposite of what the Hitler Youth was about. Glenn Beck’s comments are ignorant, incorrect and extremely hurtful.”
The Beckster poses an interesting question however, who does a camp for kids that’s all about politics?
Well, as it turns out politically-oriented camps are being organized right here in the United States by none other than chapters of the “9/12 Project” — an organization founded by Herr Beck himself in 2009.
One such uber-conservative camp was hosted by the Colorado 9/12 Project. The group hosted its “Patriot Camp” for kids in grades 1-5 earlier this month, featuring programs on “our Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and the values and principles that are the cornerstones of our nation.” But if these were the same uber-patriotic right wing values Beckster has constantly claimed were the same as the “founders” then one should be concerned over which camp more closely resembles the Hitlerjugend. Gee, I don’t know? The liberal Labour party camp in Norway, or the uber-conservative Glenn Beck inspired camp in Colorado?
Let’s be clear, Beck is not Hitler, but if he’s going to compare other’s camps to the Hitler Youth then he’s fair game too. Beck has advocated violence against others – on numerous occasions, and some attacks here in America have been tied back to the attackers having been avid listeners/viewers of Beck.
But wait Colorado isn’t the only place your children can receive historical education in the Beckian style, the Danville, Kentucky Beck chapter is holding its “Vacation Liberty School” that organizers pledge “will help your children understand where we came from. Understand where we went wrong. Understand where the fork in the road was, and which path we should have taken,” and that no doubt will bash progressives, immigrants, Jews, President Obama, Islam etc; the usual target of Beck rants.
It should be noted that the suspect in Friday’s Norwegian massacre is a right-wing Norwegian Christian who police say wanted to halt what he believed as the Islamic “colonization” of the country.
Again, while condemning the attacks, Beck (going into his prophet mode) said he predicted last fall that Europe “is going to go into problems with radical Islam” and cited Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders as saying “Political correctness and multiculturalism is killing Europe, and he’s right.”
Glenn Beck has problems, as do – in my opinion – those who proclaim themselves to be amongst his congregation of followers. He is not a prophet, and he doesn’t know half as much about history or about what the Founding Fathers thought as he thinks he does. If he did he would have known it was Norway’s Liberal Labour party which fought against the Nazis in World War II.
Beck is a dangerous little man inciting violence and bigotry amongst his faithful. His ignorance has been demonstrated on countless occasions, as is the case here. Seventy-six innocent people are murdered by an uber-right wing conservative Christian and Beck compares the victims to Hitler Youth, and his listeners gleefully nod their heads in agreement. How long before one of his wing nut listeners does the same here? Of course Beck will rush to condemn the attack and hide behind the 1st Amendment claiming his words didn’t incite the attacker. Well, Herr Beck, words have meaning.
The Liberty Tree 