JFSJ delivers 10,000 signatures to Fox News to fire Glenn Beck
This morning Simon Greer, head of Jewish FundS for Justice, delivered 10,000 signatures and a giant pink slip to Fox News’ corporate headquarters in New York calling for Glenn Beck to be fired. Beck reneged on a pledge against twisting Holocaust history to his political ends, which was originally personally signed and sent to Greer after JFSJ brought fourteen representatives of Jewish organizations to meet with Beck’s superiours..
When Beck then ran a series called “The Puppet Master,” charging Jewish mega-philanthropist George Soros with complicity with killing other Jews during the Holocaust (despite the fact that he was a child at the time). The ADL’s Abe Foxman stepped in to condemn the language: “For a political commentator or entertainer to have the audacity to say, there’s a Jewish boy sending Jews to death camps, that’s horrific. It’s totally off limits and over the top.” (Then of course Foxman demurred and backtracked because Beck says nice things about Israel.) Of course, this was all an excuse to demonize Soros as one of the largest funders of progressive causes in America and around the world. Which is, obviously, Beck’s real target: social justice.
At today’s impromptu press conference outside the offices of News Corp., Greer and company brought the 10,000 names and unveiled Beck’s top ten most disturbing quotes of 2010 (below). Video of the press conference to come. Glenn Beck’s Ten Worst Moments of 2010:
- “God will wash this nation with blood if he has to.” (August 25, 2010)
- Putting “the common good” first “leads to death camps.” (May 28, 2010)
- “Women are psychos” (January 20, 2010)
- Beck’s election-coverage goal was to “make George Soros cry,” which is “hard to do,” as Soros “saw people into gas chambers.” (November 2, 2010 )
- Uncle Sam is a “child molester” who is “raping our wallets” and “destroying our families.” (April 16, 2010)
- Beck mocks President Obama’s daughters’ “level of education.” (May 28, 2010)
- “We have been sold a lie” that “the poor in America” are suffering. (November 30, 2010)
- “Charles Darwin is the father of the Holocaust.” (August 20, 2010)
- Social Justice is a “perversion of the Gospel, “not what Jesus was saying.” (March 11, 2010)
- Beck likens himself to “Israeli Nazi hunters”: “To the day I die, I am going to be a progressive hunter.” (January 20, 2010)
Let those who have not mispoke or spoke wrong………stand up and speak…………………hmmmm no one well how bout THAT.
1/ I see .0006 x 10000 people in that photo.
2/ Apparently ‘social justice’ for JFFJ means defending the feelings of multi-billionaires.
As the old saying went:
First they came for the multi-billionaires…
BTW Whatever happened to afflicting the comfortable, as Beck did?
3/ The JFFJ webpage for the petition doesn’t show (as many online petition show) the actual signers.
You sure they didn’t round off the numbers and maybe it was a few fewer?
4/ Can’t Soros do his own fighting for himself? Apparently
DB-
I really really really need to know and understand what you’re obsession with numbers is. it feels like every other comment you make on this site, or more, is about numbers. what’s the deal with that?
1) why does it matter how many are in the picture?
2) JFSF is defending the memory and honor of the Shoah, not George Soros
3) perhaps to protect anonymity?
4) again, this is not about George Soros, it’s about Beck abusing the memory of the Shoah for his own political/media gain. (and to spread rampant misinformation, which is clearly his goal and the goal of the Fox “News” network
If an organization in Israel collected 10k signatures to urge Haaretz to fire Gideon Levy for all the lies, distortions and propaganda he writes, we would call that the end of democracy and civil society in Israel. But shutting up American commentators that you don’t agree with is perfectly normal. Imagine if the Holocaust was used to back an attack on the free speech of left wing pundits.
This is all so intellectually dishonest and slimy.
How could anyone read Becks words and not want him to stop talking.He is simply revolting.He might be getting very rich on the backs of sad and moronic freaks but ,I think it has to end.When will it be too much?
we would call that the end of democracy and civil society in Israel.
@Victor.
I don’t agree with either Levy or Beck often, but it just seems like the further “Left” or “Right” we look, the more intellectual dishonesty we see. It’s just unbelievable sometimes.
Btw., the Nazi movement was in many ways based on theories of Darwinism, and they thought they were doing the human race a favor by eliminating a very weak component–the Jews. This is simply a documented fact. I’m confused as to how firing Beck is social justice.
If an organization in Israel collected 10k signatures to urge Haaretz to fire Gideon Levy for all the lies, distortions and propaganda he writes, we would call that the end of democracy and civil society in Israel.
Gideon Levy reports facts, many of which I know you find inconvenient. Beck creates his own versions of Holocaust history, which I believe is called revisionism. Either revisionism is repugnant or it’s not — that’s the real double-standard.
KFJ, we won’t agree on Gideon Levy. I say he reports propaganda, lies, and distortions, including revising history when it suits him. You say he reports facts. We won’t agree, and this is the beauty of a pluralistic society, we don’t have to agree. What we CAN agree on is to maintain a basic social contract that respects the rights of others to say things we don’t like and agree with, and yes, even get paid for it.
But maybe I, as someone who comes from a totalitarian society, have a greater appreciation and sensitivity to encroaching limitations on freedom than you, immersed as you are in apparently defeating your enemies at any cost.
The notion that Beck is offensive to the memory of the Holocaust is absurd, selective and manipulative. As someone who rails against the Holocaust Industry, and rightly so, when it’s used as a prop for Zionism, you’re better than this.
The cure for hate speech is free speech, not a jackboot. I can’t believe I have to explain this to a prominent Jewish American progressive, but that’s what we’ve come to. What happened to not following in the footsteps of the Federation?
@Jonathan1, Yes, I’m well aware of darwinian concepts in Nazi theology.
Citizens asking news organizations not to employ particular individuals is not censoring free speech. If the government told the news organizations they could not say certain things, that would be censoring free speech.
If Beck loses his job, there’s nothing to stop him from saying whatever he wants in whatever forum he can get airtime, whether that’s on TV, online, or in pamphlets he self-publishes and hands out on the street. Let’s not confuse issues here, folks.
Look, we all know this is mishegas. 10k signatures against Beck’s 10 million weekly audience? It’s a joke. This has nothing to do with Beck. It’s an effort by JFSJ to demonstrate to its members that it’s still alive and worthy of consideration for charitable giving this year. The Holocaust is still an easy issue to beat one’s chest and rally people on. Now we know how big (or small) their mailing list is. It’s irrelevant slimeball activism, and they have a right to it.
What I can’t accept is that the two progressive Jewish heavyweights on Jewschool, KFJ and dlevy, think that it’s appropriate to flex the Holocaust card to silence people they don’t agree with.
But maybe I should put it in language KFJ understands.
Without Glen Beck, would KFJ still want to be Jewish?
Justin wrote,
it’s about Beck abusing the memory of the Shoah for his own political/media gain.
Really, Justin? Then might I suggest you go after Jewish organizations as well? Because the profanation does not stop at the communal tent’s boundaries.
Oh, Victor, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me! 🙂
@DK
I 100% agree with you, in fact. I think the difference is in the reach of the message. That’s not to excuse Jewish communities’ abuse of the memory of the Shoah, but Beck has coupled this abuse with individualized slander. I also want to note, I don’t think he should be fired for his nonsensical statements. He’s on Fox News. It seems to me the point of Fox News is to propagate nonsense, so he’s right and home there. God forbid he should be on an actual news program.
Justin seems to think that DB is obsessed with numbers. That is not a fair appraisal. Many of his inanities have nothing to do with numbers.
Gideon Levy reports facts, many of which I know you find inconvenient.
You are correct. It is a bad analogy. Gideon Levy is a serious writer, whether we disagree with his views or not.
But, how about this analogy: Glenn Beck and Max Blumenthal?
I know they don’t do the same kind of thing, but they both deal with bending reality to make things appear as they wish, and in more or less shouting down those with whom they disagree.
Would you agree that Max Blumenthal is lauded in this forum, for his work, while Beck is demonized? You don’t think that’s a bit intellectually inconsistent?
here’s the difference, J1. one is a rather irrelevant investigative journalist that considers himself quite more important than he really is. the other is one of the most watched television personalities today one the most watched network. i also don’t think blumenthal is so celebrated here except by maybe one occasional contributor. beck is ‘demonized’ because he espouses some pretty outlandish ideas and has a rather bizarre worldview–granted 100% of my insight to beck is via jon stewart 🙂
i think you’re trying to make an equivalence that is itself intellectually dishonest. not all commentators are created equal. it’s kind of similar to the media trying to call jon stewart a journalist, when he’s not at all. blumenthal is an independent investigative reporter, beck is an opinion pundit employed by a major network. not so similar, i think
I agree with Victor here. It’snot about whether I like or dislike, hate or love, or agree or disagree with Beck or Levy. He’s right here…pressuring a media organization to fire a writer not for something illegal, but simply because you take objection to what he says, is to me silly and while not anti-democratic in a literal sense, it’s a bit childish. Just don’t watch or read him. And yes, there is completely a double standard here. I personally think Beck is an actor, but playing a part that is offensively misleading in his views, full of falsifications and controversy. But with the recent firings of Juan Williams, Sanchez, and others…isn’t it time that people just learn to be offended by something by not calling for someone’s firing every time they are offended by something said in the media?
Jason has a good point.
In the dark of night, I sometimes question the wisdom of Jews of demanding and worse, succeeding in getting media personalities fired.
Just want to make a quick comment: The Nazi ideology had nothing at all to do with Darwin(ism). People love to demonize science and intellectual thought, especially when it attacks dogma and undermines uncomplicated thought. The reality of the sad situation is there will always be megalomaniacs who want to gather a quick and easy way to gain influence. They often find “rational” ways to justify their plans- and they will attempt to invoke what may seem as “intelligent” thought to exculpate their irrational and fractious behaviors. In this case they explained their goal of “improving” the human race through genocide, not because they agreed with Darwin’s theory (or even understood it…) but because it was an easy sell. “Kill the inferior races; Science thinks it is a good idea!” If anything, Darwin teaches us that an “inferior” species is nothing more than a species unable to thrive as well as “superior” species over time. “Superior” species do not intentionally wipe out their competition; they simply raise more offspring.
This tactic of “justification” continues today, with people who may have never met a Jew in their lives (before their rise to prominence) now speak of “blood libels” and “pogroms” as if they understood what they meant in a historical background.
“the Nazi movement was in many ways based on theories of Darwinism, and they thought they were doing the human race a favor by eliminating a very weak component–the Jews.”
This is such an intellectually impoverished argument. First off, nowhere in Darwin’s work does he ever propose eugenics. Secondly, European nations had been trying to exterminate the Jews for centuries before Darwin was born (Russia and Spain being but two examples) so the idea that Hitler would have just let the Jews live in peace if it weren’t for Darwin is laughable.
If someone suggested Sir Humphrey Davy was responsible for the holocaust because his groundbreaking research into gases made the Nazi gas chambers possible you would dismiss them outright, but because conservatives have a hate on for Darwin you will gleefully blame him for Hitler’s crimes.
I think the thing to do is for all of us to being making up lies that make no sense, such as Reagan was a closet homosexual with nazi connections, the Bushes (the whole family) secretly meet with KKK members to fund their purposes, that Sara Palin is a card carrying member of the “End Times Club”, which is a group of people who are actively seeking the death of all democrats and left – leaning conservatives. They do it all the time, and they seem to have an effect. So, let’s give them a taste of their own poison. Why do we, the side that holds the truth dear, have to put up with the bombastic lies put forth by Fox media and other idiots! America believes whatever is thrown at them more than a few times, so why not use this fallibility to our advantage? I have no respect whatsoever for people who get influence by lying and cheating. This Karl Rove mentality must be STOPPED! And I think we’re at the point that we shouldn’t hold anything back at all. Throw the whole lot at them. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!
If someone suggested Sir Humphrey Davy was responsible for the holocaust because his groundbreaking research into gases made the Nazi gas chambers possible you would dismiss them outright, but because conservatives have a hate on for Darwin you will gleefully blame him for Hitler’s crimes
No. I would say that the Nazis carried out the Holocaust, in part, by using gas chambers, that were based on the groundbreaking research Sir Humphrey Davy did on gasses. Similarly, the Nazis based their movement on many of Darwin’s ideas. If stating the basic truth is intellectually impoverishment, then I am guilty of trying to impoverish others here.
People love to demonize science and intellectual thought, especially when it attacks dogma and undermines uncomplicated thought.
How is any of this demonizing science or intellectual thought?
@Justin one is a rather irrelevant investigative journalist that considers himself quite more important than he really is. the other is one of the most watched television personalities today one the most watched network
True, but the principle is the same regarding both of them, at least to me.
Parker, what are you saying, exactly? As I said, I come from a totalitarian country and self-assured, self-righteous, ideologically absolutist and indignant rhetoric of the type you’re espousing is vaguely reminiscent of that preceding a purge.
Imagine, for a moment, that others, too, care about the things you also care about – truth, justice peace. Imagine that they, also, are rational human beings with an ability to think for themselves, and that the positions they reached are not an indication of their lack of mental development, but stem from a perfectly legitimate and holistic world view that may differ from yours. Set your eliminationist, anti-intellectual rhetoric aside for a mere moment and imagine if your own dogma is not the real threat to truth.
I have what may now be a radical suggestion. How about those who disagree with Beck attempt to influence him with words, strung into eloquent, persuasive sentences. You stand the chance not merely of educating him, but the millions in his audience as well. In order to do this, you may have to treat the man as a human being, set aside your contempt and really commit yourself to creating a better, not bitter, world.
“How about those who disagree with Beck attempt to influence him with words, strung into eloquent, persuasive sentences. You stand the chance not merely of educating him, but the millions in his audience as well.”
Your proposition starts from a flawed premise, that Beck is actually interested in facts or truth. He has demonstrated repeatedly that he is not. He is interested in pushing a hate filled ideology that presents progressives and liberals as a cancer to be eliminated. With due respect to your origins in a totalitarian state, there is a difference between private citizens pressuring to have a media commentator fired and the government doing so, the latter is authoritarian, the former is not.
Jonathon1 – your problem is that you say that the Nazis based their ideology and actions on Darwin’s work which suggests that without Darwin the holocaust would not have occurred. At most, the Nazis used Darwin’s work to justify what they would do anyway
I suppose once you’ve dehumanized your ideological opponents there’s nothing left to discuss. We should remember, however, that this is a choice, to dehumanize others. We can make other choices. That’s it, I’ve said my peace. Onwards, armies of righteousness.
I see, so Beck calls liberals a cancer to be eliminated, but if we complain then we are dehumanizing him. Conservative thought at its finest.
Right, so the only legitimate response has to be an equivalent, base reaction at the swamp gas level? I’m just asking, I’m not telling you anything. Beck isn’t speaking in a vacuum either, but he is playing his part, and you’re playing yours. You’re a cancer and he’s a fascist who needs to be silenced, or whatever. The only people winning here are Beck and Olberman, in their bank accounts, and maybe JFSJ, in “street cred”. Like I said, onwards armies of righteousness.
I’m feeling like a salad tonight; Like eating a salad, not that I’m actually a salad. But what kind of salad… I had an idea once, for a restaurant chain that serves only salads, from around the world.
First off, Beck is the one that hurls around accusations of Fascism, this very article highlights him accusing Soros of being a Nazi collaborator, so really, what are you talking about? Your notion that I am an eliminationist because I don’t think he is capable of having his mind changed by reason or facts, (seeing as his show is devoid of them) is absurd. So tell me, if someone claimed that conservatives were sub-humans that should be wiped from the earth for the good of the country, do you think words, strung into eloquent, persuasive sentences would change their mind, or would you assume that their opinion is so cemented that no argument could persuade them?
Just to prove that I am not close-minded to proposals, your salads from around the world restaurant is a top-notch idea.
Jonathan1: The Nazis did not use any “Darwinian” thoughts or theories, they used a very fraudulent interpretation (intentionally fraudulent) of “survival of the fittest” which is perhaps the most misunderstood and erroneously quoted aspect of Evolution. Species do not “survive”, individuals survive. Members of “species” do not have any concept of their uniqueness, indeed almost all animals have no concept of familiarity beyond the level of clan. Ant colonies invade and slaughter other ants without giving a single thought to how they are reducing their species’ numbers.
Which is why the concept of “survival of the fittest” is so blatantly misunderstood. Species do not give a whit about their survival, but each individual member of a species does care about their own individual survival, and that of their immediate blood relatives.
I think the backlash of Evolution’s ideas, and those of other notable scientists in recent generations have been intentionally distorted and demonized because they have the singular effect of destroying the uniqueness of mankind and this planet. Along with that of course is the concept of a God-driven universe, and man as the explicit image of God. However there is hope, even the sclerotic Vatican seems to know appreciate the fact of both Evolution and The Big Bang; understanding full well that you can have both and a God, if you are willing to be open-minded. Witness the amazing attacks on the science of Climatology in recent years- you’d think if you watched the media that AGW was an open question, but almost it is accepted almost universally by scientists in that field. The politicization of science (small “s”) by politicians and pundits is a disservice to intellectual thought, and indeed the entire human race.
Darwin had no trouble using the phrase ‘Survival of the Fittest’ (coined by his cousin Herbert Spencer) as a synonym for ‘Natural Selection’ in the 5th edition of ‘On the Origin of Species’
Here is Darwin in ‘the Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex’:
‘Thus the weak members of civilized societies propogate their kind. No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must be injurious to the race of man.’
I didn’t call you an eliminationist, LB22 (that comment was directed at Parker, but I didn’t call him names either). Neither need you submit to ideas you don’t agree with. Go ahead, disagree, vocally. Write an op-ed, engage in the battle of ideas. That is all beside the point.
There is an organization, JFSJ, which created a petition to remove Beck from his job on the basis of what he said in his capacity as a pundit and public commentator. I made a simple point: if we’re going to get into the business of removing controversial people from positions of public influence for what they say, then I want to start with the despicable liar and propagandist Gideon Levy who, despite Jonathan1’s defense, I do not consider a serious writer, and who on a daily (or weekly, or however often his column comes out) basis hurls around hateful remarks without a shred of integrity.
But that’s different…
No, it’s not, because I said so, and I feel as strongly about Levy’s hateful, propagandist speech as you do about Beck; perhaps even more so. Frankly, I don’t care about what Beck says. I’m not disturbed by whatever theories he has on the Holocaust. I am disturbed by the lies spread by Gideon Levy, which are widely embraced, internationally, that damage a country and its people that I very much care about and put lives and livelihoods at risk. That I care about; Beck, I don’t.
So, if we’re no longer going to engage in a battle of ideas, but instead in a battle of who can better rally their forces and punish speech we consider hateful, if these are the new rules of the game, then let’s go. Because we all damn well know that within 24 hours there will be not 10k signatures for removing Gideon Levy from his job, but 10 million.
But that’s unfair. You’re just persecuting Gideon Levy for speaking truth to power. It’s the end of democracy in Israel!
Bite me. Life is unfair. You can’t have it both ways, persecuting free speech, and then claiming to defend it in the same breath.
I’m really shocked that I have to make this argument on a progressive Jewish blog. I really am. As sad as Gideon Levy’s vitriol and hatred makes me, I’ve NEVER… it’s NEVER come into my mind to remove him from his job! Why would I do such a thing? Why would I think such a thing? More importantly, why would YOU think such a thing? Who gave you these crazy ideas, that if you don’t like what someone says you can just punish them for it. It’s crazy! It’s uncivilized! *arms flailing*
It’s stunning to me how very far some of you have strayed from respect for the principles of liberty. Are you so weak and tired that you can’t counter some nutjob’s alternate history on the Holocaust, that you have to resort to pressure tactics and Holocaust chest-pounding to get your way? Babies! BABIES!!! The 10k lot of you. I say this with love: it’s pathetic. Grow up.
victor, i think you’re right. it is immature to ask for beck to be fired, but i think you’re missing the point of JFSJ’s action. It seems to me they are actually calling for Fox to exhibit some journalistic integrity. Helen Thomas experienced her demise for voicing a personal opinion in a non-journalistic setting. Beck espouses nonsense every show, and gets great ratings for it, but the journalism of the network (if such a thing exists) suffers. it’s not about beck, it’s about Fox and News Corp giving him voice to his bizarre and often offensive ideas. it’s about journalistic integrity, not sensibilities being hurt.
The allegations stated against Beck is totally false. My husband and I watch almost every show. We know Soros was a young boy during the Holocaust. We know he had nothing to do with the killings. The problem with Soros though is that he didn’t care what was going on. He had no empathy for his fellow Jews. Beck is not a journalist. He is an entertainer with a big staff of researchers. He just brings forth through comedic means history. My only dislike with Beck is that he does not go far enough in telling the truth of what’s really going on in the world and this country. I did not hear him say any of those things. Perhaps in his joking way he did. I have heard him say things and then later in the day hear Randi Rhoades replay it. She would cut off his speech early and say, “See! He’s telling people to murder.” Since I heard the entire speech by Beck earlier, I knew she was deceiving people and lying.
Helen Thomas experienced her demise for voicing a personal opinion in a non-journalistic setting.
But, Justin, this is what I don’t understand–I agree that it was a disgrace that Helen Thomas was fired for that (and it is still unclear to me what was so offensive about her comments.) But, how do you contend that Glenn Beck’s ideas are “offensive.” Is there now an objective standard for what is or is not an “offensive” idea?
The Nazis did not use any “Darwinian” thoughts or theories, they used a very fraudulent interpretation (intentionally fraudulent) of “survival of the fittest” which is perhaps the most misunderstood and erroneously quoted aspect of Evolution.
At most, the Nazis used Darwin’s work to justify what they would do anyway
Fine, the Nazis used–at best–a very fraudulent interpretation of “survival of the fittest” or–at worst–Darwin’s work.
chalila v’chas someone should say the Nazis based their movement in part on Darwinian ideas. These clarifications really shed light on a lot of confusion, and they are very relevant to this discussion.
But, how do you contend that Glenn Beck’s ideas are “offensive.”
He explicitly said that a young George Soros was guilty of knowingly leading Jews to their death. He called him a murderer! He implicated him in genocide! He calls progressive Americans cancer, equates social justice with nazism, i mean, come on! how is that not offensive? How is it not dishonest and misleading (the Soros part, b/c the latter is his opinion and he has a right to it, no matter how much it offends me or others).
Ok. It’s dishonest and misleading.
@Dave Boxthorn – Do you seriously think an organization would put together an event like this if they didn’t have the right amount of signatures??
I built JFSJ’s current website and online petition. I also help administer the site. I can confirm there are well over 10k signatures.
“Comedian” argument: Instant absolution from all charges of distortion and other abominations against journalism! It worked for Rush, didn’t it?
Also: Tell me where Gideon Levy has not only called the Israeli right (settler or Likudnik, what’s the difference) a cancer and compared their actions to the Holocaust, but also accused them of child molestation and smelling bad too.
Don’t make me break out the Niemoller.
Tell me where Gideon Levy has not only called the Israeli right (settler or Likudnik, what’s the difference) a cancer and compared their actions to the Holocaust, but also accused them of child molestation and smelling bad too.
Umml… are you kidding me. You think the settlments are not called various things, a disease, an addiction, and I’m sure if we looked hard enough, a cancer also, and they are. You think the settlers or the IDF are not accused of acting like Nazis, and they are. You think the orthodox are not called smelly, and they are!
Is this not a Jewish blog? According to Jewish law, Soros was not a child as this blog entry claims, but a man, when he worked with Nazis, knowingly assisting them.
Worse, Soros describes it in a positive light, rather than with remorse.
That Soros funds JFSJ who issued this letter in his defense the same month that they funded actions in Egypt that legitimized the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization with chapters (Hamas) devoted to genocide against Jews, and whose spiritual leader has said he wanted to finish the job Hitler couldn’t…well, that’s just troubling. Why is the Jewish community allowing themselves to be used like this?
Finally, as the article admits, Beck’s target is social justice, not Jews, or tarnishing the memory of the Holocaust.