Here is Katie Couric’s interview with Glenn Beck. It’s a civil and intelligent discussion, and it lasts for 44 minutes.
Glenn Beck – CBS News Video
I appreciated what he said about the race issue and the right-wing marches. He said that there are racists who march in these demonstrations, but most are reacting against an unresponsive government. I think this is an important point. I watch Chris Matthews, and I’m tired of how he paints the entire anti-Obama movement as racist. The same goes for ex-President Jimmy Carter’s comments. I’ve seen pictures of the march on Washington, and there were African-Americans holding up anti-government, anti-Obama signs.
I also thought that Glenn’s thoughts about government are important, even if I don’t agree with them entirely. He quoted George Washington, who said that the government is like fire: it can help you, and it can hurt you. That’s why Glenn was critical of the Patriot Act: he was against giving any President that much power, for power can be abused.
I can see the point of Glenn Beck’s critics, though: he portrays things in such an apocalyptic fashion that he may incite people to hate President Obama, seeing him as a threat to freedom. I think it’s all right to criticize the President, whoever he may be. But I hope people will express their criticisms in a peaceful manner: by trying to convince people of their point-of-view so they will vote at the ballot box, or contact their elected officials.