Jeff Greenfield on CBS: yeah, Glenn Beck is pretty much Martin Luther King Jr.

[Enrique]

ok, I'm exaggerating what Greenfield said, but he did give the impression that Beck's claim to MLK's legacy was somewhat legitimate, which Greenfield knows is a total lie.

The anchorboy (seriously, this guy could easily be cast on "Dawson's Creek") had Greenfield on for expert commentary on Beck's rally, asked him, so, Jeff, you were at King's 1963 march, are there any comparisons.

Greenfield gave some hems and haws, but finally came around and concluded that like MLK and the civil rights movement, Beck and the tea partiers felt aggrieved and oppressed by big government.

Really, Jeff? I wasn't there like you were, I wasn't even alive, but I know from history books and the Internet that there was "small government" rhetoric around at that time that is nearly identical to Beck and the tea partiers and that rhetoric wasn't heard at civil rights marches. It was heard at Barry Goldwater rallies and John Birch Society meetings, and to those people, Martin Luther King was domestic enemy #1.

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. It sounds like he said precisely *nothing*.

He's gotten pretty good at that.

[Hannah Bell]

2. and the john birch society was also a Koch creation; fred koch, the father.

[Enrique]

4. holy shit, things really haven't changed have they

I'm not exaggerating. If the tea partiers want to explain where they disagree with the JBS, or even how their rhetoric has changed, I'd like to hear it.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. HB: What about the Koch Foundation and it's support of charters?

Are these lunatics involved in any significant way with the school "reform" movement?

I ran across some material this morning that suggested that they are.

[Hannah Bell]

11. wouldn't be a bit surprised.

http://old.mediatransparency.org/recipientsoffunder.php?funderID=9

http://old.mediatransparency.org/recipientsoffunder.php?funderID=10

http://old.mediatransparency.org/recipientsoffunder.php?funderID=8

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qV7rlJGlE6oJ:old.mediatransparency.org/funderprofile.php%3FfunderID%3D9+koch+funds+%22charter+schools%22&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


worth investigating.

Michael is Director of Government Relations at FOCUS. In this role, he develops and implements strategies in the areas of governmental and legislative outreach at the federal and local levels. Prior to joining FOCUS, Michael created a national government relations plan for EdisonLearning, Inc. at the federal, state and local levels. He has been involved in advocating for the public charter school community for the past seven years... In addition, he was served as Communication Manager for Koch Industries Inc. and The Charles G. Koch Foundation, and as Communications and Development Director for The Center for Education Reform.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:H-C_7GpO8fEJ:www.focusdc.org/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D9%26Itemid%3D22+%22charles+g+koch+foundation%22+%22charter+schools%22&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. Whoa. It's like a secret trap door opening up. Thanks. nt

[JerseygirlCT]

3. Does everyone who *feels aggrieved* have a real gripe?

This sort of "balance" is a big part of what's wrong with our media today. It seems to mean to them that anyone who complains has been wronged. That anyone who shouts must be given coverage.

It's the way parents grow whiny, selfish kids. And it's what we're doing with all these loons on the right - justifying their ridiculous claims as somehow legitimate, just because they can complain loudly.

[tularetom]

5. I don't think "big government" was even in the top 100

of the complaints that the 1963 gathering addressed.

Jeff Greenfield is a coward. Like a lot of the liberal media he's petrified of the right wing nuts. I believe they are physically afraid.

[Bozita]

6. That's just Jeff practicing job safety

Some folks are sayin' he's a big fan of OSHA.

[Enrique]

7. heh

I hear they call him the shop steward, always worrying about job safety. :thumbsup:

[Bozita]

8. Quality is not Job1 at CBS News.

It's job safety.

[prolesunited]

10. I call bullshit

King wanted MORE big government to address society's ills. You can't have social justice without big government.