Just a quick post (which I’ll try to expand upon later) regarding FOX News host Glenn Beck and his “9-12 Project“, a ‘grassroots’ movement to “bring us all back to the place where we were on September 12 2001 … we were united as Americans, standing together to protect the values and principles of the greatest nation ever created” (btw, I know you know I’m not American, but still…).
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow makes the point that perhaps Beck is exploiting 9/11 for ‘other’ purposes (see video below), and I agree with her to some extent.
Notice the part where she wonders why Beck chose 9/12 instead of 9/11 for the project name. She suspects it might be so that Beck supporters can turn out to events on a Saturday, which I guess is a fair point. However, there was something so…. Biblical about the way that Beck presents the 9-12 project (look at his promo font for example), that I donned my google cap and conspiracy spectacles for this gem:
The Book of Revelations 9.12
The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
I think Beck is in fact playing on his core demographic’s highly religious mentality, and planting the seeds of the ‘end-of-days’ in their minds. “The first woe…” would of course be the events of 9/11, but the “two other woes” could be practically anything: public health care, gay marriage, drug decriminalisation etc., all things which are indicative of the downfall of American society to a big chunk of FOX viewers. I think the end result of tomorrow’s events will perhaps be a focus on two specific issues, intended to mobilise the religious right in America behind Beck, and a push to rally Americans to the causes of these “9-12ers”.
Further evidence of the religious content of the 9-12 movement is indicated by a quick look at the “9 principles” of the movement, as after the somewhat vaguely defined first principle “America is Good” comes “I believe in God and he is the Center of my Life”. In fact, take a look at the rest of the Principles, they’re basically a political manifesto for the religious right.
Anyway, enough of the conspiracy, I’m off to work. It’s my final day today, so I’ll be getting back on board with the blogging before the next chapter in my life starts!







