Glenn Beck Promotes Compassion?

Representative Gabrielle Giffords is incredible; she is supposed to be released from the hospital on Friday, less than 2 weeks after suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Then she is going to Houston’s Institute for Rehabilitation and Research at Memorial Hermann hospital which specializes in brain injuries to continue to heal.

As time passes and the media mania slows down around the Tucson shootings, we are still left with this idea of “civility” in political discourse which reminds of the whole “post-racial America” that we are supposed to be experiencing in the age of Obama (more theory than practice). In this sense we are stuck with those who cant admit their own part in violent discourse. We all know about Sarah Palin but here’s the egregious king of talking smack, Glenn Beck, promoting his new self help book, “The 7,” which talks about the importance of letting go of anger and being compassionate. *blank stare* First, you know he doesn’t let host Meredith Viera speak, especially when trying to question past angry things that he’s said, like wanting to bash a Congressman Rangel with a shovel. Then he evades answering Meredith when she asks his opinion of Sarah Palin’s use of the term “blood libel.”

It’s frustrating to hear all this co-opted talk about peace and compassion as part of conservative spin. It’s desecration to my ears. The words of those in public political discourse are powerful as we’re now really understanding. But we can’t move any conversation forward to safer and more productive political spaces if those engaging in this war cannot own up to their own inciting actions.

UPDATE: Glenn Beck’s radio show just got dropped by his Philadelphia affiliate, the second station (New York was first) to eliminate him from their lineup.