Unsurprisingly, conservative commentator Glenn Beck has once again caused controversy. Surprisingly, it might not be his fault this time. What began as a one-on-one joust between Beck and City University of New York professor Frances Fox Piven became a giant snowball as other attention-seeking pundits came out of the woodwork to express their disgust with Beck’s behavior.
One such pundit, president of the American Association of University Professors and University of Illinois professor Cary Nelson, said that Beck’s 28 separate broadcasts involving Piven – resulting in hate mail – made her the victim of an “American Fatwa.” Nelson’s comment is not only in bad taste, considering a fatwa is an Islamic religious ruling, but discredits any point he may have been trying to make against Beck.
Beck is never one to apologize for his loaded comments, most of which are uncalled for, but Nelson’s attempt to get involved in the fight is equally hypocritical. In today’s day and age, bloggers and commentators often fuel the fire in order to inflate their own egos. Instead of making publicized comments in order to make personal gains, these so-called “journalists” should take their freelance or job responsibilities more seriously.
The Tucson shootings turned into an online fiasco as anti-Tea Partyists took to Twitter and Facebook with pictures of Sarah Palin’s crosshairs map, immediately blaming conservatives for what was actually an indiscriminate attack by a mentally unstable human being. There’s no point in making someone a scapegoat without knowing who, what, when, where, why and how.
In the days of old, political onslaught was well-rehearsed and effective. If former Senator Joe McCarthy existed today, for example, he could rise even further if attacked with the same amount of incorrect accusations as unpopular political figures like Palin. In order for corrupt or delinquent politicians to receive their comeuppance, they must be scrutinized correctly and efficiently.
At the end of the day, Beck can’t be entirely blamed for the scathing messages Piven received. More importantly, Nelson’s desire to integrate himself into the conversation speaks to the self-serving climate in which America is stuck. Everyone’s got an opinion, but that doesn’t always mean it needs to be heard.
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