Another one bites the dust – Kind of!
As readers of this blog know I am a faithful listener and reader of the podcast of On Being with host Krista Tippett. On May 11, 2017 as part of the On Being Civil Conversation Project, her conversation was with Glenn Beck.
Sadly, I must admit that as soon I found out her guest was Glenn Beck I was tempted to skip this week’s podcast. Yet, I trusted that Mrs. Tippett needed to talk to him and I needed to listen to this conversation with the intent on identifying the mirror of parts of me which I knew Mr. Beck would represent (I almost said channel!).
To be honest I had not previously devoted much time or energy in an attempt to get to know Mr. Beck as a person. As I so often continue to do, despite my resolve to clean up my act, I hear the sound bites which were attributed to him and occasionally those I heard when attempting to “listen” to him and look no deeper.
I did not know, for example:
· He is the child of a parent who committed suicide.
· There are many people in his family of origin who have the disease of addiction.
· He has been active for a number of years in a 12-step recovery program.
· He is, as a work in progress, attempting to practice humility while seemingly attempting to use the concept or is it the phenomenon that is Glenn Beck to challenge all of us in the United states to get out of our respective boxes.
· He has been willing to communicate with Krista Tippett and to have this very open, frank public discussion with her.
I did know that he is the author of a number of books including the one published in August of 2016 entitled Liars: How Progressives Exploit Our Fears for Power and Control. Ms. Tippett reminds him that he says in this book, “This book will present a clear, concise, and documented picture of progressives as they really are, eugenicists, racists, misogynists, terrorists, and authoritarian tyrants.” Part of his response to Ms. Tippett challenging him on this statement is: “So I get that. I get that. I’m the worst messenger since Paul. I get that. So, I don’t mean to be the one — just please take it. Pretend I’m somebody you like, and relisten to that.” How would this help, I ask myself? All I hear is the same boxes into which I want to place Mr. Beck and others.
The reader will recall that I mentioned earlier that Mr. Beck is simply a mirror for my behavior. Despite my attempt to be inclusive, to not put myself and others in boxes, to not be arrogant or self-righteous, I have both internally and externally voiced opinions such as these. Often I voice them not the opinions of this very flawed work in progress but as someone who is in possession of “the truth.”
I titled this piece as “another one bites the dust – kind of” because I wanted to begin by confessing that a very significant part of me has done to Mr. Beck what I accuse him of doing to me and others. What I want to bite the dust, so to speak, is the box into which I place Mr. Beck and the delusion that I am less flawed than Mr. Beck – that I can put people such as Mr. Beck in a box while holding on to my stated commitment to open myself to a healing dialogue.
I did not realize until I googled the phrase that another one bites the dust is a phrase used in a Queen song which some have insisted said, when back masked, “It’s fun to smoke marijuana.” On the other hand, when I listen to the mirror of Mr. Beck and others I might wish I had the excuse of having smoked something before I uttered arrogant, pronouncements which firmly close the door to any possible dialogue with those with whom I need to form an alliance if we are together to create a more just and loving world.
The conversation I “hear” when I listen to this podcast which is a part of the On Being Civil Conversation Project is kind, honest, open and as flawed as this human. When I listen to or read the transcript of this conversation I become a part of this project. I am challenged, once again, to focus on myself rather than pointing fingers.
I am indebted to Krista Tippett, the entire staff of On Being, National Public Radio, and to Glenn Beck for their courage in taking a giant step towards forgiveness, reconciliation and foresight in exposing the pain and the hope which is embedded in all the roads we take.
Written May 12, 2017
As readers of this blog know I am a faithful listener and reader of the podcast of On Being with host Krista Tippett. On May 11, 2017 as part of the On Being Civil Conversation Project, her conversation was with Glenn Beck.
Sadly, I must admit that as soon I found out her guest was Glenn Beck I was tempted to skip this week’s podcast. Yet, I trusted that Mrs. Tippett needed to talk to him and I needed to listen to this conversation with the intent on identifying the mirror of parts of me which I knew Mr. Beck would represent (I almost said channel!).
To be honest I had not previously devoted much time or energy in an attempt to get to know Mr. Beck as a person. As I so often continue to do, despite my resolve to clean up my act, I hear the sound bites which were attributed to him and occasionally those I heard when attempting to “listen” to him and look no deeper.
I did not know, for example:
· He is the child of a parent who committed suicide.
· There are many people in his family of origin who have the disease of addiction.
· He has been active for a number of years in a 12-step recovery program.
· He is, as a work in progress, attempting to practice humility while seemingly attempting to use the concept or is it the phenomenon that is Glenn Beck to challenge all of us in the United states to get out of our respective boxes.
· He has been willing to communicate with Krista Tippett and to have this very open, frank public discussion with her.
I did know that he is the author of a number of books including the one published in August of 2016 entitled Liars: How Progressives Exploit Our Fears for Power and Control. Ms. Tippett reminds him that he says in this book, “This book will present a clear, concise, and documented picture of progressives as they really are, eugenicists, racists, misogynists, terrorists, and authoritarian tyrants.” Part of his response to Ms. Tippett challenging him on this statement is: “So I get that. I get that. I’m the worst messenger since Paul. I get that. So, I don’t mean to be the one — just please take it. Pretend I’m somebody you like, and relisten to that.” How would this help, I ask myself? All I hear is the same boxes into which I want to place Mr. Beck and others.
The reader will recall that I mentioned earlier that Mr. Beck is simply a mirror for my behavior. Despite my attempt to be inclusive, to not put myself and others in boxes, to not be arrogant or self-righteous, I have both internally and externally voiced opinions such as these. Often I voice them not the opinions of this very flawed work in progress but as someone who is in possession of “the truth.”
I titled this piece as “another one bites the dust – kind of” because I wanted to begin by confessing that a very significant part of me has done to Mr. Beck what I accuse him of doing to me and others. What I want to bite the dust, so to speak, is the box into which I place Mr. Beck and the delusion that I am less flawed than Mr. Beck – that I can put people such as Mr. Beck in a box while holding on to my stated commitment to open myself to a healing dialogue.
I did not realize until I googled the phrase that another one bites the dust is a phrase used in a Queen song which some have insisted said, when back masked, “It’s fun to smoke marijuana.” On the other hand, when I listen to the mirror of Mr. Beck and others I might wish I had the excuse of having smoked something before I uttered arrogant, pronouncements which firmly close the door to any possible dialogue with those with whom I need to form an alliance if we are together to create a more just and loving world.
The conversation I “hear” when I listen to this podcast which is a part of the On Being Civil Conversation Project is kind, honest, open and as flawed as this human. When I listen to or read the transcript of this conversation I become a part of this project. I am challenged, once again, to focus on myself rather than pointing fingers.
I am indebted to Krista Tippett, the entire staff of On Being, National Public Radio, and to Glenn Beck for their courage in taking a giant step towards forgiveness, reconciliation and foresight in exposing the pain and the hope which is embedded in all the roads we take.
Written May 12, 2017
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