What is it about Beck?

My God... the man is almost iconic in his ability to make people love him or hate him.

Reasonable estimates on the numbers for his rally top 300,000 people at the Memorial in Washington DC. I've heard clips from the speeches given, and none were overtly political in nature... in fact, I'd say that most struck a very religious note.

Still, comparisons continue to be made between Beck and people like Father Coughlin of the 1930s. Is the comparison made because Beck is so opposed to Obama's policies and agendas, the same way Coughlin was against FDR and the New Deal? If that were the case, then why isn't Limbaugh or Hannity labeled the same way? Is it because Beck is (typically) more "faith oriented" in his broadcasts than the rest of conservative talk-show hosts? Because he is an avowed and practicing Mormon?

Unlike Coughlin, Beck speaks continually against "social justice" and "collective salvation", both of which were topics that Coughlin railed about continually. Coughlin called for the nationalization of banking and the Federal Reserve, saying over and over that "private industry" should not and could not be trusted to "regulate itself" without "cheating the public"... while Beck routinely states that government should stay away from the private sector. Coughlin was convinced that the Depression was the result of a "Jewish conspiracy"... while Beck is one of the more out-spoken supporters of Israel in America today (one of the media's biggest critiques, in fact). Is the comparison based on Coughlin and his antisemitic attitudes and Beck's statements against the mosque at Ground Zero? To the best of my knowledge, he hasn't said that the mosque "can't" be built... he has only asked if the building of the mosque is a good idea.

I'm disappointed in the Beck show lately, because he has made such an effort to focus on the need for the country to embrace the Gospels... rather than focus on the need for the country to take responsibility for individual actions... and for his continued ambiguity in commenting on "social justice" as a bad thing.

The Catholic faith (which he regularly refers to in his commentary) says that social justice means that we, as individuals, MUST maintain a high level of participation in and awareness of the broader, more general condition of society, rather than simply looking at where "I" am in the scheme of things. If more of America supported a charitable organization with regular donations of time and resources, or offered the charity themselves in some manner, then the Federal government wouldn't be called upon by liberals and progressives to do it instead. The very act of "giving" makes us a stronger, more vibrant society, while simply dismissing the problems of the poor and suffering as "someone else's problem" (i.e. the Government) detracts from our society.

Again, I can use my Katrina experiences as an example. In the 60 days immediately after the storm, the only "assistance" I got from the "government" was the delivery of water and ice from the Georgia National Guard troops stationed near my home (technically, this assistance was from the Governor and citizens the State of Georgia, and NOT from the Feds). ALL OTHER AID was in the form of donations of material and time by volunteer citizens from across the nation. Church groups that came in droves to cut down trees off of houses, schools that collected clothes, diapers and toilet paper to be delivered in semi-trucks, fire departments and police officers that donated their vacation time to assist, construction companies that donated time, equipment and material to patch leaky roofs until such time as insurance settlements were made... that was the assistance I saw every day. For me, and the vast bulk of the people I know, FEMA was some distant and very-hard-to-find office where you MIGHT get a $2500 check to see you through to your insurance adjuster's first visit. There was no other government aid for me.

THAT is social justice at work in my experience. Being able to count on your neighbors in times of crisis... rather than hoping for government assistance. WHY is that so antithetical to modern progressive thinking? Why is it so difficult for Beck to see that not ALL definitions of "social justice" are as narrow and evil as his?