I'm curious ...

I have 3 points, but let me first say that unfortunately, and without warning, the local affiliate that carries Glenn Beck (720am KDWN) dropped him 2 weeks ago. They replaced him with Dennis Miller. I like Miller, but it is far and away not the type of historically oriented, politically based discussion I enjoy with Beck. To be honest, I was pretty pissed. Limbaugh is "ok," but then I'm out of options. Hannity? Are you kidding? Regis and Kathy Lee had less vapid banter. At least they had the occasional juggling bear or chimp that could cook (although I suppose that Muppet washed on hot Carville fits nicely into that category). I suppose I could access Beck's radio program online, but radio is my medium of choice precisely because it's accessible on the go. I don't have time to sit at my computer for 3 hours.

At any rate, your description of Beck's take on this youth camp piqued my interest, bringing me to Point #1 - Titus, when you heard that this "camp" was a "political youth camp", run by the ruling Labor Party, did your fertile mind not summon the phrase, if not the image, of Hitler Youth? Mine sure did. I'm not making any comparisons of the Third Reich and the Norwegian Labor Party, I'm simply saying that any person of our ilk, holding a particular fascination with the past and the penchant for studying it, would understandably race to the image of Hitler Youth. I really don't fault Beck for that, as my mind leaped to the same thing.

Point #2. When I run into political leftists, cordially at work or elsewhere, I often have one question for them regarding Glenn Beck. For example I spent the better part of 2 hours the other night, whilst dealing black jack, talking to a P.h.D graduate of Harvard. As a brief aside my first line out the chute was, "What, you couldn't get into Oxford?" ... hehe. He teaches st Florida State and his doctorate is on "American Civilization." He has a particular fascination with WWI. All good, good stuff to help me pass an otherwise torturous night of snapper. As I said, we were talking and at some point I mentioned that Goebbels, in his diaries, had a great deal of admiration for the Wilson propaganda machine. He agreed, and noted that the three worst offenders of Civil Liberties in US history (we're talking CIC's now) was Adams, Lincoln, and Wilson (whic told me that he didn't belong to the foaming at the mouth hate Bush crowd). These are fine choices, very defensible, don't get me wrong. But he went on to say that Beck is fond of linking Goebbels to Wilson, Wilson to Progressives, and Progressives to Obama. In essence he was arguing that Beck has found a tidy little way to tie Barak Obama to Nazism, without stating it directly. Look, it wasn't an altogether indefensible argument, but then he drops the, "Beck is the most dangerous man in America" line on me. Well, now he's lost me. Because as I told him, although I spend limited time at the Post Office these days, I still don't recall seeing Beck's image on the Most Wanted pin ups. This was all the long way, Titus, of posing to you the question I never quite got an answer for in my time with the good professor. Amongst the cacophony of voices peppering the political-talk landscape from cable news, to radio to the Internet, can't you at least credit Beck with spurring, inviting and even encouraging political discourse rooted in the study of history? Because I do. And I think that's worth noting and pausing long enough to give the man credit for. What other 5 day a week popular political talk show can invite a post here about 500 BC?

Point #3 - I agree with you on Beck's historical mistake. Two Millinea ago Athenians were selecting white stones and black stones. You can go to Greece, to this day, and stand on the spot where giant pots sat while each Athenian adult male walked up and cast a white stone for "yes" and a black stone for "no" into those pots. This was the sole invention of an Athenian general whom had tossed off the ruling family of Athens and pondered long and hard on how to give Athens back to the people. It is the literal Genesis for the phrase "Athenian Democracy." There are endless other examples. The most famous Western Monarchy (or at least the most media savvy one) is the English Throne. Yet not a single, not one, of Prince William's royal a forefathers or mothers were allowed to raise taxes on their subjects without the permission of Parliament. Now some American pseudo-historians often fall into the trap of believing in the notion that because the USA is the longest surviving democracy (as a Republic) in the world today, and due to our status as the only "free" nation on earth that exists under the same form of government that was put in place after its' Revolution (both factual statements), that we have cornered the market on self governance; and that same pseudo-historian will then without thought dismiss Europe as continent of absolute monarchs and failed democracies. Which, once again, was a long way of saying yes, Beck was wrong. But the essence of my third point wasn't only that I agree with you, but also this - when we error in our historical arguments only a handful of bloggers or family members hear of it. When Beck does, 15 million people bare witness. And even though he's a professional broadcaster and one steeped in historical text (compared to his colleagues at least), when you're spending 15+ hours a week essentially talking and arguing amongst your friends (Pat, Stu and various guests), the occasional mistake will undoubtedly occur ... as it did here.

By the way - we're really burning up the posts lately, aren't we? Sheeesh. Oh, I almost forgot, how did the Jambo trip to NEPA go? Or was that scheduled for August? I wasn't sure ... I'm pissed that I can't go, that I'm sure about that.