The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

After A Brief ‘Reagan Tribute’ On
The Couch, Thoughts Return To
‘Restoring Honor’

Posted on | August 28, 2010 | 30 Comments

by Smitty

First, one should offer some shouts to fellow bloggers:

  • Sorry to the TD of the Washington Rebel that my phone battery ran out, and we couldn’t get back together. The informal gathering at the Army and Navy Club with Wombat Rampant, which transitioned to the ever-tasty Shelly’s Backroom, and a conversation that we should have recorded for a podcast. Truly great Americans, those two.
  • Thanks to Dave C for the lift. He ignored every bit of my advice, with great results. Possibly, arriving an hour earlier would have been better, but we didn’t dare hope the event would be that well attended. His ‘future-swimmer’ daughter (he’ll have to explain), however, needs to be kept a safe distance from Stacy’s youngest, as that much cute in a small area could lead to a cuteness singularity. Safety, people.
  • After the event we wound up across the street from Shelly’s at the National Press Food Court, where we met Adam Brickley of Draft Sarah Palin fame. Yet another podcast-worthy gumflap ensued. Until we get our techno act together, your attention is drawn to The Delivery. Back to lunch, Adam pointed out that the Special Operations Warrior Fund raised North of $5 million, and that the amount raised via texting could help estimate crowd size, at least for establishing a lower bound.

Around the blogosphere, Gateway Pundit points out that Al “Don’t mooch my intellectual raaaaacebait property” Sharpton was trumped in attendance at his MLK celebration by a couple orders of magnitude or so by Restoring Honor.

Al does make a handy position indicator, showing how far DaveC and I were able to advance towards the Lincoln Memorial:

Thanks for the pointer, Al!

Al Sharpton points to Dave C's and my location at 'Restoring Honor'

From the comments on on an earlier post, this Spiegel album has some fine shots. My German wife points out that Rechte in the title Demo in Washington: US-Rechte gegen Obama, “Demonstration in Washington: US-Right against Obama”, carries the connotation of the ugly racism/nationalism of a prior century. Thanks for nothing, Spiegel: you either haven’t taken any time to understand the situation, or you have, and you’re engaging in the propaganda you feign to decry.

The Temple of Mut has a superior post on the event. In response to the report of an incident of violence in one of the updates, the event appeared exactly as violence- and hate-speech-free as every single other event I’ve attended in the last two years.

Dan Riehl’s analysis on the lefty reaction is superb:

Any movement that can bring from 300 – 500 thousand men, women and children to Washington is a significant one – an American one. That was as true on August 28th, 1963, as it was today, even if it took time for all of America to interpret Martin Luther King, Jr’s Dream.

But despite being American, today’s left can’t access the dreams of the majority of Americans. The news and events of the past year have identified them as the out of touch minority most of us always knew they were. They haven’t gotten near as much as they wanted to from Obama. Yet, America is already rejecting him for whatever amount he gave them at all.

Read the whole thing for the survey of Lefty blog outrage.

Picking over some thoughts that came up with Adam Brickley and DaveC at lunch, the struggle to protect MLK’s dream from the Orwellian Left is merely picking up steam. Restoring Honor was a fine event in its own right, but Glenn Beck’s closing point about individual renewal can neither be understated nor understressed.

The fear all of us shared while mowing down on bad American food, however, is that the awakened American giant, hearing the alarm clock of Federal overreach, debt slavery, racial divisiveness and statism, would restore enough honor to reach over and turn that alarm clock off. Why succumb to consciousness and face the fact that (a) the country is a giant, expensive mess, and (b) doing anything about it means a lifetime commitment to, you know, paying attention, or something boring like that. Our national Peter Pan/Rip Van Winkle syndrome is faced with the threat of responsibility! Restoring Honor has some distinctly non-shiny responsibility implications.

Thus, irrespective of the results in two months, the Tea Parties will have to double down for 2012, and continue to bulldoze their way through Ruling Class stupidity and the harsh cleanup realities of unwinding the Progressive Era. The Restoring Honor event, like so many other demonstrations and rallies since the 2008 election, was a necessary but not sufficient input for real reform.

Beck showed more pure, American leadership in 2.5 hours than the Administration has offered in 18 months of service. So let’s not let it die on the vine. In two weeks, there is a 9/12 March on DC. Start your sign boards!

Some concerns were raised about Beck’s religiosity at Restoring Honor. Sarah Palin, who endorsed John McCain and Carli Fiorina, is as much “far right” as she is “shrieking harpy”. As with Muslims, reactionary Baptists like your author, Jews, and any other distinct religious body, I suggest we move toward a doctrine of “share the microphone”. Let all share ideas in a brief, positive sort of way in public, and patiently learn about and internally ignore the ideas we consider daft. If I held the Book of Mormon in high esteem, I’d be a Mormon. Try not to projectile vomit on the antique English of my King James Version of the Bible.
If you cannot submit your point in a brief, calm, respectful tone and patiently, lovingly hold on when your audience ignores you, then maybe you need to re-examine your point. All of these affirmations remain between you and the Almighty, in any case (YMMV, YVHV, HAND).

Category: Glenn Beck

Comments

30 Responses to “After A Brief ‘Reagan Tribute’ On
The Couch, Thoughts Return To
‘Restoring Honor’”

  1. Dan
    August 29th, 2010 @ 2:24 am

    Sarah Rocked!

  2. Dan
    August 28th, 2010 @ 10:24 pm

    Sarah Rocked!

  3. Ric Locke
    August 29th, 2010 @ 2:40 am

    Why God, for God’s Sake? — an essay on one of the issues from Restoring Honor.

    This wasn’t out when I posted, or I’d have linked you. I can edit, if you like.

    Regards,
    Ric

  4. Ric Locke
    August 28th, 2010 @ 10:40 pm

    Why God, for God’s Sake? — an essay on one of the issues from Restoring Honor.

    This wasn’t out when I posted, or I’d have linked you. I can edit, if you like.

    Regards,
    Ric

  5. Why God, for God’s Sake? « Ric's Rulez
    August 28th, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

    […] 28 August 2010 in Definitions and clarifications, Topical Today’s “Restoring Honor” rally arranged by Glenn Beck has been covered adequately elsewhere. Smitty at The other McCain has a roundup. […]

  6. Pat
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:14 am

    Chris,

    I would tell you what I *really* think of your crass comment addressing me. But I do not want to be banned from commenting here.

    Glenn was capitulating to black people for the sins of those who came way before me. Either that or he was just using those black people for cover. Either way, he’s pathetic and that is mainly why I won’t watch him. Now Bill O. Yes. Sean Hannity, a little. But Beck is just changing his stripes to match the political winds. He’ll be back to bashing Republicans in 2012, when they take back the White House.

    political byline dot com is where I write ya’ll if you want my take on this minstrel show that happened today.

    -Pat

  7. Pat
    August 28th, 2010 @ 11:14 pm

    Chris,

    I would tell you what I *really* think of your crass comment addressing me. But I do not want to be banned from commenting here.

    Glenn was capitulating to black people for the sins of those who came way before me. Either that or he was just using those black people for cover. Either way, he’s pathetic and that is mainly why I won’t watch him. Now Bill O. Yes. Sean Hannity, a little. But Beck is just changing his stripes to match the political winds. He’ll be back to bashing Republicans in 2012, when they take back the White House.

    political byline dot com is where I write ya’ll if you want my take on this minstrel show that happened today.

    -Pat

  8. Charles Johnson
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:24 am

    Lies, Lies, Lies. 5,000,000 lies. 300,000, lies. More like 80,000. Give or take a few breeder families.

    Everyone knows that NBC is in the bag for Beck. They want to woo him from Fox. NBC stands for National Bullshit Conservatism.

    CBS News commissioned an estimate of the crowd size at today’s Glenn Beck Festival, and the results are in: Glenn Beck Rally Attracts Estimated 87,000.

    An estimated 87,000 people attended a rally organized by talk-radio host and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck Saturday in Washington, according to a crowd estimate commissioned by CBS News.

    The company AirPhotosLive.com based the attendance on aerial pictures it took over the rally, which stretched from in front of the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument. Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke at the rally.

    Beck, who predicted that at least 100,000 people would show up, opened his comments with a joke: “I have just gotten word from the media that there is over 1,000 people here today.”

    AirPhotosLive.com gave its estimate a margin of error of 9,000, meaning between 78,000 and 96,000 people attended the rally. The photos used to make the estimate were taken at noon Saturday, which is when the company estimated was the rally’s high point.

    Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

  9. Charles Johnson
    August 28th, 2010 @ 11:24 pm

    Lies, Lies, Lies. 5,000,000 lies. 300,000, lies. More like 80,000. Give or take a few breeder families.

    Everyone knows that NBC is in the bag for Beck. They want to woo him from Fox. NBC stands for National Bullshit Conservatism.

    CBS News commissioned an estimate of the crowd size at today’s Glenn Beck Festival, and the results are in: Glenn Beck Rally Attracts Estimated 87,000.

    An estimated 87,000 people attended a rally organized by talk-radio host and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck Saturday in Washington, according to a crowd estimate commissioned by CBS News.

    The company AirPhotosLive.com based the attendance on aerial pictures it took over the rally, which stretched from in front of the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument. Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spoke at the rally.

    Beck, who predicted that at least 100,000 people would show up, opened his comments with a joke: “I have just gotten word from the media that there is over 1,000 people here today.”

    AirPhotosLive.com gave its estimate a margin of error of 9,000, meaning between 78,000 and 96,000 people attended the rally. The photos used to make the estimate were taken at noon Saturday, which is when the company estimated was the rally’s high point.

    Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

  10. Charles Johnson
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:35 am

    Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

    I think there is 4,000, tops.

  11. Charles Johnson
    August 28th, 2010 @ 11:35 pm

    Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

    I think there is 4,000, tops.

  12. Charles Johnson
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:46 am

    4,000 tops.

  13. Charles Johnson
    August 28th, 2010 @ 11:46 pm

    4,000 tops.

  14. Alan Kellogg
    August 29th, 2010 @ 4:14 am

    My God, I think Charles Johnson is on to something. All those people at the Restoring Honor rally were actually elephants. Glenn Beck found 80,000 elephants to stand in for people at his rally. How else to explain so much territory being taken up by only 80,000 bodies.

    Nice to see Charles venturing out from his cave.

  15. Alan Kellogg
    August 29th, 2010 @ 12:14 am

    My God, I think Charles Johnson is on to something. All those people at the Restoring Honor rally were actually elephants. Glenn Beck found 80,000 elephants to stand in for people at his rally. How else to explain so much territory being taken up by only 80,000 bodies.

    Nice to see Charles venturing out from his cave.

  16. Dan
    August 29th, 2010 @ 4:16 am

    Charles Johnson needs to put down the crack pipe and get on the treadmill.

  17. Dan
    August 29th, 2010 @ 12:16 am

    Charles Johnson needs to put down the crack pipe and get on the treadmill.

  18. Charles Johnson
    August 29th, 2010 @ 7:36 am

    That shows how stupid you are Dan, if I were doing crack I wouldn’t need the treadmill. Have you ever seen a fat crack addict?

    I know that Glenn Beck is screwing with me. Like Geller. And RSM. And the rest of you. I know it by geometric logic.

  19. Charles Johnson
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:36 am

    That shows how stupid you are Dan, if I were doing crack I wouldn’t need the treadmill. Have you ever seen a fat crack addict?

    I know that Glenn Beck is screwing with me. Like Geller. And RSM. And the rest of you. I know it by geometric logic.

  20. Mutnodjmet
    August 29th, 2010 @ 3:31 pm

    Smitty: Thank you so much for the kind words about my post! It means the world to me.

    I wanted to point out that the traditional media is in full snobby leftist mode. For example, after hearing the attendance numbers for the “dueling” Sharpton event, I predicted the elite media types would headline yesterday as “Thousands Attend Two Rallies in DC” — with no distinction as to the real number of participants at either event. Three minutes later, I heard my prediction come true in an ABC radio news announcement.

    My friend, W.C. Varones has uncovered a few other examples of the media melt-down:


    Voters reject out-of-control government; women hardest hit

    Money Quote: “A question for you: when was the last time you saw an MSM paragraph like this about a leftist group?……Liberal commentator [x] appealed Saturday to a mostly [white/black/union/illegal alien/socialist/etc.] crowd […] Constitutionalist leaders who accused the group of [y] held their own rally and march.”

  21. Mutnodjmet
    August 29th, 2010 @ 11:31 am

    Smitty: Thank you so much for the kind words about my post! It means the world to me.

    I wanted to point out that the traditional media is in full snobby leftist mode. For example, after hearing the attendance numbers for the “dueling” Sharpton event, I predicted the elite media types would headline yesterday as “Thousands Attend Two Rallies in DC” — with no distinction as to the real number of participants at either event. Three minutes later, I heard my prediction come true in an ABC radio news announcement.

    My friend, W.C. Varones has uncovered a few other examples of the media melt-down:


    Voters reject out-of-control government; women hardest hit

    Money Quote: “A question for you: when was the last time you saw an MSM paragraph like this about a leftist group?……Liberal commentator [x] appealed Saturday to a mostly [white/black/union/illegal alien/socialist/etc.] crowd […] Constitutionalist leaders who accused the group of [y] held their own rally and march.”

  22. Marooned in Marin
    August 29th, 2010 @ 4:00 pm

    Hey “icarus” Johnson…bite me!

    Smitty: Sorry to have missed you, I was around in your area for a few minutes, and went all around the rally.

  23. Marooned in Marin
    August 29th, 2010 @ 12:00 pm

    Hey “icarus” Johnson…bite me!

    Smitty: Sorry to have missed you, I was around in your area for a few minutes, and went all around the rally.

  24. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 5:01 pm

    he’ll be back to bashing republicans in 2012

    oh really then how come he kissed mccain’s ass as a form of atonement for saying obama is better than mccain and how come he was nasty towards hayworth honestly beck only attacks conservatives and not RINOS just like when he was on CNN

  25. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 1:01 pm

    he’ll be back to bashing republicans in 2012

    oh really then how come he kissed mccain’s ass as a form of atonement for saying obama is better than mccain and how come he was nasty towards hayworth honestly beck only attacks conservatives and not RINOS just like when he was on CNN

  26. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 6:11 pm

    btw i may be wrong

  27. Kojocaro
    August 29th, 2010 @ 2:11 pm

    btw i may be wrong

  28. T.L. Davis
    August 30th, 2010 @ 3:00 am

    Thanks again for the hospitality Smitty! That was a great conversation at Shelly’s, no doubt.

  29. T.L. Davis
    August 29th, 2010 @ 11:00 pm

    Thanks again for the hospitality Smitty! That was a great conversation at Shelly’s, no doubt.

  30. Bob’s Musings: Can I Have An AMEN! « The Camp Of The Saints
    August 30th, 2010 @ 2:33 pm

    […] =Smitty filed a report from the Rally and an after-report. […]