More Thoughts and Observations on the Glenn Beck Rally

I have been very sick since Wednesday morning, to the point that I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to attend the Beck rally yesterday.  But, I "rallied" and made my way down to The District.  I am ever so glad that I did.  One of the reasons, besides having the experience for myself, was that I am able to have an opinion on the aftermath of the reactions. 

Some have gone as far as saying Beck/Palin (Or maybe Palin/Beck) for 2012.  Please, Beck has no shot at getting elected to public office.  I certainly wouldn't vote for him.  I think anyone who reads my blog knows that I adore him, but not as president.  His TV show is awesome, so keep it up. 

I, like many bloggers, keep any eye on how visitors make their way to my blog.  One such way was:

GLENN BECK RALLY FREE BUSING AND BR...

the finish of the sentence is bribes.  Seriously?  Someone thinks that people needed to be bribed to go and see him?  I recently read a post on another blog on a cruise that you can go on with Louis Farrakhan.  While I admit I was left almost speechless while reading, it never occurred to me that people would need to bribed to go.  We have people in our country that agree with him.  Why?, I cannot tell you, but they do agree. 

There is traffic on the lefty blogs about the busing be free.  Again, seriously?  That was an easy one to fact check.  Beck had the available buses on his website for weeks.  The costs were clearly marked.  The entire rally cost me about $45.  The only reason it cost that much was because I parked in a metered spot and got a ticket.  I didn't realize that parking wasn't free on Saturday's.  They changed that in some areas  to close budget gaps in DC a few years back.  Oh, well, I did the crime, I will pay the fine.  It still ends being cheaper than had I parked in the Ronald Reagan Building as I usually do when I go downtown.    But, I live locally so ain't no thing for me.  But, I met someone yesterday that drove for seven days.  Do they think that someone gave him a gas card and hotel fees? 

I also read the write up in The Washington Post today.  The factual errors were glaring and very easy for them to fix.  One being that they were not sure if the $5.5 million raised for charity was before or after the costs.  Now, I would have to go back and listen to that part of the speech again, but I am pretty sure he cleared that up.  If not, he most definitely did on his show earlier in the week.  The costs had long since been covered.  That was the donation amount.  A stunning amount of money that is being mostly over looked by the media. 

Another real big deal was why the people were there.  Even right bloggers were asking the same question.  My facebook friend Les and fellow blogger kinda thought it was too political.  I made a comment that I didn't agree on the blog and we continued that conversation on facebook chat.  The conclusion we came to is that Beck is no Reagan; but then, who is? 

Were there people in that audience that was there for political reasons?  Yes.  You cannot deny that when you saw all the Gladsen flags.  But, that was not the tenure of the rally itself.  The only speaker that I thought put her foot right on the line was Sarah Palin.  Even that was with one line of her speech.  She was there to say thanks to wounded warriors and to a gold star mom.  She is a military mom, she has to worry that her baby boy could get put into a situation that could get him injured or killed.  That is a lot of stress for any mom.  That makes her a person that can make those introductions AND it is well known that she is a woman of faith.  Beck and Sarah seem to have a good working relationship and I am sure that it was beneficial to both of them to be there; regardless of what their own personal reasons may have been. 

Another thing that is not really getting much press is the FACT that people walked through our crowd with the intention of provoking us.  What exactly they thought we would do them is really beyond me.  But, a couple walked through the crowd wearing Obama shirts.  Now, I had to use the bathroom at one point during the height of the program and tried to make my way through the crowd to the ladies room.  It was quite the adventure, after my little sidetrack with the reporter on the racism charge, I actually ended up using a porta potty in the middle of a field (Don't ask, I can't give you a logical reason of why they were there) about five blocks away.  So, you cannot tell me that these people were not doing this to provoke.  I was sitting relatively close to the stage and it was very densely packed with people.  They also somehow found their way to a reporter and told them that they expected a different reaction?  What reaction would that have been?  An unruly mob that came to beat you up?  It was no different than the man who was carrying this really large sign about how evil religion is and walking through the crowd.  Again, provacation and nothing more.  I could be wrong, but I don't think any of us went over to Sharpton's to do the same thing.  I know that I have neither the time nor the inclination to go a rally for a belief that I am opposed to. 

Now there were PETA people there dressed up in a vegatble costumes with signs saying TEA BAGGERS EAT ME.  I don't get the connection, but they were in an open space and left the rest of us alone.  So, while I don't get it, I don't have a problem with what they did, but the T shirt and sign people, get a life. 

Another controversy apparently is that some lunatic thought it was awful that we cleaned up after ourselves.  We should have left the garbage so the poor park employee could go and clean it up.  Apparently we didn't think of the overtime someone could have made had we left it a mess.  OMG!!  What kind of twisted thinking is that? 

1. We just put the garbage in bags, someone still has to go and collect them. 
2. The Feds are BROKE.  They can't afford any overtime.
3. I also have this feeling that would be something that is outsourced. 

Sadly, some of what that rally was about is just plain overlooked by the media;  Personal responsibility.  Beck asked the people to look at themselves, make their lives more honest, and then demand it from our governmental officials.  Who can argue with that?  Does it really matter if you are on the right or left?  Shouldn't we all want our government to be honest and transparent?  Can't we at least agree on that?  If not, we may have no chance to repair the damage.  And damage we have. 

I know why I was there.  I LOVE Beck.  I LOVE Sarah Palin.  I admire Alveida King.  I wanted to send a message.  I am a person of faith.  I enjoyed the thought that a high number would piss off Obie and Matthews.  I was certain it would be a good time.  And I was right, it was.  But, the most important reason I was there, I will always stand up for our troops.  Another thing that most people in this country should be able to agree upon. 

I have this feeling I will be writing more on the reaction to Beck's interview today.  I can already see some heads exploding about what he said, especially when it is taken out of context.  Maybe I will be wrong, but I have this feeling it will be.