# Glenn Beck blasts Americorps **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297 "2009-08-31T00:12:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/41 "2009-08-31T14:48:03Z")
I must say, it’s awfully nice of **Mississippienne** and other AmeriCorps volunteers to take on the hard work of killing off our grandmothers. God knows the rest of us haven’t got time. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/42 "2009-08-31T14:48:05Z")
I did two years in Americorps. I tutored kids in reading in math, and pitched in on the weekends with Habitat for Humanity and cleaning parks. We never got to the killing Jews part. The particular unit I was in was started by the then mayor of St. Paul, Norm Coleman, so I guess Beck should breathe a sigh of relief that Al Franken beat Coleman out of his U.S. Senate seat. I was never told to refrain from political activities, by the way, but politics never came up on the job. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/43 "2009-08-31T15:14:43Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I tutored kids in reading in math I first read that as “tortured.” Like there’s a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/44 "2009-08-31T15:42:42Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > His commentator, David Bellavia, then all but compares Americorps to Saddam Hussein’s fedayeen and suggests that\*\* The Left is planning to send out Americorps to take away the arms of radical militia\*\*. Do they even think things through before the concoct these little conspiracy theories? Americorps troops wouldn’t get through one chorus of _Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore_ before they ate a lead salad at the compound perimeter. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/45 "2009-08-31T16:27:51Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > You know who else liked [lederhosen](http://obamaisliterallyhitler.tumblr.com/)? The Van Trapp family? ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/46 "2009-08-31T17:22:38Z")
So do these people think that Americorps is a new program Obama just started, or do they think that Obama is just re-purposing an existing program to be his minions? Also, Glenn Beck is [stupid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-D_S7WOnjg). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/47 "2009-08-31T17:27:49Z")
Well, bless his heart, he means ill. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/48 "2009-08-31T17:38:46Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > So do these people think that Americorps is a new program Obama just started, or do they think that Obama is just re-purposing an existing program to be his minions? > > Also, Glenn Beck is [stupid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-D_S7WOnjg). These people don’t think. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/49 "2009-08-31T19:22:26Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > So do these people think that Americorps is a new program Obama just started, or do they think that Obama is just re-purposing an existing program to be his minions? > > Also, Glenn Beck is [stupid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-D_S7WOnjg). Good question. As near as I can tell, all this foofaraw stems from a [July 2008 speech](http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/07/obamas_civilian_national_secur.html) then-candidate Obama gave in Colorado Springs, CO, in which he mentioned that he would like to see a “…a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” (as the US military). This, apparently is where Beck gets the notion that $500 billion as been earmarked for this program, since the yearly military budget is in that range. Thing is, I’m not aware of any recent news reports that this wildly ambitious and completely unaffordable program (in today’s economic climate) has been funded to any degree, much less to the amount claimed by Beck. Likewise, I am unaware of any specific plans to create some sort of Praetorian Guard under the guise of the various community service organizations that would make up such a scheme. Apparently one of the notional organizations would in fact be a “Homeland Security Corps”, but it is completely unclear what that would consist of, and whether any component of that organization would have any specific law enforcement powers. Indeed, Beck’s apparent paranoia about unarmed 20-year-old community volunteers assaulting and disarming militias is perfectly absurd uness someone can show that an actual armed law enforcement body would be part of this plan. In any event, why would any of this be necessary to the administration when there already are an FBI and BATF with the requisite powers? I’m perfectly fine with being corrected if there is more recent info on this, but right now it appears that this excerpt from a more-than-a-year old speech is all that Beck has constructed this massive edifice of bullshit on. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/50 "2009-08-31T19:54:13Z")
I’m more worried about the ACORN ninjas that will kill me in my sleep for not believing that Obama was born in Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/51 "2009-08-31T22:28:02Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Good question. As near as I can tell, all this foofaraw stems from a [July 2008 speech](http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/07/obamas_civilian_national_secur.html) then-candidate Obama gave in Colorado Springs, CO, in which he mentioned that he would like to see a “…a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” (as the US military). This, apparently is where Beck gets the notion that $500 billion as been earmarked for this program, since the yearly military budget is in that range. The thing is that Obama’s budget has been out for months and there is no $500 billion for any such thing. So, Beck lied. Furthermore, right wingers and nutballs have taken the “civilian national security force” idea completely out of context. Obama swas talking about doubling the size of the Peace Corps and increasing the number of Foreign Service Officers working in our embassies, because we needed a civilian national security force (i.e., diplomats and aid workers) that was just as capable as our awesome military. How political bombthrowers can say Peace Corps volunteers are actually Gestapo is a disgusting exercise of yellow journalism and selective quotation. > [@](#): > > Apparently one of the notional organizations would in fact be a “Homeland Security Corps”, but it is completely unclear what that would consist of, and whether any component of that organization would have any specific law enforcement powers. There was never any such proposal. Thanks to right-wingers like Glenn Beck, you are remembering something that Obama never said. > [@](#): > > I’m perfectly fine with being corrected if there is more recent info on this, but right now it appears that this excerpt from a more-than-a-year old speech is all that Beck has constructed this massive edifice of bullshit on. Exactly so. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/52 "2009-08-31T23:29:27Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I first read that as “tortured.” > > Like there’s a difference. If you have three cat o’nine tails, and 5 cat o’nine tails, how many tails do you have in all? I wish someone would say which loony bin Fox News got its commentators from. A reality show set there would be one I’d even watch. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/53 "2009-09-01T03:04:20Z")
Glen is confusing his Nazis. Americorps is much more similar to the Hitler Youth (The Pope was a member, FYI), than the SS. I mean, how can a group the the Pope as a member be bad? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/54 "2009-09-01T03:13:55Z")
Obviously, you havent seen that documentary about Da Vinci’s code… ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/55 "2009-09-01T03:20:00Z")
If you Google “Amerikorps” (sic, with the quotes) you find an enthralling 780 or so hits. Most of them are in comments and forums. So, not that many so far, but I’m still laying my money on that witticism becoming the new right-wing meme. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/56 "2009-09-01T03:43:34Z")
I’m fine with that as long as they also start referring to the US Marine Korps. I think United States Air Phorce would be catchy, too. ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/57 "2009-09-01T04:11:32Z")
Don’t forget joining the Ahrmee and the Nayvee! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/58 "2009-09-01T04:15:52Z")
Everyone always forgets the Koast Ghard. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/59 "2009-09-01T04:27:06Z")
Who? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297/60 "2009-09-01T06:43:28Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I’m more worried about the ACORN ninjas that will kill me in my sleep for not believing that Obama was born in Hawaii. They won’t need ninjas. Will the $650 billion Obama is giving them, they can kill you with laser-satellites. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-beck-blasts-americorps/508297.md?page=4)