# Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally will not be political (& other Tea Party nonsense) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 26, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517 "2010-08-26T11:13:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/261 "2010-08-30T13:27:13Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I’m sure if the event participants realized they had created 6 pages of consternation and finger pointing from the usual crowd on this board, they would be reassured in feeling they are on the right track. We’ve had dozens of pages on the RCC pedophilia scandals, Mel Gibson’s abusive behavior, and the recent racist dude. Are they are on the right track, too? Or, to put it more bluntly, are you stupid? ---
**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 30, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/262 "2010-08-30T13:36:10Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I’m sure if the event participants realized they had created 6 pages of consternation and finger pointing from the usual crowd on this board, they would be reassured in feeling they are on the right track. Yes, how odd that people might discuss current events on a discussion board. Anyway, in your new role as board administrator, please do tell us on which subjects discussions are permitted, and how many pages are allowed for each discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/263 "2010-08-30T13:48:03Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > [QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] > I’m kind of surprised to see he only drew 87,000 people for his Million Moron March yesterday. Sounds like it was kind of a flop. That figure was an undercount based on estimates of satellite images. From the air, you can’t tell that each attendee had four other morons stacked on his shoulders. [/QUOTE] Hmm…matryoshka teabagger dolls? Maybe that’s why it seems they get continually overcounted? -Joe ---
**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:** [August 30, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/264 "2010-08-30T13:54:43Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > > > That figure was an undercount based on estimates of satellite images. From the air, you can’t tell that each attendee had four other morons stacked on his shoulders. > > Hmm…matryoshka teabagger dolls? Maybe that’s why it seems they get continually overcounted? > > -Joe They were all pregnant, even the men. So they were undercounted by at least half. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/265 "2010-08-30T13:57:08Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > > [@flickster](#): > > > > I’m sure if the event participants realized they had created 6 pages of consternation and finger pointing from the usual crowd on this board, they would be reassured in feeling they are on the right track. > > Yes, how odd that people might discuss current events on a discussion board. > > Anyway, in your new role as board administrator, please do tell us on which subjects discussions are permitted, and how many pages are allowed for each discussion. WTF, dude? He was just making an observation about what the protesters think. And he’s probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/266 "2010-08-30T14:16:50Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > > [@Merijeek](#): > > > > Hmm…matryoshka teabagger dolls? Maybe that’s why it seems they get continually overcounted? > > > > -Joe > > They were all pregnant, even the men. So they were undercounted by at least half. Anyone else concerned that ol’ Humper may be approaching Terminal levels of CD? First, he’s blindly defending a Glenn Beck rally. Not unusual for a GOPtard, of course. Except that this rally was pretty much nothing but Jesus Jesus Jesus America Jesus, and within the last few days ol’ Humper said that Beck was pretty awesome EXCEPT WHEN HE’S BUSY GETTING ALL BIBLE-Y. Or…there’s dumbass Humper, Mr. Gummint-is-source-of-all-ills using a report from a government agency (double dog secret irony when you notice he got it WRONG! and he’s not even part of the government liberal socialist conspiracy!) to “prove” something. His head must be packed with fucking concrete to keep from popping. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/267 "2010-08-30T14:24:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > > [@El\_Kabong](#): > > > > Yes, how odd that people might discuss current events on a discussion board. > > > > Anyway, in your new role as board administrator, please do tell us on which subjects discussions are permitted, and how many pages are allowed for each discussion. > > WTF, dude? He was just making an observation about what the protesters think. And he’s probably right. You think flickster was making a neutral point about the rally crowd? Seriously? Come on, he or she was doing the “Ha ha! You’re talking about it! Even if you’re mocking it means we’re powerful and if you hate us that means we’re clever and oh-so-right because you suck!” ---
**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 30, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/268 "2010-08-30T14:27:19Z")
I don’t feel comfortable commenting until Jon Stewart tells me what to think. Heh, actually it’s kinda true, since I don’t watch Fox News and would never even have heard about this gathering if TDS hadn’t reported it. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/269 "2010-08-30T14:31:26Z")
> [@LilShieste](#): > > One wonders what it means to “regret” something without “retracting” it. > > Or at least I do. There seems to be some sort of strange disconnect going on if he can have this grand meeting about restoring honor on Saturday in the shadow of MLK. Honor the man and his work in civil rights, and then the _very next day_ find some theological justification for calling the president a racist. I’m not sure he even got that right and understands there is a difference between the Catholic brand of Liberation theology and Black Liberation theology practiced by Wright. That’s not even touching on how incorrect it is to judge Obama , not by his own words, by one of the best speeches on racism we’ve ever heard, and everything else, but evidently by the words of Rev Wright and a theology that he doesn’t seem to understand. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/270 "2010-08-30T14:41:21Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > > [@flickster](#): > > > > I’m sure if the event participants realized they had created 6 pages of consternation and finger pointing from the usual crowd on this board, they would be reassured in feeling they are on the right track. > > We’ve had dozens of pages on the RCC pedophilia scandals, Mel Gibson’s abusive behavior, and the recent racist dude. Are they are on the right track, too? > > Or, to put it more bluntly, are you stupid? Just stating the obvious…if a group with polar opposite from the predominatly lib posture of the SDMB wasn’t garnering attention then they must doing something wrong. ---
**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 30, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/271 "2010-08-30T14:46:11Z")
Al Quaeda gets a lot of attention here, you know. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/272 "2010-08-30T14:47:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > > [@John\_Mace](#): > > > > WTF, dude? He was just making an observation about what the protesters think. And he’s probably right. > > You think flickster was making a neutral point about the rally crowd? Seriously? Come on, he or she was doing the “Ha ha! You’re talking about it! Even if you’re mocking it means we’re powerful and if you hate us that means we’re clever and oh-so-right because you suck!” Like he said, he was stating the obvious. Is \*\*flickster \*\*a known Tea Party sympathizer? If so you may be right about the undertone. If not, then no. But he’s still probably right. Do you dispute that? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/273 "2010-08-30T14:48:47Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > [@Clothahump](#): > > > > Minimum estimate is 300,000 from the Park Service. And they are not morons. They are pissed-off voters. I hope the politicians were listening. > > Yes, they are morons. And so are you. You are a fucking clueless idiot masquerading as a moronic buffoon. Your statement above is either wrong or a lie. And no, I won’t give you time to retract it and tell us which one. > > The National Park Service never gave that estimate of crowd size for this event. NEVER. I can state unequivocally that they gave NO ESTIMATE of crowd size at any time. You wanna know how I know that? > > Because the National Park Service hasn’t given out estimates of crowd size since 1997. Asshole. Idiot. Ignorant twat. > > STFU already and let knowledgable adults have a discussion. I just love it when the namecalling starts. One of these days, you might learn that an ad hominem attack is an open admission that what was said was true and correct. You can’t refute it, so you attack who said it just because you don’t want it to be that way. Thanks for agreeing with me and publicly validating what I posted. Now, just so that you don’t feel neglected, since you’ve gone to all the trouble to publicly throw a temper tantrum, I’ll pay some attention to you. After all, we can’t have you being all butthurt about this. Your own bible, the [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t/parks-service-estimate-of_22378094013.html), is reporting 300-325,000 from a Park Service estimate. If that really came from the Park Service, I will grant you that is an unofficial estimate; they quit doing official estimates ever since the controversy over the so-called Million Man March back in '97; the Park Service gave a realistic number and the march organizers threw a tantrum over it because it was way too low for them to accept. > [@](#): > > The Park Service has used the same methods since it began counting rallies on the Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Officials take pictures from a helicopter that flies along the sides of the Mall and then, using a grid, take into account the number of people per square foot. > **[Federal Parks Chief Calls 'Million Man' Count Low (Published 1995)](https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/21/us/federal-parks-chief-calls-million-man-count-low.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1)** So let’s do our own estimates. But let’s be conservative (heh, heh) in the estimate. Check out [this site](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2579726/posts) and scroll down to the aerial photo. Note that the area around the reflecting pool, from the Memorial on down, is packed with people, including people out in the trees on the right. The estimate that has always been used is that it takes nearly 200,000 people to do that. In addition, note that the open area to the left is packed with people; we can’t see from this shot how many are out in the tree area past it. That open area holds another 150-200,000 people. So from the aerial shot, one can estimate 350-400,000 folks. But since we’re being conservative, we’ll say that they weren’t standing elbow to elbow and let’s knock 15% off the numbers. That gives us approximately 298-340,000 people there. Thanks for playing, **Bo**. It’s always amusing to see someone crash and burn in such a spectacular manner. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/274 "2010-08-30T14:48:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Al Quaeda gets a lot of attention here, you know. You forgot to include Hitler. And AQ probably considers that a sign that they are doing things right. No? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/275 "2010-08-30T14:51:06Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I don’t feel comfortable commenting until Jon Stewart tells me what to think. Sadly, he’s off for 10 or so days right now. ---
**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 30, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/276 "2010-08-30T14:56:51Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Your own bible, the [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t/parks-service-estimate-of_22378094013.html), is reporting 300-325,000 from a Park Service estimate. “Reporting”? That’s a fucking Twitter post. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/277 "2010-08-30T15:01:57Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > [@Clothahump](#): > > > > Your own bible, the [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t/parks-service-estimate-of_22378094013.html), is reporting 300-325,000 from a Park Service estimate. > > “Reporting”? That’s a fucking Twitter post. Apparently Humper now finds HuffPo to be q worthwhile news source. That’s interesting. I think I may be right about his Final Stage CD. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/278 "2010-08-30T15:10:51Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Because the National Park Service hasn’t given out estimates of crowd size since 1997. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/279 "2010-08-30T15:13:10Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > Because the National Park Service hasn’t given out estimates of crowd size since 1997. > > Why not? Explained above, dude. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517/280 "2010-08-30T15:26:19Z")
Missed the edit window. I would have added the following: > [@](#): > > If the National Mall is densely packed from Third Street to the Washington Monument, and if the area from the monument to the Lincoln Memorial has an average density, the space could contain 1.5 million people, Barna said. Average density is one person per 5 square feet. A tightly packed crowd has a density of one person per 2.5 square feet, an area slightly larger than this newspaper. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd\_N.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-19-crowd_N.htm) So let’s assume - again, being conservative - that the density was only 50%. That’s still 750k people. Too high for you? Go down to 30%. That’s 450k. Still too high? Let’s go to 25%, which gives us 375k. One can simply eyeball the photo and see that the density is a heckuva lot higher than 25%. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glenn-becks-restoring-honor-rally-will-not-be-political-other-tea-party-nonsense/551517.md?page=15)