# Is Glen Beck/Fox News responsible for this guy's attempted mass murder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789 "2010-10-11T14:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/21 "2010-10-11T20:00:18Z")
It would be real hard to prove. We can roast Beck all day but to prove it and get him arrested? That’s a whole different thing. Maybe one day he will get careless or even more full of himself and actually “say the magic words” that put him in jail, but until then he gets to jabber on. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/22 "2010-10-11T20:41:48Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It would be real hard to prove. Exactly; that’s why he and other right wing rabble rousers do what they do. They get to inflict violence and terror without taking the fall themselves; plausible deniability in action. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/23 "2010-10-11T20:59:09Z")
nm. Fuck it - not worth the bother. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/24 "2010-10-11T21:00:59Z")
I’m not buying this at all. Because some clown spits some garbage on TV, we no longer have to take responsibility for our actions? There is as much left wing rabble rousing as there is right wing. What about Keith Olbmermann’s “worst person in the world” rants? Keith is practically pulling the trigger himself! Who could blame Johnny Liberal for doing what Olbermann was too cowardly to actually act on himself? Talking heads on television are no more responsible for my actions than the video games I play, the movies I watch or the people I work with. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/25 "2010-10-11T21:01:12Z")
The only mormons I know are extremely conservative, and I assume they either listen to Glen Beck, or at least support his (idiotic) opinions. There have been tons of conservative anti-muslims who demand that moderate muslims apologize for the 9/11 attacks…has there ever been a mormon apology for Glen Beck? > [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > There is as much left wing rabble rousing as there is right wing. No there isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/26 "2010-10-11T21:19:03Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It would be real hard to prove. We can roast Beck all day but to prove it and get him arrested? That’s a whole different thing. Maybe one day he will get careless or even more full of himself and actually “say the magic words” that put him in jail, but until then he gets to jabber on. I doubt he’ll ever say magic words that put him in jail, unless he goes on a tangent about how he himself committed a crime. His encouragement of others to do crimes might not ever land him on the wrong side of a criminal case but I think he will find himself with the costly measure of defending himself in a civil matter. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/27 "2010-10-11T21:19:41Z")
> [@rogerbox](#): > > > [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > > > There is as much left wing rabble rousing as there is right wing. > > No there isn’t. Not even close. Nor does the more extreme left wing (what little of it exists) enjoy open support by the Democratic leadership; the right wing rabble rousers do get that open support from the Republican leadership. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/28 "2010-10-11T22:28:41Z")
Nor do left-wingers stockpile weapons, join militias, speak of revolution in positive terms, live as survivalists, or get their jollies off of talk of armed conflict as much as right-wingers do. There’s a chunk of the right wing in this country that’s ready to pop. I just read a piece in Time Magazine about right-wing militias talking about armed conflict not in terms of “if,” but “when.” Talkers like Beck, Hannity, Rush and Newt just fan those flames with racial nonsense, second-amendment-action nonsense, Constitution-hanging-by-a-thread nonsense, “not one of us” nonsense, religious nonsense, birther nonsense, and socialist/Communist/Nazi nonsense. Even at Olbermann’s angriest, with his “Worst Person in the World,” it’s peppered with over-the-top reverb and goofy graphics. Even at our nation’s George W Bushiest, the far left’s most active and/or vocal leaders were a Hollywood documentary maker, a grieving mother and a former Sports Center host. There were no calls for armed revolution or launching into survival mode. There were no lefties taking out cops or Holocaust museum security guards. There were no lefty compounds making the news with shitloads of ammo and guns. There were no lefty militias running drills in the woods. There were no lefties showing up at presidential events openly carrying loaded weapons. Lefty rabble-rousing is not anywhere \*near \*the ballpark of righty rabble-rousing. Lefty rabble-rousing consists of bitching about the right, and trying to expose lies and hypocracy. Righty rabble-rousing (these days, anyway) makes suggestions of \*revolution \*and _armed conflict_ against other Americans if things “continue down Obama’s path.” The rhetoric that Beck and other right wingers dish out on a daily basis absolutely makes them responsible for this guy’s attempted mass murder. When someone like Beck demonizes the ACLU, ACORN, the Tides foundation, Obama, Muslims, progressives, Democrats, et al as threats to America and our Constitution and Christianity, what do you think is going to eventually happen? ---
**Author:** ![Discipline](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Discipline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discipline)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/29 "2010-10-11T23:04:20Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > What about Keith Olbmermann’s “worst person in the world” rants? Keith is practically pulling the trigger himself! Who could blame Johnny Liberal for doing what Olbermann was too cowardly to actually act on himself? Keith would probably piss himself in delight if he had a following even half as dedicated as the Glenn Beck crowd. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t heard too many Johnny Liberals quoting Olbermann’s screeds as gospel like you see happening with Beck. Also, most Johnny Liberals are anti-American, ivory-tower intellectual elitists, so they don’t own guns or feel they need to use them on some hapless dumbfuck who happened to get called out on cable news in a misguided attempt to “restore honor” to the country they fucking hate anyway. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/30 "2010-10-11T23:50:00Z")
If you’re an adult civilian, even if somebody flat-out tells you to kill someone, it’s on you if you actually follow through. I think Beck’s as big an asshole as most people on these boards, but I find this trying to blame him shit ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/31 "2010-10-12T00:01:28Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > If you’re an adult civilian, even if somebody flat-out tells you to kill someone, it’s on you if you actually follow through. And it’s on the guy who gave you the order too. Blame can be shared, you know. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/32 "2010-10-12T00:01:51Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > If you’re an adult civilian, even if somebody flat-out tells you to kill someone, it’s on you if you actually follow through. I think Beck’s as big an asshole as most people on these boards, but I find this trying to blame him shit ridiculous. And that’s the bottom line. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/33 "2010-10-12T00:18:37Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > > > If you’re an adult civilian, even if somebody flat-out tells you to kill someone, it’s on you if you actually follow through. > > And it’s on the guy who gave you the order too. Blame can be shared, you know. I put the qualifier “civilian” in there because if you’re not in the military there’s no one in a position to give you such an order. Glen Beck certainly can’t “give orders” to the fools who watch his show in any meaningful sense. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/34 "2010-10-12T00:23:29Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > And it’s on the guy who gave you the order too. Blame can be shared, you know. > > I put the qualifier “civilian” in there because if you’re not in the military there’s no one in a position to give you such an order. Sure there are. Anyone can give you orders. You may not have a legal obligation to obey them but they can certainly be given and obeyed. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/35 "2010-10-12T00:49:12Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Nor do left-wingers stockpile weapons, join militias, speak of revolution in positive terms, live as survivalists, or get their jollies off of talk of armed conflict as much as right-wingers do. At this moment in time. Previously in time, twas the other way round. Don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind’s blowing, after all. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/36 "2010-10-12T01:02:04Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > > > Nor do left-wingers stockpile weapons, join militias, speak of revolution in positive terms, live as survivalists, or get their jollies off of talk of armed conflict as much as right-wingers do. > > At this moment in time. Previously in time, twas the other way round. Don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind’s blowing, after all. I see what you did there 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/37 "2010-10-12T01:03:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > > > I put the qualifier “civilian” in there because if you’re not in the military there’s no one in a position to give you such an order. > > Sure there are. Anyone can give you orders. You may not have a legal obligation to obey them but they can certainly be given and obeyed. Go kill Glenn Beck. Now if you do it, I’m in trouble? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/38 "2010-10-12T02:00:49Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > > Sure there are. Anyone can give you orders. You may not have a legal obligation to obey them but they can certainly be given and obeyed. > > Go kill Glenn Beck. > > Now if you do it, I’m in trouble? If you had a reasonable expectation that I’d actually do so, then morally at least you’d share in the blame. As it is, no you wouldn’t because you have no reason to think I’d actually do something you told me to do. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/39 "2010-10-12T12:47:55Z")
Glen Beck never gave an order. He voiced disapproval. People need to take responsibility for their own actions and/or stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789/40 "2010-10-12T13:08:43Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > > > Go kill Glenn Beck. > > > > Now if you do it, I’m in trouble? > > If you had a reasonable expectation that I’d actually do so, then morally at least you’d share in the blame. As it is, no you wouldn’t because you have no reason to think I’d actually do something you told me to do. I’m not sure about this comparison either. Beck isn’t ordering anyone to kill. I don’t think he wants anyone dead and he may be too dumb to realize that some people take his stuff seriously. On the other hand he does tell people that society is about to collapse and they and the country are in mortal danger. If you tell someone that and they fall for it, you don’t need to tell them to kill anyone because they’ll figure it out on their own. So that’s not the same as walking up to someone on the street and telling them to kill someone else at random. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-glen-beck-fox-news-responsible-for-this-guys-attempted-mass-murder/556789.md?page=3)