Mr. Beck Digs in the Sand

I was listening to Dave Ramsey the other night. Sometimes I like to listen to him. I don't follow his whole plan 100%, but I do think he has sound financial ideas and I usually learn something from his program.

So, what's wrong with Dave Ramsey? Well, the radio station he is on is the official "Family Values" station of Utah and since I left the radio tuned to that station last night, this morning Molly and I found ourselves strangely listening to Glenn Beck when we got in the car. Ick. I didn't even know Glenn Beck was in that time slot now-a-days. The last time I made this mistake, I was listening to Bob Lonsberry (equally ick).

So, I thought I'd give him a chance and we listened for a while (sometimes I like to listen to Sean Hannity just to get riled up). I actually got a little excited because Mr. Beck was talking about the evil communist government we are all a part of and how all of our rights are being taken away. He said he was going to tell us exactly which inalienable rights (though he argued with himself whether it was inalienable or unalienable) had actually been stripped from us.

You see, every time something like this comes on the news . . . you know, the latest Tea Party rally sign, Sarah Palin speech, or other promotion of rights-taken-awayness . . . I ask (sometimes outloud to whoever is near me), "Tell me what RIGHTS have been taken from you? Name one?" It's really quite upsetting to me. I feel left in the dark. If my rights have been taken away, I want to know about it. Unfortunately, no one has ever been able to tell me WHICH rights are actually missing . . . until now!!

Back to Mr. Beck . . . he gave two very concrete examples of the federal government taking away our rights. I listened intently. I even wrote them down on a scrap piece of paper while waiting at a red light (I didn't want to forget this). He was pretty vague on the specifics, so I'm giving you all the information he gave his listening audience. Are you ready?

1. The government is taking away sugary sodas! They are going to ban all sugary drinks in government buildings. They are doing it in the name of healthier lifestyles, but it is really a plot to take away your rights. Who is the government to tell you that you can't have a soda?

My commentary: Mr. Beck didn't mention where or when this is happening. It did happen at my high school last year. Though I haven't noticed a rash of thinner students at Murray High, it actually did hit our school pretty hard because all of a sudden we were out thousands of dollars in vending machine funds. I thought it was kind of silly, but I don't think anyone has felt violated or rights-less. There are still coke machines in the faculty room after all. Plus, there are several 7-11's on State Street. I don't see police arresting anyone for drinking a Mountain Dew or Cherry Coke.

2. The government is taking away your right to dig in the sand! Apparently at some National Park along the Gulf Coast (of course, specifics were not mentioned), some reporter tried to dig in the sand and was asked not to by a park ranger. Apparently there has recently been a law passed that digging on the beach is no longer allowed at this unknown location in order to better protect the beaches in the park. This is taking away your rights to teach your children to dig in the sand.

My commentary: I like National Parks! I think Teddy Roosevelt was a very smart man for coming up with the idea. They protect areas that might otherwise have been more overrun and destroyed than they are now. Yellowstone is one of the coolest places on earth and if a Yellowstone official asks me not to walk in the water running down from Old Faithful, there is probably a good reason to listen to him (unless you are a Japanese tourist, but that's another story). There are plenty of other beaches on which to place your shovel, Mr. Beck.

I'm also very much in favor of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. I believe Glenn Beck has a right to say what he wants on his radio show, but I also have a right to think he is a wack-O! The day the federal government yanks his show because it is disagreeable to some (didn't that happen to Bill Maher, by the way), takes his guns away, quarters soldiers in his home, and tells him he can't go to church, work in radio anymore, or vote, he has my permission to say that his RIGHTS have been taken away. Until then, take your soda and put your head back in that hole you wanted to dig. Your rights are just fine.