Let’s get that out of the way right now. I’m not good people. I have deliberately participated in the promulgation an Interwebs meme, and I have laughed heartily at it.
This week, Fark has gotten its new meme. Nothing new there, but the ends to which that folks have hopped aboard to satire the Birthers and the dreck that Glenn Beck has stooped to with his OLIGARHY Wharrgarbl is fun–“fun” perhaps in the same as living in “interesting” times in the Chinese curse sense. And I share it with the Moose, because the Interwebs have responded.
Earlier this week, folks posited the appropriateness of spreading lies, and damn lies on Fark. Picking up the drum beat, there was all sorts of rampant speculation that could be run with. Including, Glenn Beck raping and murdering a girl in 1990.
Oddly enough, like a good many people who didn’t take “A Right Wing Terrorist” or hunting and killing the President as a joke, some have responded to the attacks on Beck… and they are not happy.
Apparently, though, being a Right Wing Terrorist is a funny joke, as evidenced by the following:
Oh, wait, that’s right: those aren’t really funny, are they? In fact, considering the growth of Right Wing extremists, and the fanning of flames by race baiting groups and others, it maybe hits a wee bit too close to home to really be funny.
And to be honest, while there is something to be said for the Birthers in their insistence to clinging to one of the odder conspiracy theories out there, the latest round of crying by Beck has perhaps the opposite effect in ramping up the rhetoric, and running up the Jack Booted Socialist-Commie-Fascists routine–though I have yet to understand how the three can combine together so well since they tend to exclude one another fairly quickly, but that doesn’t stop Beck from conflating the three within the current Administration.
OLIGARHY on its own, is sort of funny. It is a fantastic piece of failure by editors and producers. Save that folks are fastening onto this nut job, and his like with the tenacity of rats clinging to piece of flotsam in the water, and twice as vicious. And that is perhaps why I helped add fuel to the fire, and even participated in poll that shows that 84% of Americans believe this goofy meme. Because as asinine a claim as this is, it is no less crazy than the dreck that Beck has been slinging, and with as much substantiation.
As satire, it is thin. Razor thin even. As thin perhaps as the idea that Beck is an entertainer who doesn’t have to substantiate or corroborate his claims. Rape and murder aren’t exactly funny concepts. Then again, issuing Obama Hunting licenses are only so funny to a few people, who perhaps remember fondly going out and stringing up folks when the mood settled. That Beck’s supporters don’t “get” the joke is hardly surprising. And to be honest, as a joke, it’s only really funny when you put it into context with the vitriol and bile the man heaps, and the stage he sets for just as ridiculous claims, and with even less substantiation.
I come to you with head only slightly bowed, because while I will freely admit that I’m not a good person for participating in this meme, I refuse to apologize for it. Because someone has to.
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