Glenn Beck’s recent 9/12 March in front of the White House can be seen as either a frightening or uplifting horizon for the new future of America.
For the 9/12-ers themselves: the protests were a major triumph. ABC News reported an attendance between 60,000-70,000, and individuals from all walks of life were united in the name of a common purpose – constraints on the United States government.
Many protesters were there to discredit Obama’s proposed health care reform, which includes providing a public option for those who are currently without health insurance (approximately 46.3 million according to a recent article from The Washington Post). Many question the motives of our government however and see this as a potential power grab, an attempt to get more control on everyday American’s lives. Some are reasonable: they see our growing deficit, our inability to continue our massive spending habits, and the notorious inefficiencies from past government programs (Amtrack has lost money almost every year since it was taken over by the government, and “Cash For Clunkers” is a recent example of a government program going bankrupt quicker than government anticipated).
Other protesters were there to push Ron Paul’s HR1207 Bill to Audit the Federal Reserve, which is America’s government-authorized central bank whose purpose is to adjust the monetary supply as well as interest rates. The purpose of the Federal Reserve’s existence is supposed to be to ease out the economic boom-bust cycle, but Ron Paul’s new book End The Fed argues that the exist of the Fed is what is harming our economy the most, essentially because it is creating wealth “out of thin air” and inflating the American dollar (a process many consider to be a hidden tax on the American people). Ron Paul explains how the Federal Reserve plays a large role in financing the big government we have now, why it is unconstitutional, and the steps we need to take to reach a more free, sound and prosperous economy.
Some protesters were there with less intelligent rhetoric. There were the birthers who were out to prove that Obama is not a true American-born citizen. Others held signs calling Obama everything from a fascist to a communist. There were even drawings of Obama as Adolf Hitler.
Obviously, these individuals are revealing that their intentions are based on fear and lies – not rational disdain for big government. To many, these kinds of protesters are giving the 9/12 March a bad name, and they deserve to be called out on not only by liberals and progressives but conservatives and libertarians as well.
Understandably, I did not attend the 9/12 March myself. But the mindless hysteria and fear-mongering that I have witnessed from some selected footage is enough to disgust most independents and rational freethinkers. Even worse is when these protesters were asked by reporters about the meaning behind their highly offensive images and words – but most had nothing to add. Instead, most justified their position only by restating it or adding some falsehood or conspiracy theory to an already ill-founded belief
Despite recognition of these bad apples, it would still be immature to dismiss the whole 9/12 project as simply a flock of brainwashed individuals. In other selected footage from media outlets (including videos posted on YouTube), I saw a different side to the 9/12 protests. One that expressed true concern for a growing and growing government.
And why shouldn’t we be concerned? As one conservative rally organizer said during a CNN interview, “We are not a democracy. We are a republic.” (try watching the whole video for more evidence of intelligent 9/12ers). This means that our federal government needs to show more constraint. Government power is most effective when it is concentrated towards the individual. To start, we can begin by referring back to our constitution and delegating many of these proposed powers of the Federal government back into the hands of the States. This would give individuals a greater control over their lives – more freedom of choice – and from my own personal belief and observation: a recipe for greater prosperity and peace as a civilized society.
After all, we are a nation of diverse individuals with varying self-interests, perhaps even one of the biggest melting pots in the world. But why should we believe that a one-size-fits-all government solution can fix our economic problems? Yes, things like universal health care may work in many European nations. But most European nations are on average the size of a single American state. It is not as comparable as some people may think. Even Canada is less than a quarter size of the American population, and its one-payer health insurance already experiences its fair amount of shortcomings and inadequacies.
In summary, Glenn Beck’s 9/12 March was a mixed bag but it can not be categorized as strictly extremist or “on the fringe.” Some of it reflects true American concerns, which were backed by rational thinking individuals. I think 9/12 played its part in creating a mark on the future of the American spirit. The politically climate in the United States is becoming more unstable and this opens up an opportunity for true and lasting change. Personally, I am excited to see where the political future of the United States takes us. For once, Americans are not asking, “Which puppet should I believe more?” but giving a firm “No” to big government. Period.
