Glenn Beck does not see the connections among Anita Dunn, Mao Zedong and Mother Teresa.
Anita Dunn is the interim White House Communications Director.
From the October 15 edition of Fox News’ Glenn Beck:
DUNN [video clip]: Two of my favorite political philosophers, Mao Zedong and Mother Teresa — not often coupled with each together, but the two people that I turn to most.
BECK: Mao Zedong, one of the worst murderers in mankind’s history, probably the worst.
BECK: Two people — I can understand Mother Teresa.
What does that mean, Mr. Beck? “I can understand Mother Teresa.”
“I think it’s a travisty that she used Mother Theresa and Chairman Mao in the same tone.”
–quote from a comment on MEDIAMATTERS forum.
I have to believe this is what Beck means. One can only presume that Beck approves of Mother Teresa. Let us explore this raisin-faced saint.
Does a Mother Teresa have any redeeming values?
NP: No. Mother Teresa was a distributor of the wealth of others–she didn’t create anything and she damned the very people who’s wealth she distributed. Most of the support for her mission came from well-heeled donors in America, a country she condemned as being ‘morally *impoverished’* because of its great wealth. Now realize, Mother Teresa was condemning the very source of the wealth she relied upon to fund her mission. Why? Because Mother Teresa had no respect for people who are mere producers and even less for those who made their own lives their standard of value. According to her, these individualists are the very people who are the ‘most poor’ and the ones most in need of abandoning whatever selfish activity they are engaged in so they can “give until it hurts”.
Politically, such a view of ultimately must lead to some form of statism, be it communism, socialism or some sort of “third way”…”.
(emphasis mine)
From personal email correspondence:
The writer: “He’s religious, but his faith is very compartmentalized, and I haven’t heard him talk about abortion, although I know he must be “pro-life” (if ever there was a misnomer). I do strongly disagree with him on immigration (he wants to build a fence, and says illegal immigrants are stealing “American jobs”). However, I enjoy listening to him on just about everything else, and he uses humor to ridicule our enemies at a time when humor is so needed. His motto, which he paraphrased from Jefferson is, “Question with boldness. Speak without fear”, and he does so in the face of enormous opposition from both the rest of the media and the government. I understand that many others in Objectivism do not share my opinion of him, but I have great respect for what he’s doing and I think he’s about as good as the culture will get as a prominent popular voice until it becomes more rational.”
My answer: “Glenn Beck is courageous and a hero. For that I love the man. Early I heard him state the full Jefferson quote including “…even the existence of God.” I don’t recall him repudiating that part and was shocked that he quoted it. His current three quotes including the Washington is just what America needs for a great start. A “popular voice”? Precisely what Objectivism needs. What a feat that would be! Popularize Objectivist morality at the least. I understand that ethics cannot be isolated from the totality of the philosophy. So it looks like a pipe dream.
“To clarify my bringing in my combat experience. It comes down to this: fear mounts before the mission begins and escalates once on the ground. When hit (in my unit, Reconnaissance, we were never to initiate a battle, so it was always an ambush by the enemy) our training (in today’s battle–Objectivist philosophy as best as each of us grasps it) kicked in. Fear turned to courage and honor for our brother warriors. Mentally and physiologically I’ve never been so alive! If Yaron Brook was in battle while serving in the IDF he knows. I have Objectivist friends who were in Vietnam, but never in combat. Yet they too know.
Read or re-read “Just War Theory” vs. American Self-Defense
The Artist as Vietnam Veteran
Robert Tracy
Oils on canvas
20 x 16″
1991
Collection, National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, Chicago
“The two major parts of the American Revolution involved the power of philosophy and military force. We are involved in a second American Revolution brought to us in large part and most immediately by the bastard in the White House. The mostly silent, or rather unheard outside of Objectivists, is the power of Objectivist philosophy. If there is a single Objectivist in the military today who can expose this “Just War Theory” and silently prepare for a mutiny against the bastard when the time is right, the military could be the vehicle that brings Objectivist philosophy to America. Another pipe-dream. A fantasy. Maybe. I remember hearing that Ronald Reagan had no chance of winning election. I was reading at the time Alan Drury’s “Advise and Consent” and gave my wife a prediction that Reagan would win by a landslide which of course did happen.
“Sounds like a novel, a thriller. We’ll see….”