—Spirit Level and Glen Beck

Spirit Level
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I’ve been a carpenter most of my life
and so have had occasion to use
what used to be called a spirit-level
but which we today call a level
–ditching spirit for the sake of efficiency
baby-with-bath-water-like as we’re
known to do well past what’s necessary

but the hole heaps up

this level is used to set things straight
with the plane of the horizon as with a beam
or plumb as with a stud to make sure
structure’s right by spirit

you breathe deep and easy and hold the level
so the spirit bubble floats in the small arc of a glass flask
dead center which if placed upon a joist would say,
this floor is level

being on the level
good way to be
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it appears the spirit level of the USA is out of whack.  Since we started operating on the principle of fear our spirit has not been the same.  At 9/11 the top of the heap realized (reawakening the fear of 1941) they had their Pearl Harbor and an excuse and opportinty to bend the trajectory of the USA their way, so they put their noses to a grindstone and their shoulders to the wheel.

Following Pearl Harbor Japanese-Americans were rounded up and sent to camps to keep us safe.  Since 9/11 we’ve had war, guantanamo, torture, and consequent debt for the same reason they say.

Fear’s a hard and powerful tool.  And fear enhanced by the demonizing of the-other has been a lethal combo. Enter Glenn Beck, the newest inciter, who annoints his church with fear; he flings fear as if it were holy-water over his flock like a dark priest. 

People politically incite for two reasons, money and power.  With Beck it’s probably both.  Beck would not feel uncomfortable in an SS uniform.  Beck is worse than O’Rielly in that O’Rielly, odious as he often is, may have his limits.  You don’t get that with Beck.

Resist the inclination to call Beck a clown. 

Beck is Iago.  He’s wonton, amoral, and reckless.  With the serious intent of a waterboarder Beck floods lies into ears for the sake of the lie, the money it can make him, and the  feel of power his lies give.  If he keeps it up Desdemona is toast.

Beck may be beyond setting straight with a spirit level.

But where are the people on Beck? 
His ratings are inversely proportional our economic trend.