Reading the comments on my last post in re: Glenn Beck, I see quite a bit of reluctance to join my “ignore him and he’ll go away” strategy.
Allow me to clarify.
First of all, boycotting Beck’s sponsors is not exactly doing nothing. Defund the beast and you tame him.
But more globally, no, I suppose I don’t mean “ignore Beck” in the sense of simply turning your back on him and pretending he doesn’t exist. It’s more like ignoring the temper tantrums of a pre-schooler, a subject I am sadly all too familiar with. That is to say: don’t negotiate with terrorists, and for God’s sake don’t try to engage with non-existent logic. It’s a waste of your time, and it just gives the squalling brat what he wants, which is your attention.
In our house, we used to laugh at the ravings of the p-o’ed four-year-old, and I recommend the same strategy for use with Beck. It keeps your blood pressure low, it lets him know the grown-ups are still in charge, and when he’s ready to apologize and speak respectfully, well then, you’ll be happy to talk to him.
But all this business with defending “people of faith,” or collecting their e-mail addresses or making the story about us? Tell me again how that’s supposed to be more effective than simply refusing to give a rodeo clown one more excuse to cry for the cameras. That act wouldn’t work with our kids’ grandparents, why should it with anybody else?
