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Glenn Beck responds to criticism from Muse band leader Matthew Bellamy

Riveon

By Riveon
in Muse In the Media

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Riveon Escapee

Riveon

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Editor’s note: On Friday, Muse front man Matthew Bellamy gave an interview to The Observer where he criticized conservative politicians in America for requesting to play their hit song “Uprising.” Beck has been a vocal fan of the band, but when Bellamy was asked about his conservative following in America he called it “weird” and claimed that right-wing libertarians were hijacking his songs and the “conspiracy theory subculture” to take down Obama.

 

Dear Matthew,

 

I read your comments in the Guardian via Rolling Stone last week and feel like with a little work we could better understand each other.

 

As uncomfortable as it might be for you, I will still play your songs loudly. To me your songs are anthems that beg for choruses of unity and pose the fundamental question facing the world today – can man rule himself?

 

In the Venn Diagram of American politics, where the circles of crimson and blue overlap, there’s a place where you and I meet. It’s a place where guys who cling to their religion, rights, and guns, connect with godless, clinched-fist-tattoo, guys.

 

You seem to have a pretty good grasp of comparative U.S. and European politics, but maybe there’s a pattern that you’re underestimating. Throughout history, leaders have used music to lull young people into a sense of security and euphoria. They’ve used artists to create the illusion that they can run a country that keeps all the good and wipes out all the bad. Think Zurich 1916. Think artists getting behind guys like Lenin and Trotsky. Think of pop culture’s role in the Arab Spring. The youth rises up, power structures crumble, and worse leaders are inserted.

 

America, on the other hand, does not rely on leaders — we rely on the individual. Our country was built on the principles of mercy, justice, and charity — we ultimately believe that man left alone is good. That is a primary reason I disagree with Chomsky and others that you’ve touted.

 

American Libertarians understand that smaller government gives people freedom — the freedom to earn or lose, eat or starve, own or sell. The potential for wild success and happiness is tempered by an equal chance of failure. And it is all up to the individual to take control of their destiny.

 

This has been a debate since the founding of America, one that has often gotten confused. Even during the revolution — a period filled with the greatest minds to ever discuss the idea of freedom — there were the divisions that continue today. Robespierre or George Washington. OWS or the TEA Party.

 

Thomas Paine didn’t see the difference at first either — sometimes the difference is too subtle.

 

Yet the question is an easy one: Do you believe man can rule himself? Or does he need someone ruling over him to force him to be good and charitable?

 

That is the fundamental divide and everything else follows. Even though faith was important to our American patriots none of them forced Paine to believe. He chose his course and in the end is remembered as a critical patriot in establishing man’s first real freedom.

 

They understood that we don’t all have to be in the same boat. But rather, focused on the star chart: Are you headed toward freedom or despotism?

 

The power that American Libertarians like me want to pull down is power that limits the individuals right to roam and create.

 

Matthew, I realize that converts are pretty hard to come by when the stakes are so high and the spotlight so bright, but I thank you for singing words that resonate with man in his struggle to be free.

 

I wish I could leave well enough alone and just be quiet…

 

…but I’ve had recurring nightmares that I was loved for who I am and missed the opportunity to be a better man.

 

Good luck on the new record.

 

Glenn

 

http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/open-letter-beck-responds-to-criticism-from-muse-band-leader-matthew-bellamy/#

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CarrieB Escapee

CarrieB

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OMG! Yes not a good fan to have!

 

I wonder if Matt will respond.

 

If he does, I hope he remembers positive freedom. It's no good giving a person a book unless you first teach that person to read.

 

We need supportive collective networks in order for individuals to be free. That doesn't mean there's no reason to fight against overly oppressive systems.

 

Glenn Beck's approach that, as I understand, wants to get in the way of national healthcare provision for instance does nothing to give ordinary people freedom.

 

Hmm and I'm not sure he's used that quote the right way. Surely it's about not speaking out, the opposite of what Glenn Beck is doing. But I don't really like his use of it. It seems kind of provocative.

 

Anyway shudder. Not sure it would be a good thing to get into a debate with Glenn Beck.

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altbecky New Born

altbecky

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::::shyly sets her toe into the pond:::::

 

Can one be a conservative libertarian and still be welcome on the board? If one is willing to look beyond charicatures of those they disagree with, one might find common ground.

 

Glenn's been provocative in the past, but over the last 5 years ago or so, he's refined his message to be less about right and left, and conservative and liberal, and more about being good people who use their freedom well. His take is that if we were the kind of people we ought to be, we wouldn't need governmental policies to take from the rich to give to the poor. The rich would be doing it of their own accord.

 

anyway. politics is off topic, I just hope to make people realize that we are more alike than some would have us believe. The power structures in place in this world thrive on keeping us divided and preventing us froom seeing how we are alike. We should be willing to see through that power structure: it's a theme both Beck and Bellamy seem to believe in....

 

That's how I can be a Muse fan and a conservative.

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kueller Assassin

kueller

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::::shyly sets her toe into the pond:::::

 

Can one be a conservative libertarian and still be welcome on the board? If one is willing to look beyond charicatures of those they disagree with, one might find common ground.

 

Glenn's been provocative in the past, but over the last 5 years ago or so, he's refined his message to be less about right and left, and conservative and liberal, and more about being good people who use their freedom well. His take is that if we were the kind of people we ought to be, we wouldn't need governmental policies to take from the rich to give to the poor. The rich would be doing it of their own accord.

 

anyway. politics is off topic, I just hope to make people realize that we are more alike than some would have us believe. The power structures in place in this world thrive on keeping us divided and preventing us froom seeing how we are alike. We should be willing to see through that power structure: it's a theme both Beck and Bellamy seem to believe in....

 

That's how I can be a Muse fan and a conservative.

 

I guess it depends on who you talk to. My issue with Beck hasn't been so much that general concept of libertarianism, but his arguments that lack much grounding and feel more sensationalized than reasonable.

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altbecky New Born

altbecky

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Well, he's a radio host. An entertainer.

 

There's logic and reason under there somewhere. But you have to make your show interesting, and all, I suppose....

 

I don't listen much anymore. Don't have time. But I am familiar with his underlying views and when stripped down it comes down to freedom. An oppressive government is just as dangerous and destructive as out of control capitalism. There must be balance. There must enough freedom to determine one's destiny, there must be enough constraint to keep people from being taken advantage of. The scales cannot be tipped too far one way or the other, or people feel oppressed and begin to crave an uprising.

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Strangeseas Escapee

Strangeseas

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::::shyly sets her toe into the pond:::::

 

Can one be a conservative libertarian and still be welcome on the board? If one is willing to look beyond charicatures of those they disagree with, one might find common ground.

 

Glenn's been provocative in the past, but over the last 5 years ago or so, he's refined his message to be less about right and left, and conservative and liberal, and more about being good people who use their freedom well. His take is that if we were the kind of people we ought to be, we wouldn't need governmental policies to take from the rich to give to the poor. The rich would be doing it of their own accord.

 

That's how I can be a Muse fan and a conservative.

 

It would have been nice, if he didn't write random, incoherent statements about "Russian history".

See Lenin and Trotzki. Why did he mention them? :wtf: Maybe it's really a troll. That's not provocative, but very crude. :erm:

 

Maybe then I would have read his response seriously. :LOL:

 

Yeah, political stuff doesn't belong to Main Muse. This belongs to Off-Topic.

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kueller Assassin

kueller

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Well, he's a radio host. An entertainer.

 

There's logic and reason under there somewhere. But you have to make your show interesting, and all, I suppose....

 

I don't listen much anymore. Don't have time. But I am familiar with his underlying views and when stripped down it comes down to freedom. An oppressive government is just as dangerous and destructive as out of control capitalism. There must be balance. There must enough freedom to determine one's destiny, there must be enough constraint to keep people from being taken advantage of. The scales cannot be tipped too far one way or the other, or people feel oppressed and begin to crave an uprising.

 

Well yes, he's an entertainer, but on a very highly watched and highly influential channel people can take his entertainment aspect seriously. I was never a fan of media trying so hard to appeal to one side for views even if it meant distorting the ideas pushed across.

I get your point though, I wasn't disagreeing with that. I just think there's a lot better people to listen to for a right-leaning opinion.

 

Like Strangeseas said though, this is more of a banter topic.

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altbecky New Born

altbecky

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There are definately better examples of Libertarians out there for sure. It's sort of a contiuum, though, isn't it? Some are further to the left or right.

The letter is positive, yes. It asks us to please look at what we have in common and compliments the band.

 

Putting it back on topic, it's sort of gratifying to me to see that wicked riffage can bring people together who normally wouldn't think they could be friends.

 

Musers unite.

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