Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin Flex Upbeat 'Non-Political' Muscle on MLK Anniversary

The Glenn Beck-led "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington D.C. held at the Lincoln Memorial can be seen here on CSPAN in its entirety. It's only about 10 minutes in that one can see the nature of this rally was deeply religious. The rally took place on Saturday morning on the 47^th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and march on Washington. Beck's rally was "non-political" and largely without signs at Beck's request. The rally helped benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Sarah Palin also addressed attendees.

"Heroes are just people who stand and do the right thing, usually at their peril." Beck, seen on CSPAN, implored the crowd, reminding them that the stated purpose of the rally was to support the soldiers serving overseas.

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation." So began another speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial, as seen here on YouTube.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was speaking in front of civil rights activists and sympathizers during the tumultuous era that saw the end of Southern segregation and pushed the Kennedy administration to move civil rights legislation through Congress.

Beck has claimed that when he booked the site, he didn't realize the date coincided with the anniversary of King's speech; it's a claim that seems somewhat dubious, given Beck's interest in history and penchant for theatrics. As a conservative radio and television personality, he has frequently railed against perceived dangers from progressives and the initiatives of the Obama administration, likening the legislative efforts of the Democrats to an effort to destroy basic freedoms. His presentations often contain ominous warnings of an impending doom facing the U.S., making his Fox show, "Glenn Beck," something of a one-stop shop for people deeply concerned that health care reform, the stimulus package, and other spending programs will bankrupt America. While Beck's rally was upbeat and focused on putting aside the "scars" of the past and moving toward the future, it represented a sharp departure from his usual tone.

While a separate rally led by Reverend Al Sharpton was openly intended to honor the memory of King's speech, it was Beck and Palin who brought the largest numbers to the Mall. Beck claimed 500,000 attendees, while CBS News suggested a more modest 87,000; CBS paid for AirPhotosLive.com to determine the size of the rally, an argument that has become an emotional issue for Beck, Palin, and fellow Tea Party leader Michelle Bachmanm (R-MN). Regardless of the number, the rally showed the strength of the Tea Party movement, a cause Palin and Beck have both had occasion to champion. While it is impossible to tell from one rally how things bode for mid-term elections, it is probably much more telling that the internal strife within the Republican Party is unseating favored, more moderate candidates like Utah's Bob Bennett, Kentucky's Trey Grayson, and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski (unless absentee ballots save her campaign).

Freedoms will be exercised by all American voters on Nov. 2, at which time they can vote to continue to support the current Democratic legislative efforts, vote for Republicans who will try to stop the Obama administration's agenda, or possibly even vote for a third party. In the meantime, a question that wasn't even asked at the rally could make a good dinner table conversation starter: If the purpose of the rally was to restore honor, was honor ever lost, and, if so, by whose standard?

Sources

C-SPAN, "Restoring Honor Rally: Aug. 28, 2010"

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Martin Luther King, Jr. "Martin Luther King "I have a dream"", YouTube

Alex Sundby, "Glenn Beck Rally Attracts Estimated 87,000" CBS News

Brian Montopoli, "Glenn Beck: My Rally had 'Minimum of 500,000 People'" CBS News