WTF - West Point Cadets and Faculty in Glenn Beck audience

[RamboLiberal]

According to CPT Olivia Nunn of West Point's Public Affairs office, the cadets and faculty members, all from the academy's Systems Engineering Department, were visiting the studios of FOX News as an academic exercise "to watch how news productions are done from beginning to end." The cadets appeared on several other FOX News shows on Thursday, answering questions about why they decided to join the military and their experience at West Point, and the faculty members answered questions about teaching there. All of this was perfectly appropriate. But then, on Friday, they appeared on Beck, which was completely inappropriate. Military personnel in uniform cannot engage in any activity that gives the appearance of supporting any political, religious, or ideological movement.

There is no question that, more than anything else, what Glenn Beck's show consistently promotes would be classified as an "ideological movement," fitting the dictionary definition of "ideology" to a tee: "a system of ideas and ideals, esp. one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy." Whatever the specific topic of any given Beck episode -- whether it's history, religion, politics, or just picking someone to bash for weeks on end -- all are clearly tied into the promotion of this ideology in one way or another. How can a studio audience full of uniformed West Point cadets and military officer faculty members clapping for Beck's overtly partisan rant against Congress not be seen as engaging in an activity that gives the appearance of military support for Beck's "ideological movement."

As I wrote in a previous post about the problem of Glenn Beck's show being aired on the American Forces Network, and the complaints received by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) about televisions in PXs, gyms, and other facilities on military installations being regularly tuned in to Beck, Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) -- "Contempt toward officials" -- states: "Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."

But on Beck's show last Friday, during which Beck spewed his typical contempt towards members of Congress, we had eighteen future Army officers, under the guidance of five faculty members -- four majors and a lieutenant colonel -- clapping on national television for statements that they, as military officers, could be court-martialed for uttering themselves.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/glenn-beck-promotes-socia_b_785797.html

[EFerrari]

1. Were they wearing their klan robes or were they out of uniform?

[gateley]

2. Were they nodding off like they were when Obama spoke to them? nt

[jmowreader]

3. I have a problem with this

If the West Point cadets were trying to see how a NEWS program is done from beginning to end, why were they at an OPINION program? Wouldn't they have been better off in the Fox Newsroom, or...oh, I don't know, CNN?

[Hissyspit]

4. "Faculty" members should not be legitimizing someone who consisting promotes

false statements, untruths, bad logic and lies, either. Beck CONSISTINGLY spouts demonstrably false information, theory and slander.

[RamboLiberal]

7. Unless it was a class on propaganda

Explaining oh say how a good portion of a civilized nation can be fed false crap and believe it.

[jberryhill]

5. If Ideology is - "a system of ideas", Beck fails the test

Glenn Beck has a "system of ideas"?

That's pretty generous, no?

It's more like he has "voices in his head".

[butterfly77]

6. I was telling some friends about this..

the other day. My first thought was,that military is not suppose to participate in anything political.

[RamboLiberal]

8. Imagine the outrage on the Right if they had stopped at MSNBC

and watched KO or Rachel or Ed. Heads would be rolling at West Point!

[3waygeek]

9. So much for the Cadet Honor Code

"A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

unless it's Glenn Beck.

[muntrv]

10. Our tax dollars paid for this visit.