OUR TOWN? NOT MY TOWN.
Mr. Robert Beierle, of the ironically named Creative Insight, publisher of Our Town "magazine", this time you have gone too far. I've been quietly reading your tripe for months now, waiting to respond, building up an archive of your hateful and angry rants. Your slanders against our public officials, your whining and complaining about how difficult it is to be a white man in America, your claims that Christians are so persecuted in the US. I've bitten my tongue, because, really, if I respond to your awful claims, it legitimizes them, it lets you know that someone is actually reading your atrocious words. But I cannot, I will not, sit by as you co-opt the tragedy that was 9/11 and try to make it into yet another tale of how oppressed you are as a white Christian American. I will not.
As you say, "the truth of 9/11 is what we saw. Terrorists of Muslim faith hijacked planes, flew them into the twin towers, into the Pentagon..." This happened. We all saw it. It may be the only piece of truth in your editorial of September 8, 2011. You go on to blame Hollywood, progressives, liberals, President Obama (although you never name him directly, I can only assume that when you say "our President", you mean him and not Bush), the news media, and "elitists", whoever they are, for changing the history of the day and telling us not to blame every Muslim we come across for the act of 19 individuals. You have so much anger and fear of Muslims that you seem unable to accept that not every Muslim in the world wants to kill Americans. Worst of all, you wrap yourself in the American flag and point the finger at everyone else and claim that they're spitting on the memories of the people who died that day by not hating every Muslim on Earth.
Here's the thing, Bob: I don't know what you're talking about. As I recall, the tenth anniversary of 9/11 had plenty of replays of the planes hitting the towers. Yet you claim the news media will not show those images. If saw it once on Sunday, I saw it a dozen times. You claim that the "powers that be" refuse to call the terrorists Muslim or Islamic, yet that was all the discussion for most of last week. You even claim that the community center (not a mosque) that the Cordoba Initiative wants to build 1/10 of a mile from the site is funded by tax dollars. (It's not, for the record.) Who's rewriting history now, Bob?
You talk about how "Our President... felt it necessary to apologize to different leaders." Not sure who or what you're talking about here, Bob, but I do seem to recall President Bush having Taliban leaders at the White House. And since we're talking about rewriting the history of 9/11, who exactly was it that led the country to believe that Saddam Houssein was responsible for the attacks, and that's why we needed to fight a war in Iraq? Oh, right. (That link, BTW, is the Christian Science Monitor. I know you won't question them, right Bob, because after all, they're Christians, and not liberal elitist media types.)
You mention that the media and other news outlets refuse to play the footage of the towers from 9/11. You rail on that instead of calling them terrorists they're "Islamic freedom fighters" and it was a "man caused disaster." I'm not really sure what you're reading, Bob, but when I search for those terms in relation to 9/11, the word terrorist inevitably comes along with it. In fact, the phrase "freedom fighter" seems to be more often used to describe the people who ran into the towers or helped bring down United 93 than it does for the men who hijacked the planes. The only place I seem to find "man caused disaster" is from reactionary publications. It might be time to broaden your reading material.
Finally, Bob, I'd like to point out a part of 9/11 history you missed, a little bit of rewriting you did on your own. Remember what Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said, shortly after 9/11? Remember how they blamed it all on homosexuals and the liberals and America "throwing God out?" I know you do, and I'm willing to bet you agree with them. Who's really rewriting the history of 9/11? The reality is, this event has been politicized from day one, and will continue to be as long as we allow it. So I'm drawing a line in the sand, Bob, and telling you: stop it. Right now. No more. It's gone far enough, and I'm sick of it. You will not spread your lies and hate under the banner of patriotism anymore. I may not be able to stand up to Fox News or Rush Limbaugh, but I will stand up to you.
Mr. Robert Beierle, of the ironically named Creative Insight, publisher of Our Town "magazine", this time you have gone too far. I've been quietly reading your tripe for months now, waiting to respond, building up an archive of your hateful and angry rants. Your slanders against our public officials, your whining and complaining about how difficult it is to be a white man in America, your claims that Christians are so persecuted in the US. I've bitten my tongue, because, really, if I respond to your awful claims, it legitimizes them, it lets you know that someone is actually reading your atrocious words. But I cannot, I will not, sit by as you co-opt the tragedy that was 9/11 and try to make it into yet another tale of how oppressed you are as a white Christian American. I will not.
As you say, "the truth of 9/11 is what we saw. Terrorists of Muslim faith hijacked planes, flew them into the twin towers, into the Pentagon..." This happened. We all saw it. It may be the only piece of truth in your editorial of September 8, 2011. You go on to blame Hollywood, progressives, liberals, President Obama (although you never name him directly, I can only assume that when you say "our President", you mean him and not Bush), the news media, and "elitists", whoever they are, for changing the history of the day and telling us not to blame every Muslim we come across for the act of 19 individuals. You have so much anger and fear of Muslims that you seem unable to accept that not every Muslim in the world wants to kill Americans. Worst of all, you wrap yourself in the American flag and point the finger at everyone else and claim that they're spitting on the memories of the people who died that day by not hating every Muslim on Earth.
Here's the thing, Bob: I don't know what you're talking about. As I recall, the tenth anniversary of 9/11 had plenty of replays of the planes hitting the towers. Yet you claim the news media will not show those images. If saw it once on Sunday, I saw it a dozen times. You claim that the "powers that be" refuse to call the terrorists Muslim or Islamic, yet that was all the discussion for most of last week. You even claim that the community center (not a mosque) that the Cordoba Initiative wants to build 1/10 of a mile from the site is funded by tax dollars. (It's not, for the record.) Who's rewriting history now, Bob?
You talk about how "Our President... felt it necessary to apologize to different leaders." Not sure who or what you're talking about here, Bob, but I do seem to recall President Bush having Taliban leaders at the White House. And since we're talking about rewriting the history of 9/11, who exactly was it that led the country to believe that Saddam Houssein was responsible for the attacks, and that's why we needed to fight a war in Iraq? Oh, right. (That link, BTW, is the Christian Science Monitor. I know you won't question them, right Bob, because after all, they're Christians, and not liberal elitist media types.)
You mention that the media and other news outlets refuse to play the footage of the towers from 9/11. You rail on that instead of calling them terrorists they're "Islamic freedom fighters" and it was a "man caused disaster." I'm not really sure what you're reading, Bob, but when I search for those terms in relation to 9/11, the word terrorist inevitably comes along with it. In fact, the phrase "freedom fighter" seems to be more often used to describe the people who ran into the towers or helped bring down United 93 than it does for the men who hijacked the planes. The only place I seem to find "man caused disaster" is from reactionary publications. It might be time to broaden your reading material.
Finally, Bob, I'd like to point out a part of 9/11 history you missed, a little bit of rewriting you did on your own. Remember what Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said, shortly after 9/11? Remember how they blamed it all on homosexuals and the liberals and America "throwing God out?" I know you do, and I'm willing to bet you agree with them. Who's really rewriting the history of 9/11? The reality is, this event has been politicized from day one, and will continue to be as long as we allow it. So I'm drawing a line in the sand, Bob, and telling you: stop it. Right now. No more. It's gone far enough, and I'm sick of it. You will not spread your lies and hate under the banner of patriotism anymore. I may not be able to stand up to Fox News or Rush Limbaugh, but I will stand up to you.
I agree with you. Our Town is worth less than its cover price. Full of jingoistic stories and horrible jokes wrapped in God & Country. It's a shame that a publication filled with hatred, ignorance and intolerance should have a bible verse on every back cover. I guess God loves jokes about dumb blondes and infidelity as much as he hates liberals.
ReplyDeleteI recently picked up a copy of this offensive fish-wrapper just to see what everyone was so up in arms about. Are a quick read and then a detailed analysis, I realized that some one has to speak out about Mr. Beierle's publication. I belive going after the advertisers has the best possibility of quashing this rag. I can't believe they are actually reading this offensive "magazine." If they actually read the horrendous editorials and realize how many people Mr. Beierle is alienating I think most would drop their advertising like a bad habit.
ReplyDeletebob beierle is such a whiny little so-and-so
ReplyDeletehe threatens and wraps himself in the flag
i myself have criticized his publication on my blog, and the franchise owner caused a big scene about it in the middle of a crowded quick chek
the warren county, nj franchise is for sale now
there are a ton of spanish markets and restaurants that they haven't gotten their little display stands in yet, but they would rather pack it up then cater to that crowd
good riddance, i say
This man is offensive and insulting and that's only the tip of the iceberg. I will go on to say to that he is a racist. I have to wonder if the people who give their advertising dollars to this propoganda filled rag have ever read Mr. Beierle's front page rants? He calls it an editorial, when in reality, it is a chance for this man of little substance to get up on his soap box and spew rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to give any of my consumer dollars to any business who displays this publication, and further, to any business who advertises on the pages within.
I am visiting the area from WNY and could not believe my eyes when I read the hate-filled rants that someone of apparent little substance can put out there solely because he claims to own a printing press. I agree with Cindy in that the best way to equalize your venom is to contact the advertisers and let them know they will not see one of our dollars as long as they advertise in your "Trash Basket."
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that you all voted for the current regime and are probably ok , if not happy, with the managed decline of America. I find it sad that so many have fallen so far as to accept what lies spew from our chosen politicians these days and then to believe much of what is seen on their respective news outlets (at least what passes news these days). It seems a waste of my time to bother trying to correct the misaligned values that passes for acceptable behavior and truth. I am sure given the temporal difference you would have been against the colonists breaking away from the crown for many of the same reasons and called the men that fostered that break for freedom many of the same epithet. Maybe I am wrong..
ReplyDeleteHi Mr. Hureau, thanks for your comment.
DeleteI want to start by saying that I did vote for Obama, twice, and while I'm not a huge fan of how his administration has been run, I still maintain that he was the better choice, which isn't saying much.
My problem with people like Mr. Beierle is that he rants and raves, spouting thinly veiled racism and homophobia under the guise of political commentary and adding nothing but hate and vitriol to the conversation. His existence is not productive in any way and provides no worthwhile service to anyone. People respond to his hate, thinking he actually knows what he's talking about, but he doesn't, he's just regurgitating the lies fed to him by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. If anyone's values are misaligned, it is his. I encourage you to read his tripe if you don't believe me, any intelligent person will immediately see it for what it is.
As for the colonists breaking from the crown, I would remind you of the one fundamental difference between us and them: they created a system of government that was designed to be changed. We are the ones who have decided to stop taking part in that system and allowing corporations and other monied interests to control it. Those corporations actively work every day to take away your rights while using people like Bob Beierle to incite anger and hate against the very politicians they control. It's a magic act, Mr. Hureau, they're waving a red handkerchief and telling you to look over here while the other hand is in your pocket. Ask yourself what you're REALLY angry about and who is REALLY responsible for it before you go joining up with a group of people whose only real interest is how to make the Dow Jones go up another half a point.
I think many people are aware of a vast array of concerns regarding how our government operates, Democrats and Republicans alike and it may be true that "we have the best government money can buy." Hate speeches will not fix the problem. Have you heard Beierle offer up any solutions?
ReplyDeleteHis only solution I've ever heard (which I discuss in my latest post) is to join the Tea Party, which seems to be the group spouting the most hate. Doesn't seem like much of a solution to me.
DeleteI'm from Long Island and my family owns a vacation home in one of the towns where this glorified toilet paper is distributed. They always come home with it and encourage me to read so I will "change my mind" about something or another. It never works but always fills me with so much upset.
ReplyDeleteThis man is a hate-filled, fear mongering misogynist (and, honestly, a white supremacist considering how much he believes his own whiteness to be under attack--he must be so superior to all the immigrants and Muslims he blames) and I'm so glad I'm not the only one who believes so.
He went on in his front page self-published article this time around to talk about what a disaster Obamacare is, what a coward McCain is for voting no on a repeal, and how all the "illegals" are getting access to health care because of our current system. As if undocumented people aren't worthy of compassion and care even though most do actually pay taxes into that system.
The absurdity is so real to me and I honestly don't know how to explain that it's not a political statement to just care about other people. They don't need to "deserve" it. Isn't that what the religion he peppers throughout the rag is all about anyway?