I recently caught wind of this event, which is to be held this Friday. Mr. Beck is encouraging his viewers to gather together to watch some sort of presentation on FOX News at 5pm EDT. At first glance, it might just seem like some sort of attempt to rally the conservative base, but based upon the timing, I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something more insidious going on.
Right now, there is a massive amount of fear and loathing swelling up within the far right, and the flames are constantly fanned by hucksters like Beck, who loves to throw out words like socialism, marxism, and totalitarianism, regardless of the facts on the ground. Whether or not there is a shred of common sense involved, there is a marginal group of Americans who are convinced that the Obama administration is out to take away everyone's rights and property. They see what's currently going on with the economy and the banks and are convinced that this is all a ploy by the left to take over everything. We can point out facts and evidence all day and all night, but it's unlikely to change much in the minds of the lunatic fringe.
This is why I'm becoming increasingly suspicious that Mr. Beck is up to something way bigger than a simple commentary. I think Mr. Beck is going to attempt a publicity stunt that will escalate the terror of the far right to the point where we could very well witness civil unrest.
Most of us are already aware of Orson Welles' 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. While the level of panic was over-reported by the media of the day, there was no question that it genuinely frightened a large number of listeners:
Seattle CBS affiliate stations KIRO and KVI broadcast Orson Welles' radio drama. While this broadcast was heard around the country, it made a deep impact in Concrete, Washington. At the point where the Martian invaders were invading towns and the countryside with flashes of light and poison gases, a power failure plunged almost the entire town of 1,000 into darkness. Some listeners fainted while others grabbed their families to head into the mountains. Others headed for the hills to guard their moonshine stills. One was said to have jumped up out of his chair and, in bare feet, run two miles to the center of town. Some men grabbed their guns, and one Catholic businessman got his wife into the car, drove to the nearest service station and demanded gasoline. Without paying the attendant, he rushed to Bellingham, Washington (50 miles away) to see his priest for a last-minute absolution of sins. He reportedly told the gas-station attendant that paying for the gas "[wouldn't] make any difference, everyone is going to die!"
Now Mr. Beck has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a shameless huckster, from the TMI presentation of his own hemorrhoid surgery, to the much derided "War Room" segment on his FOX News show. Having already demonstrated a complete lack of journalistic credibility, I would not put it beyond Mr. Beck to stage a "shock and awe" moment on this "WE Surround Them" special when his most ardent supporters are gathered in groups, watching live.
My guess? Mr. Beck is going to stage being arrested by federal agents under charges of sedition. Live, on TV, as hundreds of thousands watch.
It's no coincidence that this event is taking place on a Friday evening, just at the end of the news cycle, at a time of the week when government offices are closing down for the weekend and it's harder to contact public officials. His fake arrest, having been witnessed by a large group of his most ardent fans, will be immediately put up on YouTube, circulated on Facebook, and probably covered by local news, especially in more conservative areas.
Will this be enough to cause civil unrest? I doubt it would spark riots in major urban areas, but it would not shock me if there were scattered reports of angry mobs gathering to protest. Whether or not they would engage in violent behavior is hard to say, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
By the time Monday has rolled around and the hoax has been exposed, the damage will have already been done. Those on the hard right will grow angrier and more radical, the lunatic fringe will burn a bit stronger, and most important to Mr. Beck, his name will be everywhere.
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But if Mr. Beck pulls this off as I expect, we could be in for a bit of a crazy weekend.
UPDATE: Since a number of you are quick to declare this as nothing but paranoia, feel free to see how many watch parties have been organized nationwide.