A horse of a different persuasion

I wish to make a pronouncement, several, in fact.

I’m not a liberal.

I’m not a conservative.

I’m an independent with fiscally conservative leanings.

I think Big Government is too big and the only ones who can change that won’t because they feel powerless. (Hint: You, me, the voters.)

I am for civil rights. Heck, I love civil rights, especially when they pertain to me.

And, I distain nutcases regardless of party affiliation, political bent, or something important like … hairstyle.

One of the biggest nut jobs around today goes by the name of Glen Beck. He is Rush Limbaugh clone, although a skinnier, shadow version of the first angry conservative pundit. Beck likes to take folks to the lick-log for disbelieving the political pabulum he spews on his television and radio shows. He seems to have a new target for this righteous indignation every day or two, and sometimes the target does not really seem to matter.

For example, Beck recently stated he will no longer use the Google search engine because of what he claimed were the site’s ties to government agencies and its so-called involvement in the uprising in Egypt.

Say, huh?

Spread that manure a little more smoothly, if you please.

Seriously, the man said, “There’s a strange thing going on with this search engine and our government and we all have to choose who we do business with.” (Without splitting too many fine hairs, the correct grammar for that statement would be …”to choose with whom we do business.”)

Personally, I like Google. I have used it for years and not once have I felt it was being used to overthrow this or any other government.

Not to let the Google matter drop after one stupid comment, Beck explained further: “I’m really not sure that I want my search engine involved in government overthrows, good or bad.”

It’s a major jump from scary to stupid, but Beck did it with aplomb and graceless energy.

The devoted followers –and believers -- of people like Beck are sheep, being led down a path of ridiculousness while trying to fervently embrace philosophical kinship with a minor celebrity and larger-than-life demagogue.

God protect us from the Glen Becks of this world. But, then again, if He was even interested in this mess, He’d already done something about it.