Listen Live
Fantastic Voyage Generic Graphics Updated Nov 2023
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE

 

A funny thing happened on the way to the office.

One of my producers sent me a link of Glenn Beck, yes that Glenn Beck, spending a good portion of his radio show talking about one of my commentaries on the TJMS; what I said right here on this show a few weeks ago regarding political correctness run amok.

“Let’s start with Don Lemon, a guy, and this is why I think, we may disagree on some really fundamental issues but I bet you we would end up liking each other to this degree.  He’s unpredictable, and because of that it shows that he is independently thinking.  He’s not lockstep with anyone else.”

That’s true.

I’m not.

I think you guys can agree with that.

And then he asked his producers to invite me on his show and I accepted

I accepted because he said he wanted to establish some common ground with someone with whom he doesn’t always agree.

That’s right up my alley and was one of the tenants of my TJMS commentary.

We had a great conversation.

But, we had a better one on my show last night on CNN.

Here’s what he said about the Confederate Flag:

Beck – “It wasn’t about state’s rights. You could not join the confederacy unless you supported and were a slave owning state.”

Lemon – “Do you think it should fly on the capital?

Beck – “No I don’t. No I don’t.”

Lemon – “You think it should come down?”

Beck – “Yes I do.”

And on the N- word he said this:

“I don’t think anybody should use it.  I don’t think you should use it.  I think you using it.  If I use it.  You just used it as a journalist in context.  If I used it I could guarantee you that tomorrow or tonight would be the last time I would be seen on broadcast television.”

Beck says he was taught by his parents never to use that word and he despises hearing it in rap lyrics.

Now to the subject that brought us together, political correctness:

Beck – “Political correctness is keeping us, keeping me from talking to you and you from talking to me because some of your viewers won’t like it.”

So, I asked, what do we do to fix the problem?

“I think we have to have conversations like we have.  If we’re not uncomfortable with at least one conversation a week, intentionally uncomfortable, maybe you aren’t pushing hard enough.  You should reach out to someone that makes you a little uncomfortable and see if you can find some sort of common ground. We are dividing ourselves into little teeny camps and that’s never ends well.”

I’ve disagreed with Beck on a number of things, but on that particular issue I’m with him whole heartedly.

We all need to become a bit more uncomfortable in our conversations and stop only talking to people who reinforce our beliefs.