Glenn Beck Digs Gay Marriage?

by Michael Jones · 2010-08-12 06:52:00 UTC
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Glenn Beck makes over $32 million a year to feed the masses a bit conservative outrage, usually rooted in some good old-fashioned homophobia, xenophobia, racism, and sexism. On the issue of gay rights, Beck has never really been a member of the "ally" camp. For instance, he once said that the word "faggot" was nothing more than a silly name, and as recently as a year ago was making the case that marriage equality supporters were leading a conspiracy to destroy religion.

But believe it or not, last night Glenn Beck might have said something ... sensible. Speaking with Bill O'Reilly, Fox News's dynamic duo delved into the subject of gay marriage. And instead of ringing the homophobic alarms, Beck actually suggested that if two people want to get married, regardless of their gender, well, that's just peachy.

"You can argue about abortion or gay marriage or whatever all you want. The country is burning down...I don't think marriage, that the government actually has anything to do with...that is a religious right," Beck said. Then he was asked by Bill O'Reilly if he thought (like Rep. Michele Bachmann does) that gay marriage was a threat to the country.

"A threat to the country? No, I don't," Beck said.

Well put cream cheese in my ears and call me Sally, because for the first time in history, gay rights activists might be finding some common ground with Mr. 9/12.

Does it mean that Beck is going to tone down some of the rather anti-gay elements within his party, like the National Organization for Marriage or those with Focus on the Family? Nah, I doubt that. After all, it's this constituency that helps Beck make his hefty $32 million a year. Still, Beck even managed to quote that federalist nemesis Thomas Jefferson in suggesting that gay marriage just shouldn't bother straight people.

"If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, what difference is it to me?" Beck said, quoting Jefferson.

Huh. Perhaps somebody slipped some type of hallucinogenic in the water fountains at Fox News headquarters, because for the second time in two weeks, a Fox News anchor has said something astonishingly ... reasonable. Take, for instance, Bill O'Reilly's appearance on The Tonight Show a few weeks ago, where he actually said that President Barack Obama should do more to undo the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.

Check out the video below of Glenn Beck's and Bill O'Reilly's soiree. And hey, if anyone has access to Glenn Beck's address, maybe send him a PFLAG brochure?

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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