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Dreambusters: The Fuel That Ignites Riots

By on 2.10.11 @ 6:07AM

On Egypt, Glenn Beck got it all wrong this time.

On Egypt, Glenn Beck, a guy who normally gets it right when it comes to recognizing the anti-business activities of government, got it all wrong this time in connecting the dots.

It was a shish kebab vendor and a fruit huckster who started the dominoes falling all over the Middle East.

Both set themselves ablaze, one igniting a popular uprising in mid-December that overthrew Tunisia’s autocratic president, while the other, in an apparent copycat of the suicide of the young Tunisian, set himself on fire outside the parliament building in central Cairo.

Neither man was protesting about Israel or the U.S. role in the Middle East. Both were mom-and-pop vendors driven over the edge by government dreambusters — by regulatory zealots, heavy-handed tax collectors and bribe solicitors who were out to grab every last bit of money out of the wallets of their nation’s small-business owners and struggling entrepreneurs.

Instead, what Glenn Beck saw behind the uprisings were Barack Obama’s old friends Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers, both former leaders in the Weather Underground.

“Ayers and Dohrn participated in the Weather Underground’s 1969 ‘Days of Rage’ in Chicago,” said Beck, excitedly, on a recent show. “Last Friday’s (Jan. 28) rioting in Egypt was also called ‘Days of Rage.’ It is telling that the protests Friday in Egypt were dubbed by the Muslim Brotherhood, a ‘day of rage.’”

Beck also played a tape revealing that the words “social justice” have popped up in the rhetoric of anti-Mubarak protesters, exactly mirroring the way Weather Undergrounders and pro-totalitarian leftists talk in America.

Anti-Mubarak protesters also carried “Yes We Can, Too” signs, copying Obama’s campaign slogan.

Mr. Beck’s bottom line? “This is Saul Alinsky. This is STORM (Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement) from Van Jones,” both directly linked to President Obama. “This is the story of everyone who has ever plotted to or wanted to fundamentally change or destroy the Western way of life. We’ve shown you tonight that Hamas, Code Pink — the feminist anti-war group — and the Muslim Brotherhood are all linked together.”

In fact, the insurrections were sparked by governments crawling with money-grubbing dreambusters.

“Mohamed Bouazizi was a 26-year-old university graduate without a steady job,” reported Hadeel Al-Shalchi at the Associated Press. “He struggled to make ends meet for his widowed mother, four brothers and three sisters.”

Unable to find work, Bouazizi “would fill up a rickety wooden cart with fruits and vegetables and wheel it into the town market. His relatives said he was harassed by municipal officials for not having a license to sell vegetables. When he didn’t pay bribes, town authorities broke up his cart and stopped him from selling his wares.”

His family said “a municipal official hit him, spat in his face and called him filthy,” explained Al-Shalchi. “In despair, he stood on his vegetable cart, poured a liter and a half of gas on his body and set it on fire.”

He died two weeks later. “The insults and humiliation from municipal authorities became too much,” said his mother. “How was he supposed to pay bribes and keep his family fed?”

Several days after Bouazizi’s death, apparently inspired by events in Tunisia, a 40-year-old restaurant owner set himself on fire in Cairo. He was angry, reported security forces, about government policies that restricted restaurant owners from buying and reselling bread.

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About the Author

Ralph R. Reiland is the B. Kenneth Simon professor of free enterprise and an associate professor of economics at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (116) |

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 2.10.11 @ 6:18AM

Actually, I think Glenn Beck has it right in more ways then you do. Also, the statement:

"It's what America's Founders declared: There is a "duty" to "throw off" a government that sends "swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance:"

could just as easily apply to our country at this point.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 10:06AM

It does apply to US now.

There is more than a little evidence of 'organizing' going on beforehand, no matter who struck the match.

Andy Stern /was/ there in meetings prior. The organization protest flyers that were reported in the UK Guardian and Atlantic showed a near exact Alinsky-type effort.

da monk| 2.10.11 @ 12:02PM

Bill: Where or when did "our government send swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance"? Please cite

Thom Burke| 2.10.11 @ 1:03PM

It's a line from the Declaration of Independence included in a list of grievances regarding assaults perpetrated by King George III against the American colonies. A fuller context:

"He has made Judges dependent on his will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures, etc.

da monk| 2.10.11 @ 2:43PM

Tom: I am familar with that part of the Declaration but I don't think Bill was talking about King George I THINK he was infering our present government and its officers were doing or will be doing us dirty now or in the new future. I have to surmise/assume he is suggesting we have a revolution. Thus I have to ask: Against who?

VBMax| 2.10.11 @ 3:43PM

"...our government send swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance"?
Methinks that the IRS would serve as one good example. Revolution? It already started with the Tea Party movement. Next target...election 2012.

John Navratil| 2.10.11 @ 7:37PM

VBMax,

Add the myriad regulations -- OSHA, Davis-Bacon, minimum wage, Jones Act, and the latest EPA regulation of carbon and their extra-legal attempt to raise the emission limits to avoid shutting the entire economy down, to name but a few and in no particular order -- to that. 2012! Indeed!

VBMax| 2.10.11 @ 9:59PM

John:
If we really took our time to list them all, the magnitude of them would be overwhelming!
(And we'd also have very long beards by the time we finished.)

Alan Brooks| 2.10.11 @ 11:09PM

Glenn Beck is an insect,
nothing but a pale El Rushbo imitation.

NVA Patriot| 2.10.11 @ 7:40AM

Beck did not say that these leftist/Islamo nazi/Islamo socialists started it. He's observing how they are working together to undermine US allied partners and create chaos by keeping it going. Plus it's the left that hates Israel along with Islamists. All you have to do is listen to teh protesters to see how dangerous this situation is for Israel.

Elites have been telling us for years that we're to ignore the smoke because elites don't see a fire. Now that the Mid East is blazing, our country is indebted to the point of near banrupcy they say we should continue to ignre not just the smoke but the blazing countries.

I think I'll pass on that, trust my own eyes, and work within my Tea Party group to put out the fire and arrest the arsonists - or at least deprive them of matches.

logmank| 2.10.11 @ 7:49AM

Mr. Reiland - Either you don't listen to Glenn Beck or you are incapable of understanding plain English. He has never said that the root cause of this revolution wasn't Mubarak and his repressive policies.
Rather, what he has said is that once the rioting started, the Muslim Brotherhood, along with American leftist groups and the AFL-CIO (I know, redundant) have aided and abetted it.
He has asked, rightly, "what is Code Pink doing in Egypt"? I think it's a good question.

Mike D.| 2.10.11 @ 8:17AM

Agree with this comment. Beck's point was that the revolution was being hijacked by the Muslofacists and the leftists working together not that they started the thing. As with most radical groups who operate in this way, they wait for the spark and then pour on the gasoline. So the point of the article is faulty.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 10:08AM

Also have to point out the Academic source of this article.

Sara B| 2.10.11 @ 7:55AM

Glenn's point is that those revolutionary forces of the extreme left have been sowing the seeds and then took advantage of the situation on the ground in Egypt when the demonstrations started. Socialistic muslims and the radical left here have formed an unholy alliance to force a world without the Jewish state and with a socialist world government.

figusja| 2.10.11 @ 7:59AM

I think you and Glenn are right. You are only speaking of the reason this poo storm had started. Glenn is point at the effects and the aftermath of the riots. Do you think the evil Islamist over there are not going to use this to get power? Watch the video Iranium the best video in a long time.
The Ayatollah in Iran in 1979 did the same thing. The rioters in Iran in 1979 were students and middle class also. The whole country was secular and westernised.
When the Shah left nothing extreme happened for awhile. Then over time Iran is the country you see today.
Do not count the extremeist out yet they will get there way and you will eat your words. Everyone underestimates the danger of Islam. You wait we will be fighting an Islamic Europe and a unified Islamic middle east (Caliphate). We will stand alone against this enemies because we fear to call a spade a spade.
Do not allow Islam to impose Shariah in the free world or suffer the consequences.

coal carrier| 2.10.11 @ 8:01AM

Beck also said of the groups that you mentioned that they are all:
1. Against capitalism.
2. Against Israel.
3. Against western ideals.

I believe it is a little too early to frame the chaos in Egypt as a modern 1776. Let’s see what happens in six months or so. Then we can determine if Beck is right or wrong.

Ironcowboy| 2.10.11 @ 8:26AM

Ralph,

You may or may not be correct about the what started the riots; but that is really a side bar issue. It does not matter if a burning capitalist started this if cold Islamic fundamentalists, communists/ labor party and Socialists take this old dictatorial government and transform it into a new dictatorial government. In either case freedom for the individual is just as dead.

Beck sees what shall come of the burning men, you are seeing why the men were burning

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 9:28AM

Ditto, Ironcowboy. And one other thing, Ralph. However the riots started, Obama has squandered the moment and let Code Pink and pals hijack the momentum. Barry could have pointed out that oppressive governments and their bureaucratic enforcers lead to these types of revolts, but that would be mirror gazing and we can't have that, can we?

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 1:44PM

Code pink? You're dumb enough to think the demonstrations in Egypt are being controlled by American women? hahahahaha. Good lord.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 2:02PM

Controlled? Did he say that? But more like working to overturn stability, because stability works against them.

Code Pink? They're in Egypt right now --and, *according to their own press release*, this is their ninth trip to Gaza and Egypt in the past two years.

Nobody is dumb enough to think code pink could controll anything - we know how much they wish they could.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 2:35PM

It's pretty hard to get to Gaza without going through Egypt first.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 3:31PM

Extremely easy. Just take the 'Aza exit on Israeli interstate.

From Egypt, you have to go through check point through Israel.

You clearly haven't been. Just a troll, I guess.

figusja| 2.10.11 @ 5:16PM

What do you mean by troll. I don not get the reference.

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 2:32PM

That would be Code Pink and their pals - you know, dumbass, people like you! Leftist scumbags - Code Pinkers, Communists, union thugs. People who say, "Never let a crisis go to waste". Its a catch-all for the scummy Leftists of the world - and Islaomofacists, the Left's new asses to kiss. You kiss their asses, right? Love Hamas and Hezbollah, right? Muslim Brotherhood are your new BFF, right? Putz.

I guess we have to explain it to these Einsteins. Why are Lefties such dumbasses?! Anyone know?

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 2:40PM

hahaha. So these protests in Egypt are being controlled by a sinister collaboration between the muslim brotherhood, code pink, the communists and the union thugs? Is that what you're saying?

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 2:47PM

And please-explain it to me. What benefits will American union thugs get if Mubarak's regime is replaced?

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 3:09PM

Does anybody see the word American in my post? As in "American union thugs?" I don't. I guess to Lefty idiots, union equals America. That's how the get "American union thugs" out of union thugs. Like Communism and unionism aren't connected around the world.

Again, why are Leftists such dumbasses? Anyone?

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 3:01PM

Controlled? Again, who says controlled? Is there momentum in unrest like this? Guess not. I guess the Muzzy Bros are just inert blobs of flesh who have no hand in any unrest in the ME. Nope. Nothing to see here! Move along! All this is are freedom loving people wanting to exercise free speech and expand free markets! Move along! Putz.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 3:08PM

Again, how do the American union thugs and code pink benefit from the muslim brotherhood takeover of Egypt?

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 3:14PM

Anywhere they (you) can harm American interests suits them (you). They're your friends, you tell us. People like you - Code Pinkers - would help Iran get nukes if you thought it would help your cause - Leftism. Your kind always have, and your kind always will. It's really that simple.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 3:27PM

So you don't know why code pink and the union thugs and the communists are in Egypt, or what they're doing, or if they have any influence on events, but you know that it's bad for America. Brilliant analysis as always, Eric.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 3:35PM

YOU are the one who doesn't, troll.
You've been given search keywords to find info --
Do your own research, it will enlighten you.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 4:27PM

I googled "Egypt" "paranoid right wing fantasy" "communists" and "code pink" and I got 1,100 results, so you'll have to give me some time to read them all.

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 4:31PM

I don't have to know the exact reason why they would be there, Red. I do know that Leftists always work against free markets and American interests. The simple reason is that they want to come to power in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc. But tell us, oh Commie one, why are they there.? You seem to know or want us to think you do. Like you have the inside scoop. So tell us! What's the big secret? Come on, fill us in! We await your insight!

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 4:55PM

I'm pretty sure there's no free market operating in Egypt under Mubarak, so that's obviously not what the leftists are working against. And I'm also sure that Code Pink is not about to come to power in Egypt. They seem to have been there because they were on their way to Gaza and get stuck. That's all I've got.

coal carrier| 2.10.11 @ 3:42PM

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The socialists / Marxists, revolutionaries here in this country and around the world and radical Islam want the same thing, the destruction of capitalist America and Israel.

Why the labor unions? Workers of the world unite! A slogan used today by Richard Trumka AFL/CIO and Andy Stern SEIU. Also used by Vladimir Lenin back in 1917.

Why Radical Islam? Their intention is to create a Caliphate where all of the Islamic nations are one, under Sharia Law. Israel stands in their way. Israel is supported by and is allied with the United States. If the US goes down, Israel goes down.

Now, does Islam agree with the filth that is spewed out by the left like free sex, free drugs and free money? No. But they will take care of that when Sharia Laws goes into effect.

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 4:35PM

Shhh, Coal. DuhRed is about to impart his wisdom! Com'on DuhRed . . . .ell us. Why would they be there helping take down a government (an admittedly crappy government) friendly towards us? Why are they rioting? Tell us, Duh!

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 4:42PM

And hurry up about it, Duh. I'm playing Angry Birds and its vastly more engaging than your posts.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 4:48PM

One: a Muslim caliphate that controls the Mideast and parts of Europe.

Two: China, that will control Asia, the southern half of Africa, part of the Middle East, Australia, maybe New Zealand, and God only knows what else.

And, Russia, which will control all of the old former Soviet Union bloc, plus maybe the Netherlands. Not really sure. But their strong arm is coming.

This is what Glennbeck claims will happen because people in Egypt are sick of having an authoritarian government. The he goes on to blame the socialist communists, hardcore socialists, the communist left, the anarchists, the islamofacists, islamosocialists, extreme islam, code pink, the Tides foundation, Bill Ayers and the Weather Undergound, ACORN, the muslim brotherhood, HAMAS, Van Jones, Tariq Ramadan, Frances Fox Piven and the United States government (for supporting Mubarak in the first place). That's a lunatic conspiracy theory.

skip| 2.10.11 @ 5:40PM

Wow Dred,

Way to move pretty far out on a limb for a change. Usually you take little tentative baby steps of timid arguments on a pseudo issue of trivial importance.

And, you're still here getting bitch slapped with intelligent and honest opinions to boot.

Atta liberal. Listen to your subconscious, it apparantly wants truth and reality. You can do it.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 5:48PM

Hey Skippy, it's been too long. Perhaps you could highlight the intelligent opinions I was bitchslapped with? I seem to have missed them.

skip| 2.10.11 @ 6:07PM

You always do.

Eric Cartman| 2.10.11 @ 5:44PM

"That's a lunatic conspiracy theory.
cancel reply"

Maybe . . . maybe not. It doesn't matter to the point we are talking about. Egypt isn't about freedom loving people throwing off the yoke of the oppressor. They just want their oppressor in charge of the yoke. The Muslim Brotherhood isn't the Rotary Club - they are not people you want to live next to. So what IS Code Pink doing there? They have a stake in Egypt? They vote for Mubarak and he's not doling out welfare payment fast enough? He isn't pushing abortion on demand hard enough? What? Or are they just busy-body soccer-moms with a gripe about Egyptian air bag safety? There is some reason Code Pink thinks it should be there - that it has a right to agitate in Egypt.

I really don't care what their exact plans are, or if they are successful. As a matter of fact, if the Egyptian Army arrested them and took the out and stoned them to death, I would laugh may ass off. It would serve them right. No one knows how this is going to pan out. BUT, if the people involved are any clue, it ain't gunna be good.

DRed| 2.10.11 @ 8:20PM

"As a matter of fact, if the Egyptian Army arrested them and took the out and stoned them to death, I would laugh may ass off. It would serve them right." Well, yes-that's because you're an asshole. But we already knew that.

More to the point, I have no idea if these protests are going to lead to an Egypt that is more democratic, or if the muslim brotherhood is going to take over, or if the country is going to disolve into anarchy. The point I'm trying to make is that Glennbeck's insane conspiracy theories don't help anyone try to figure that out either. Code Pink seems to be in Cairo because they got stuck on their way to agitate in the Gaza Strip-they're totally irrelevant. They just happened to be there and are trying to get some attention.

Eric Cartman| 2.11.11 @ 12:58PM

Well, I hope they get all the attention they deserve.

S. Ruger| 2.10.11 @ 8:45AM

The comments so far are correct -- the point is not how the match was struck, but who kindled the fire and then poured gasoline on once it was lit.

But it ain't our country. If the population wants a sharia government (polls say they do by a huge margin) then it's their right to have it. It might not be best for us, but we have to make a decision: Are we the rulers of the world or not? If so, we should all git our fightin' britches on, grab our muskets, and sign up to wage war to dominate the globe.

YeloStalyn| 2.10.11 @ 9:37AM

While I agree that we should not be the rulers of other men... consider this:
If it is true that ALL men are created equal with inalienable rights of freedom... and it is a moral man's duty to protect others from having these infringed upon, are we then not compelled to step in and protect their freedom... even if they, in the moment, think they are doing that which is best?
The answer may be, "No, we shouldn't," but I don't think that's an answer we can come to lightly.

Stormy| 2.10.11 @ 10:17AM

If we can't be ruler of the world, at least our government needs to be consistent. It has not been consistent in its positions on Egypt, Iran, and Honduras. Either we support anti-government, democratic protesters or we don't. Which is it?

YeloStalyn| 2.10.11 @ 10:32AM

We NEED to start educating ourselves and the world that the US is WAS NOT supposed to be a democracy, but a republic. The reason that so many "democratic revolts" in history have ended up so bad is because they are litterally a "democracy"... greek for "rule of the mob". When you let the people be the sole determiners of a subject you get oppression. A republic allows a buffer between the wishes of the governed and a well thought out way to carry out those wishes that still respect all members of society.
If we let a democratic revolt succeed in the ME we will almost certainly get an Islamic regime in place that will quickly turn on the west, oppress it's minority groups (for real, not like what liberals claim in the US), and strike against free nations (Israel and the US).

John Navratil| 2.10.11 @ 1:47PM

YeloStalyn,

Where this will end up is to be seen. Did anyone foresee the assassination of Franz Ferdinand leading to World War I?

I take issue with the common meme that the U.S. is not a democracy, but a republic. It is a democracy coming from the Greek 'demos' meaning the people (not mob) and 'kratia' meaning (roughly) government of; it most assuredly does not mean "rule of the mob". Our goverment is "of the people, by the people and for the people". It is in all senses a democracy. That is is organized as a republic means that only those people entitled to vote may choose their representatives, but the supreme power rests with the citizenry (the demos). The two terms are not contradictory on this point although you might wish to press the point were it not for universal suffrage. Some have suggested that children be given the vote which one might argue is required for a true democracy (I don't).

Your suggestion that a republic buffers the passions of the mob is true so far as it goes. Our system of the "people's house" or Representatives being the origin of laws ensure the will of the people is presented. The Senate was originally meant to be the tempering agency. The conclusion you draw that a democrative revolt in Cairo will result in an Islamic regime may be true, but not because the revolt was "democratic", but rather because the agencies which will co-opt the revolt are Islamic. We had a democratic revolt which formed this country.

Diane| 2.10.11 @ 9:21PM

Most Egyptians are Muslims. Wouldn't it make sense that a democratic government would reflect that influence?

Hopefully, they'll go for separation of mosque and state, though.

John Navratil| 2.11.11 @ 9:07AM

Diane,

Attaturk comes to mind as the only leader who ever successfully tried to separate Mosque and State. It appears to be failing at the moment. Islam IS political.

Clint| 2.10.11 @ 8:45AM

We Like The Zany Gold Hoarding Mormon Glenn, & His Disobedient Sidekicks Stu & Pat. We Like S.E. Cupps Cups Too.
However,While The Muslim Brotherhood & Every Other Opportunist Are Attempting To Run In Front Of The Egyptian Parade & Declare Themselves The Drum Major......
"The April 6 and Khaled Said groups have emerged as the organizers of the anti-Mubarak coalition.Leftists, socialists and pro-labor people know that the movement takes its name from April 6, 2008, when a series of strikes and labor actions by textile workers in Mahalla led to a growing general strike by workers and residents and then, on April 6, faced a brutal crackdown by security forces. A second, allied movement of young Egyptians developed in response to the killing by police of Khaled Said, a university graduate, in Alexandria. Both the April 6 group and another group, called We Are All Khaled Said, built networks through Facebook, and according to one account the April 6 group has more than 80,000 members on Facebook. The two groups, which work together, are nearly entirely secular, pro-labor and support the overthrow of Mubarak and the creation of a democratic republic."

skip| 2.10.11 @ 1:52PM

Proving yet again I am a hypocrite and a sinner just like every other nondeified human being ever, I can't help picturing 'naughty librarian' whenever I see Cupp, cups and all.

One of the reasons I am secure in the knowledge conservative ideology is correct and liberal ideology is unintelligent and dishonest is the quantity and quality of good looking conservative woman, and the complete lack of any goodlooking liberal women, with the possible exception of Kirsten Powers, though she negates her attractiveness with that utterly vapid space between her ears.

Diane| 2.10.11 @ 9:26PM

Actually, the Muslim Brotherhood has insisted it's not leading the revolution. They'll want to run in democratic elections. They apparently have around 20% support.

But, the rest of the opposition isn't well organized at this point. The outcome might be a coalition government of some sort. That would be good because it would depend on compromise.

I don't see Egypt being taken over by either far leftists or theocrats.

skip| 2.11.11 @ 1:29PM

History has shown little evidence that this upheaval will end up an overall net good.

For the sake of the Egyptian people I hope for the best.

But history has shown it is more likely to expect the worst.

VBMax| 2.10.11 @ 8:47AM

Beck uses the videos and diatribes by the groups he is exposing to prove his points. If all this writer has is the 2 anecdotal self-immolations, that just indicates a lazy and meager attempt at research and analysis.

Bob Miller| 2.10.11 @ 9:22AM

Extremists always try to capitalize (communize??) on mass unrest, whatever the original cause. Those who want to go after Beck on the issues ought to get their own ducks in a row first.

Ken (Old Texican)| 2.10.11 @ 10:07AM

Mr. Reiland,
You have certainly had your arse handed to you on this one.
Guys,
some excellent facets presented by each of you.

Nancy in NC| 2.10.11 @ 10:20AM

Even though the left loves to take Glenn Beck go task regularly, they are usually wrong or just downright nasty with no facts.

This article is just wrong. No one knows how this is going to play out, but it looks like Glenn Beck is right...as usual.

Anthony| 2.10.11 @ 10:22AM

I concur with most of my fellow posters, Beck got it more right than you.
Oh well, they all can't be gems.

hardcard| 2.10.11 @ 10:29AM

Mr. reiland I think you see what you want to see,
you are just another establishment troll, wanting to make b.chrystal look good, sell you stuff to huffington or msnbc. No thanks Mr. Tyrell, maybe another mea culpa is in order.

Stormy| 2.10.11 @ 10:30AM

I find Mr. Reiland's narrative on the roots of the Egypt uprising to be, well, rather sophomoric for a university professor. It seems to be clear that Mr. Reiland has not really seen Beck's extensive presentations on the event. If he wants to critique Beck's conclusions, he needs to delve deeper into the subject than what we have seen here. And, if this is the level of analysis that Mr. Reiland brings to his class room, his students are being shorted on their education. The Egypt uprising should not be viewed through an economics prism. It's about an ideology.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 11:25AM

Well, Stormy, in fairness let us note he is an associate professor.

If he has seen any of the extensive presentations - he did not look at the references or, as Glenn likes to say "Don't trust me, do your own homework.".

Anthony| 2.10.11 @ 10:37AM

Speaking of getting things right, or wrong as in this case, that famous 3:00 am phone call to the Obozo White House, well, it went more like this: "The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check your local directory.... this is a recording".
Obozo, Clinton, and the rest of this dysfunctional regime need to watch a re-run of Beck's show.

John| 2.10.11 @ 11:38AM

Glenn beck is a fruit cake of the first order. His fans are gullible idiots. the man's 100 per cent racist. he connects dots that exist only in his brain. the revolution in Egypt is about freedom and self determination. Only a moron or a racist would'nt support that. the Arabs are the only nation in the world still being colonised. these revolutions will put a stop to that. I hope the American government will put it's full support behind the revolution. Of course they may continue supporting mubarak abdullah netanahu etc. But then it will certainly be curtains for America in ME. you better start digging for oil now. Don't delay.

Ken (Old Texican)| 2.10.11 @ 1:03PM

Hello again John muhammed.
Brilliant takquia again, (not subtile) heh

John| 2.10.11 @ 5:36PM

Ken
You're a very mean person. I pray that god opens your heart to the truth. Turns your meaness & hate into love.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 1:08PM

John lives under a rock.

Glenn| 2.11.11 @ 2:14AM

And I thought he was the rock, considering his intelligence and all.

Anthony| 2.10.11 @ 1:16PM

Yes John, do provide us with your invaluable insight and your on the ground real time knowledge of the situation in Egypt, to assuage and educate us rubes that freedom is indeed breaking out.
Then perhaps you might want to share your unique perspective with Obozo, Clinton and Pannetta who are utterly clueless as to what the hell is going on there and why.

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 1:38PM

And please explain as well the pre-printed English signs we are seeing on the news saying "Social Justice".

You can google keywords "Trumka Egypt" and get an idea.

John| 2.10.11 @ 5:20PM

Anthony
Please switch on the tv. Even a Glenn beck supporter can manage that. The egytians have been living under this tyrannical regime for thirty years. The faced police army tanks with just their peaceful quest for peace and freedom. Bless each one them young and old, muslim and christian...and may god curse those who stand in their way.

Anthony| 2.10.11 @ 6:37PM

This is your answer?? How pathetic. You've said nothing but pablum and pschyobabble, a classic lefty.
However, your knowelege of events rivals that of our clueless president, Madam Hillary, andPanetta. The three stooges plus you.

John| 2.10.11 @ 7:04PM

I'm proud to be supporting he Egyptian people.
Who the he'll are you supporting. Ah, Mubarak. Thats not good. He shoots and tortures innocent people. Surley you don't want to tie your flag to that. Join me and the Egyptian people.

Publius| 2.11.11 @ 12:23AM

Much better to support the Islamic Brotherhood, eh, John? They've never done anything we'd find objectionable, have they? Well, there's that Sadat assassination thing and support for Al Queda. And there's the whole annilihation of Israel thing. Well, there's also their desire for a global Caliphate. Other than that, why, they're basically our Founding Fathers!

USSAlabama| 2.10.11 @ 7:28PM

That is just hilarious. His knowledge of events comes from the msm.

YeloStalyn| 2.10.11 @ 1:25PM

Who are we to believe for our news then? The New York Times?

OK... let's go with that one...

wait for it...
wait for it...
here it comes...

That's right... today, front page, they posted a story that was EXACTLY what Beck has been saying for the last week or so. The crazy conspiracy theory that he was so "out there" for believing that Commies and Libs were in fact propping up the Muslim Brotherhood who has openly declared (but also openly denies it when challenged) that they want a theocratic state in all nations and to wipe Israel off the map.

skip| 2.10.11 @ 1:55PM

Still waiting for you to clear up my confusion, do you get 72, or 77, virgins?

John| 2.10.11 @ 5:25PM

Now now keep your fairy tales for bedtime. some are deaf dumb and blind, their hearts are sealed. That's life.

skip| 2.10.11 @ 5:43PM

74 1/2?

John| 2.10.11 @ 6:00PM

1/2? I think you're flaunting a dead donkey here matey. lets move on.

skip| 2.10.11 @ 6:16PM

You mean like moving on to discussing the intelligence and honesty of comments like:

"(Glenn Beck's) fans are gullible idiots"

"(Glenn Beck is) 100 per cent (sic) racist"

and other doozies?

I'll pass.

I'm still confused whether it's 72 or 77 virgins though.

John| 2.10.11 @ 7:11PM

Glen beck is an idiot. A conspiracy nut. That is obvious to any sane rational person. The fact that you can't tell speaks volumes.

skip| 2.11.11 @ 1:24PM

Someone who claims another person is 100 per cent (sic) racist without a shred of evidence is not only not a sane rational person but an idiot.

How many virgins, 72 or 77?

Glenn and I also want to know the other 7 states too. How can a sane rational person be confused into a situation where he honestly thinks America has 57 states anyway? Who has ever made that mistake? Wouldn't a person who did that be accurately called an idiot? And anyone voting for that person to be president of the most powerful country an idiot?

Glenn| 2.11.11 @ 2:10AM

And I'm confused to, what are the names of those other seven states Obummer visited?

tj| 2.10.11 @ 3:32PM

Yeah right just like jmme cartool.. 1979 that one worked out well

shipley130| 2.10.11 @ 7:36PM

Do you actually watch Glenn, or are you watching the MSNBC criminals say that he is racist. I have been watching Glenn for about 2 years, almost everyday of that, and he has never said a racist thing.

Oldefarte| 2.10.11 @ 12:40PM

Ralph, you're WRONG and Beck's RIGHT on this one. Time for you to RESET. Granted, the Egyptian masses are rioting because of Mubarek's repressive government practices, but the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran are behind their agitation [and will ultimately control any revised government resulting from this]. How is it that our government's administration [and whose president politically claims to be Christian?] ignored the exact same Iranian protests/demonstrations, and yet has been on TV almost daily over this Egyptian one [and calling for the current Egyptian regime to resign]? Does he favor Iran's regime but disfavor Egypts? If Egypt falls to an Islamist takeover of their government, doesn't Israel suffer from then being surrounded by unfriendly Islamist controlled countries [and does this not further endanger the US from a possible terrorist attack with missles]? Why is it that our southern border's illegal immigration [which may be infiltrated with Muslim terrorists attempting to blend in with Mexicans crossing our border] is ignored by our administration, and why is it that our DOJ files a lawsuit against Arizona's legislation seeking to stop same's inactment? Is it all just local Egytians protesting the lack of their rights, as you and Bill Krystal believe, or is it a organized/trojun-horsed political agenda being orchestrated [and possibly what happened on 11/2/08 as well]?????????????

Chris| 2.10.11 @ 12:44PM

The words of Rahm Emmanuel come to mind: "Never let a good crisis go to waste..."

(pardon the following analogy, but it's not meant to be insensitive)
No, the leftists didn't start the fire, but they are certainly adding fuel to it. But, like fire, Beck has been pointing out that they will get burned when the Islamic fundamentalists take over. Look no further than today's Iran for the proof.

Harrison | 2.10.11 @ 1:05PM

Enough historical perspective after 2 weeks to declare Beck wrong? It took 50 years to figure out why WWI really started and the jury is still partially out.

Methinks you jump the gun slightly.

Oldefarte| 2.10.11 @ 1:06PM

Ralph [and everyone] should read Judith Miller's Tuesday editorial in Newsmax!!!!!!!!

Jonathan| 2.10.11 @ 1:52PM

Ha - look what you poor guys did. You propped up a silly entertainer as a hero to the masses, failing to foresee that the masses will always support the silly entertainer over you. Good luck keeping Beck in line - he's going to keep raking in the dough saying whatever the heck he feels will ignite his following, regardless of the talking points or party dogma you want him to spew.

Oldefarte| 2.10.11 @ 3:02PM

The TRUTH ignites his following!!!!!!!

Publius| 2.11.11 @ 12:19AM

Good point, Jonathan. You're smart and we're all dumb. Got it. Please, oh please, enlighten us with your wisdom?

Jacobite| 2.10.11 @ 2:02PM

Ethnic Americans are NW Europeans. They share a Christian culture and speak Germanic languages. Non-Europeans, non-Christians, and American perverts and misfits are their enemies. That is all you need to know. The right thing to do is simple, and hard. The wrong thing is very complicated, and easy.

Mike Rogers| 2.10.11 @ 2:09PM

All that is true, and governemnt reform is required, but the Muslim Brotherhood stands ready to reap the gains from the turmoil, and they may have had a hand in stirring up the strife.

LarryG| 2.10.11 @ 2:34PM

Please have a look at these sites:
http://astuteblogger.blogspot......ny-is.html
http://www.investigativeprojec.....ny/353.pdf

cicero| 2.10.11 @ 4:56PM

Let me see, we can monitor the movement of monies from one terrorist organization to another in real time, and can find offshore accounts of Americans and corporations trying to avoid taxes, but we were caught flatfooted when Hosni and the boys were stealing all of the foreign aid sent by US to Egypt since the Carter administration, and depositing 70 billion dollars in private accounts in Hosni's name, not to mention the billions in the accounts of his kids and friends. No wonder the guy living on $2.00 a day was pissed.
When will the dictators ever learn. Nobody cares if they steal a million or ten. But they always steal all of the wealth of their countries. How could anybody think they needed $70 billion?
If we want to end up on the right side of this, we had better start by freezing all of the Mubarak clan's assets we can, and deliver if back to the Egyption treasury. Oh, and by th way, maybe pay more attention next time.

Glenn| 2.11.11 @ 2:05AM

Could you please provide the names of the bank's holding these funds and the account numbers associated with them so I can do a little fact checking? Or are you just parroting what you heard from some left wing media outlet/

shipley130| 2.10.11 @ 7:32PM

I don't think Glenn got it entirely wrong. We are in the early days of this and I'm sure information about some of the initial players won't be so innocent. It's funny how the Egyptians just want their freedom but they sure were having a hoot in the streets when they learned about 9/11. Don't have much sympathy for them.

Ralph Novy| 2.10.11 @ 10:02PM

"In fact, the insurrections were sparked by governments crawling with money-grubbing dreambusters."

Wow.

I'm just afraid you're right -- ahem, "correct," that is.

lol

Keep your eye on the situation and your fingers on the keys for here, please, eh?

Regards.

Ralph

Free Bee| 2.10.11 @ 10:20PM

---UH, be careful of 'following along' the Murdoch
funded narratives (i.e. Glenn Beck) on the, no doubt by now, utterly Globalist engineered Middle Eastern 'unrest'.

KEEP your eye on the consolidation of our own
sellout and treason to RED China and 'eugenics
friendly' values.

---YOU HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED---

Publius| 2.11.11 @ 12:17AM

This article is silly. Are we truly to believe that Mohammed Al-Baredi and company came out to support a couple of people who immolated themselves? Those types of protests have been occurring in the Muslim world for decades. The author should read up before writing nonsense like this.

Bob K.| 2.11.11 @ 1:09AM

Reiland got it right and most of you missed his point for whatever your reasons.

This is one of the ways they start a "tea party" in the Mid East! (Another way involves bombs strapped to ones body) Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So far it's working. What it's outcome will be is yet to be determined. I'm going to bed. Maybe it will all be worked out tomorrow but I doubt it. We live in "interesting times."

Glenn| 2.11.11 @ 2:00AM

This writer is crazy! How does he explain the activitys of the AFLCIO, SEIU, ACORN,DORN,GOOGLE EXECUTIVES (close to the white house) RICHARD TRUMPKA AND DORN'S activity in Cairo. Obama and the leftwing media cheering on the revolution, the google exec admiting that he was responsable for inciting the facebook inspired protests.Coincidence? Not likely

Simon Templar| 2.11.11 @ 11:52AM

You are kidding right? This article was joke? If not, I would really like you to read a little about the Russian revolution of 1917 or any other for that matter. Most of them start just like this..Lenin was not even in the country but all the cranks were banished and had to sneak back in to redirect the social explosion and general frustration that came to a breaking point. This does not mean that these groups are not and have not been involved in an overthrow. The Czar created a similar event with a group of people who actually came to his palacy to wish him well and he had them fired upon..which in turn enraged the population and all hell broke loose.

Marc Jeric| 2.12.11 @ 3:03PM

Beck is right, unfortunately. Muslim Brotherhood will take power, organize a sharia state, and declare war on Israel. Sharia state or communist hell - both sound the same to this refugee from a communist hell.

bee free| 2.13.11 @ 1:15AM

BECK's an obvious Murdock set-up to thwart the
swelling popularity of such TRULY daring commentators as ALEX JONES and, most especially, ALAN WATT.

Leave the tourists behind!
--GO for the REAL thing!

Marko| 2.22.11 @ 12:46PM

The writer of this article fails to address the possibility that popular uprisings, no matter how just the cause, could be co-opted and otherwise misused for nefarious purposes by totalitarian regimes through "agents of influence". (Remember the KGB? They had their hands in all kinds of populist movements like this. Still do, in fact.)

sex toys | 7.4.11 @ 1:14AM

The fact that Trump has come out against the Korea-U.S. trade deal and this week's pulling of a vote on a trade deal in the House by the leadership shows there a very fluid House GOP caucus against the kind of trade deals which benefit only corporate interests and infringe upon U.S. sovereignty

Reebok | 8.11.11 @ 4:00AM

is good

العاب | 4.11.12 @ 4:33PM

Way to move pretty far out on a limb for a change. Usually you take little tentative baby steps of timid arguments on a pseudo issue of trivial importance.

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