9-12 Project
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Due to technical limitations, this article uses an unusual title. It should be called 9/12 Project.
The project has no explicit funding, but its website content is produced by Beck's production company, Mercury Radio Arts, and hosted on Fox News' servers. [2]There is considerable synergy between this and the Tea Party Movement. [3] The project website, indeed, quotes analysis of an upcoming Republican senatorial primary as a confrontation between the Republican establishment and the tea party.[4] Critics have called it an inappropriate play on 9/11, "...an attempt at making crazy mainstream, an invitation to treason and civil war. Beck, the Fox News on-air personality, is exploiting 9-11 for his own self aggrandizement. Beck, Fox News, right wing extremists and corporate-backed groups are sponsoring the Barack Obama|anti-Obama march."[5] MediaMatters calls it a part of overall Fox News strategy. There is much mutual linking among 9-12 sites and Fox News sites.[6] According to his open letter of November 2009, Beck said, [7] "Today, I have stopped looking for a leader to show us the way out because I have come to realize that the only one who can truly save our country… is us." Speaking on Fox, he also said "Coming this January, my whole approach changes on this program “This next year is going to be critical, and I think it's going to change and I think we are going to set it right, at least set our course right. And if that means the Democrats or the Republicans are destroyed along the way, well, good. Good.” "[2] Principles and valuesThe group states nine principles and twelve values, but does not appear to have programs, other than a generic message of self-help and opposition to government.
Criticism of the projectSome of Beck's announcements also tie with tours publicizing his book, Arguing with Idiots.[8] Critics have said that Beck's change in direction, from general encouragement of his listeners to organize to active participation in action, tie to publicity for his book. Beck's direct participation in political activities may put the project under the jurisdiction of campaign finance law. [2] Further complicating the political finance situation are campaigns for office by people associated with the project., such as Dan Eichenbaum in North Carolina (U.S. state)'s 11th Congressional District[9] running against incumbent Democrat Heath Shuler.[10] Other comment considers Beck personally, or the movement, is exploiting generic fear and distrust. In July, Beck called Barack Obama a racist over the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. arrest. [11] In the opinion of Slate (website)|Slate writer Timothy Noah, mentioned signs at the 9/12/2009 protest in Washington, not limited to the 9/12 project, reading "Obama: More Dangerous Than Al-Qaida and "Diversity Is A Disease." He concluded "The 9/12-ers are white separatists."[12] References
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