Sorry, Beck and Savage, San Francisco Prefers More Imperial Clowns

We like our clowns to have class.

150 years ago, a man in San Francisco declared himself to be Emperor of the United States and "Protector of Mexico." And San Francisco, (then as now), welcomed him not with a straight-jacket, but with open arms.

From The San Francisco Chronicle:

On Sept. 17, 1859, the San Francisco Bulletin published a notice on an inside page announcing that Joshua Norton, formerly a prominent San Francisco businessman, had proclaimed himself Norton I, "Emperor of these United States." He had acted, he said, "at the peremptory request of a large majority of the citizens."

Yes, San Francisco and much of the surrounding Bay Area is like that. But the fact that the clown prince of hatemongers, Michael Savage, got dumped from his "flagship" station, KNEW 910FM (located in Oakland, CA) shows that the San Francisco Bay Area can stomach only so much of an uncouth mouth running off at one of its radio stations. Because the only thing the residents of the Golden Gate can't tolerate is...intolerance.

And so it is with Glenn Beck. To date, Beck's show has lost 50 advertisers. His "halo" has slipped. His ratings, however, are up.

Huh?

From Marketwatch.com:

For advertisers, "the halo of the show means you are connected with supporting that point of view," said John Greening, a Northwestern University professor of marketing who spent 28 years in the advertising business. "It is not about awareness but about association."

So corporations can't afford to be associated with Beck, but the "closeted" clowns of intolerance have increased. Just as the number of hate groups in this country have increased. Hmmm.

I know, I know, that's a loose correlation, but it's a correlation all the same. Beck is also being compared to the late Senator Joe McCarthy. The Media Matters video below makes a fine connection. The only difference between the two men is that McCarthy seemed, at times, to be somewhat intelligent. He played on people's fears as much as Beck, but he was careful to twist "facts" instead of twisting gullible viewers' brains.

Wikipedia:

[Isobel Field wrote that Norton]:... "was a gentle and kindly man, and fortunately found himself in the friendliest and most sentimental city in the world, the idea being 'let him be emperor if he wants to.' San Francisco played the game with him."

And San Francisco knew he had class. One proclamation:

Whoever after due and proper warning shall be heard to utter the abominable word "Frisco", which has no linguistic or other warrant, shall be deemed guilty of a High Misdemeanor, and shall pay into the Imperial Treasury as penalty the sum of twenty-five dollars.

Michael Savage has called the City "Frisco." I'll bet Glenn Beck has too.

From GlennBeck.com:

I mean, they don't support the ROTC, they go against everything that our country stands for. They are constantly trying to turn us into a socialist state. Why don't you just become your own country, San Francisco? I mean it.

It's just a matter of time. Beck, I think you should pay the twenty-five dollars up front and avoid the bureaucratic hassle.