Zeb Bell's Call To Arms

In nearly five months of listening to Zeb Bell's "Zeb at the Ranch" talk radio show broadcast on KBAR from Rupert, Idaho, among remarks that range from insensitive to offensive to downright racist, I've never heard more egregious and dangerously provoking and inciting remarks than I've heard this week from Zeb targeting gay people and their supporters and advocates.  On Monday Zeb announced that he was no longer going to "turn the other cheek;" that it was time for him and other Christians to "go on the offense" against any who advocate recognition of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples and he's demanding that his listeners do the same.

Now, the issue isn't whether or not you personally agree with the Supreme Court that marriage is a basic human right nor whether or not you personally agree with the California Supreme Court that this right applies equally to same-sex couples.  The issue isn't whether or not you personally believe that once the state becomes involved in granting licenses, marriage becomes a civil issue not a religious one nor whether or not you personally believe that no one's marriage is any more or any less "sanctified" by the marriage of another.  Although those are all good issues for discussion, the issue here is whether or not anyone has the right to incite others to violence against anyone for any reason.

The Supreme Court has determined, essentially, that incitant speech is constitutionally protected by the First Amendment unless it is likely to produce imminent lawless action.  While Zeb's ranting this week does not meet the test for inciting imminent lawless action, it falls well outside the bounds of what should be acceptable speech in a decent society and should cause alarm bells to sound, as it falls well within the definitions of dangerous and intimidating.  For any religious person it will sound especially demented and loony as it turns Christianity on its head.

For a little background, if you haven't seen it yet, go watch "Prop. 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Riley and others.  It is a three minute or so video of a Broadway-type production based on the recent passage of California's Proposition 8 eliminating the right of gay couples to marry in that state.  As you'll see, it got under Zeb's skin a little and is what set him off on this attack with renewed vigor and a new game plan.

Zeb begins with a nearly four minute initial rant on the topic which he concludes by telling listeners that he's going to wear the label of bigot proudly and all but calling his listeners who don't agree with him cowards.  It also includes the not-so-subtle implication that he'd like to lynch a man.  Listen to the audio here and follow along with the transcript.

ZEB:  This is a subject that really does irritate me.  Uh, I don't know if you saw this or not, it's a video put out by some of the so-called Hollywood-ish types, including Jack Black, a so-called actor that thinks he's funny.  Well they really mocked God and Jesus.  Now I don't know if you've seen this or not but it was all in regards to Proposition 8, because the general populous of California said no, they don't like gay marriage; no, they don't want gay marriage; yes, they want marriage to stay between a man and a women.  Ah, well Hollywood picked up the ball and said, "Why, these people are bigots!  They're hate filled bigots."  So, they are calling us that do not want to allow gay marriage, bigots.  They're throwing it out there folks.  They threw the first spear.  Now it's time to pick up these spears and throw 'em back.

"Well they've made this video and it's a absolutely terrible, despicable, low-classed Hollywood slam at the people that, uh, they call us bigots, and Jack Black is dressed up as Jesus.  And it's very mocking, very ridiculing and very tasteless, quite frankly.  Now my question is, a couple of questions I've got after watching this video.  What would've happened had Jack Black dressed up as and portrayed Mohammad? (whistles) Look out, World War Three.  Yeah, that would never happen.  But you know, and then there are others, like you've seen this guy I'm sure on Bill O'Reilly and other shows, he's a black political analyst by the name of Marc Lamont Hill and I'd like to reach right through the television sometimes, grab him by the necktie and just, well never mind.  But anyhow, he said it is a basic human right for gays to marry.

"Again everything that they say, everything that the left adheres to is anti-Biblical.  Are we gonna sit back and just allow the Bible to be thrown away?  Allow the Bible and its preachings and its doctrines to be trashed?  Everything today it seems like is anti-Biblical.  And my point to you and my question to you this morning is:  Are we gonna follow God's laws or are we gonna bend and follow human laws?  You know, you're gonna have to decide this.  If they're gonna call me a bigot for not wanting gay marriage and wanting the respect for marriage as a man and a woman, I'm going to wear the label of being a bigot very, very proudly, and you should too.  But do you have the nerve, do you have the backbone to stand up and say "Yes, I'm a bigot, because I want marriage to remain between a man and a woman and sanctify the family situation."  What are your thoughts?  Are you gonna bend, are you gonna say, "Oh, well let 'em marry whoever they want to?" Give me a call ...  Time to stand up folks.  It's past time time to stand up, believe me.  Give me a call ... if I don't get any calls then I'll know nobody's gonna stand up for it.

[Commercial Break]

ZEB:  Well, evidently you folks aren't worked up about this. (moo of the cow indicating a caller)  Well, we've got a caller.  Stand by caller, be right with you.

[Commercial Break]

The call comes in and it happens to be "Randy," a frequent caller who is well-known to Zeb and his listeners.  He admits to being a little hot-headed and has on several occasions thanked Zeb for allowing him to vent his frustrations on the show.  Earlier this year he called President-elect Obama "evil" and has compared him to both Hitler and the devil.  He's also claimed that white American men are what built this country and urged Zeb's listeners to become intolerant of tolerance.  He may not be the most articulate but as you'll see, he doesn't mince any words.

ZEB:  Good morning, caller, you're on the air.

RANDY:  Yes, ah, Zeb I've seen that, that, uh, play, that musical; that, uh. . .

ZEB:  Isn't it disgusting?

RANDY:  ... blasphemous display of, uh, of people who are truly godless, or, or, or I don't know.  You know, I don't believe that anybody, I don't believe that anybody... I think in their heart in their soul they know God exists.  I think it's in there; I think they know it.  I think they play Russian roulette with their, you know, their eternity, their salvation.  And in an attempt to have, you know, temporal, you know, whatever—recognition.  I, I seen John C. Riley, you know I thought he was funny, I've always kinda liked him.  Jack Black he made me sick and the rest of 'em.  And, uh, you know this is the thing, the sooner that we realize that this is a war for the salvation of our country and the rights and the freedoms of good, honest, moral, dignant people then we are going to lose this battle if we don't fight and, 'cause they're fightin'. . .

Zeb breaks in and knowing Randy and knowing he can use him to make his point, begins pelting him with the "are you tough enough" questions until Randy succumbs to his nature and gives Zeb what he wants:  essentially a loyalty oath.

ZEB:  Alright, let me ask you a question, let me ask you a question right there, Randy.  Are you ready and are you tough enough to withstand the, uh, public scrutiny if they call you a bigot and a prejudiced, uh, prejudicial person, etc., are you ready for that?

RANDY:  Well, this is the thing about...

ZEB:  No, no no!  Are you ready for it?  Are you ready to stand up and be counted?

RANDY:  I am, I am.  I, let me tell you something.  Every day one thought goes through my mind, and I know this sounds, ah, you know maybe a little bit excessive but ah, give me freedom or give me death and that's it.  I mean, I will go to the death to save my family, to save my country, to save the rights that I was given to by God, not these filthy pigs who get on TV and blaspheme!  I... Jack Black will suffer in hell for this.

Now that he's got Randy saying the "right things," Zeb reinforces him.

ZEB:  I agree with you.  I think you're a hundred percent right, Randy, but I'm telling you what, people are going to have to stand up and they're going to have to bear the cross of being called a bigot, hateful and everything else.  I remember there's a low-class person south of Twin Falls who kept writing letters about calling me a bigot and everything, and when you keep calling people names all the time you know, there's always some out there that are gonna accept that fact and they're gonna start believing it.  But you know something?  In this case if they're gonna call me a bigot because I'm against gay marriage and I'm against, uh, the absolute destruction of the American family or families in general, then I'm proud to be a bigot.

RANDY:  Well this is the thing that I was gonna say.  They, if we don't inform ourselves, and prepare ourselves and, uh, you see, when we lose our temper and get mad, now I'm not saying... I'm very notorious for getting upset and losing my cool and, uh, but if we understand the argument and we have ourself prepared to, to inform people in a way that they will listen, we can change things.  I, you know, because, you know, it's just like my kids tell me.  They say, "Dad, you're fine but when you start yellin' then we quit listening."

ZEB:  Yeah but, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute!  We've gotta go on the offense.  We can't be on the defense anymore....

RANDY:  Oh well, yeah!  But I mean in a way that people will listen to, you know.  I don't want 'em to not listen because they just, all they can hear is me, or anybody yelling.  Now, I'm not saying that's what you do....

ZEB:  But wha, wha, what I'm trying to get through, though, this morning though, Randy and I hate to rush you through this but I gotta do some commercials too, but I wanna get your opinion on this.  Christians have been always taking the idea of turn the other cheek.  "Oh well, we can't do anything; we can't say this.  We'll just turn the other cheek."  I'm not turning any more cheeks.  If people don't like what I say that's alright because if they're are offended I'm gonna keep on offending.  I am against gay marriage.  I think it's despicable.  I think it's filthy.  I think it's low-classed and anybody that associates themselves as supporting it, I'm gonna go on the attack and ridicule them.

Did you catch that?  Even Randy, the admitted hot-head, was inclined to dial things back a notch or two but Zeb actually berated him for that inclination and drove him even further in the other direction.  Then as if that weren't enough, he threw in his own twist on the Christian teaching of "turn the other cheek."  Apparently Zeb is the authority on which Biblical teachings should be followed and which should be ignored, which is, ironically, exactly the point of the Prop. 8 musical.  But wait, it gets better.

RANDY:  Well that's the thing.  See, uh, Jesus knew... had to... you know, he knew when to do turn the other cheek.  We as mortals have to go on the attack and we literally have to fight fire with fire, we do.  And we...

ZEB:  Yeah but wait a minute.  Let's remember one thing too, everybody says Jesus preached peace and Jesus preached turning the other cheek, however, he also was fed up one day when he walked in the temple and saw all the money changers and I guarantee ya, he made everybody leave Dodge City in a big hurry.

RANDY:  Well, that's what I meant.  See, he knew when not to turn the other cheek.  'Course Jesus was Jesus and I'm mortal, so I, I'm just gonna have to go on the attack and do it as, as, as, uh, instructively as possible and try to see if people... I'm always talking to people about, you know, what's going on and, and hopefully, you know, it's amazing how much they don't know.  Some people know a lot... (Zeb breaks in) K thanks, Zeb, bye.

Priceless!  Zeb got Randy to surmise that as a mortal man his Christian duty is to "attack" and" fight fire with fire" because only Jesus knew when to turn the other cheek.  Even for people with little or no knowledge or belief in Christianity that is wildly absurd.  For any who call themselves Christian that's frightening.

ZEB:  I gotta do a commercial break but I think that's a good way to end it.  It's surprising how many... you know, and how could these people like Jack Black and, and some of these others, I mean, my goodness how despicable.  If you didn't see that little play that was put together on film to run down all of us that, ah, want just a marriage between a man and a woman and the sanctity and sanity of families the way it should be.  Oh my goodness, it was despicable with this so called comedian-actor Jack Black dressed as Jesus and they call that free speech. (chuckles) Everything they do is free speech but when we stand up and say no.  We want marriage between a man and a woman; we don't believe in partial birth abortion; we don't believe in abortion rights; we don't believe in this, then naturally right away, we're hate-filled bigots.  It's funny how it only works one way.

That concluded this segment of the program but it did not conclude Zeb's assault on logic or decency or the turning upside down of his own Christian principles.  The three hours continued with Zeb urging his listeners to "go on the offense for Christianity" and become "John Wayne Christians," among other things, and he has continued in increasing urgency, if that's possible, as the week has progressed.

Zeb's intent is clear:  he means to intimidate and harass gay people and their supporters and encourage others to do likewise.  What exactly this means to his listeners or how they will interpret his message isn't clear.  We can hope his new message of attack doesn't increase hate crimes in the area.  We can't just hope, though, we can and must speak out.  Bigotry and intolerance against anyone cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.  Find links to contact Zeb and his sponsors here.

Comments

[Sisyphus]

He's ready to abandon his humanity and his Christianity to hate gays. What a specimen.

[Sisyphus]

Gary Eller joins the fray demonstrating that this is a bipartisan issue. Click my name

[MountainGoat]

Yeah, he's a piece of work all right. Hate is a nasty emotion and nothing good ever comes of it.

Thanks for adding the link to the Gary Eller post.