Glenn Beck's '9-12' logo based on communist and socialist designs

Ever since Glenn Beck took to the Fox television airwaves recently to offer a bizarre reading of the art commissioned 70 years ago for New York's Rockefeller Center, I've been puzzled by the graphic design element of his 9-12 Project. The logo (pictured) for his affiliated groups' rally in Washington, D.C., this weekend derives from century-old communist, socialist and other left-wing designs.

Those were the motifs he railed against in his Rockefeller rant.

For the logo, three raised and clenched red fists are superimposed over the U.S. Capitol. Obviously the bloody fist represents the tea-baggers' themes of unity and resistance.

But do Beck; the corporate-sponsored astro-turf group, FreedomWorks, headed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas); the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights; the private-property group, the National Assn. of Rural Landowners; and the rest of the march sponsors know the symbol's origins?

Unity and resistance are what the fist represented in 1917, when it was first employed by the Industrial Workers of the World, a union organization founded by socialists. And in the 1940s, when it stood  for various nations' communist party organizations.

That's also what it meant when it was revived in the 1960s, appearing as a symbol for the SDS, as well as anti-war and feminist movements. It was the basis for the black-power salute given by John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. And today, it's the symbol for the Progressive Labor Party (pictured), a political outfit whose website says it "fights to smash capitalism."

Turnout for the 9-12 Project's Saturday march on Washington was a bust; 30,000 protesters signed up in advance (MSNBC reporter David Shuster tweeted that D.C. park police called that figure "generous"). But even if three times that many actually showed up, the number would fall far short of the hundreds of thousands (and even millions) claimed to be planning to attend. Even in that reduced crowd, however, surely someone recognized how odd the right-wing gathering's left-wing logo was.

Maybe Beck will explain. Sort of.

-- Christopher Knight

Credits: 912dc.org; Progressive Labor Party

Comments

[mlm]

The rules are different for Republicans.

[Jilli]

Aside from the imagery in the logo, wasn't this tea party supposed to bring back the mood that was in place on 9/12/2001? It's been a few years, but after watching the video from the tea party, that's not exactly the tone I remember in the country on 9/12/2001.

[Jilli]

You're grasping at straws Chris. And Fernando, don't just follow the sheep and believe everything people tell you. Investigate further and you'll find "they" are a combo of different colors and backgrounds who are angry at this president, not because he's black but because of his over the top views that scares the heck out of people and because he's not telling the truth. "They" are tired of the government, black white or purple. Aren't you?

Posted by: Sayrah | September 13, 2009 at 11:18 AM

___

Really? Then why did the demographics on the videos I've seen make the event look like a klan rally. The only person of color I saw was a reporter - everybody else was middle aged white people. I live in houston, and I haven't seen that many white people assembled in one place in many many years - oh wait, I take that back, the last time was at the mccain/palin rallies last fall. Same type of crowd, same demeanor. Disgusting. And Sayrah, if it makes you feel better to keep telling yourself that it's not about race, go ahead, you may have convinced yourself, but the majority of us aren't buying it.

[Ryan]

Yeah that's my problem. The 9/12 project sounded like a great idea to me. Yeah lets get back that spirit of service. The way we were bound together by common values. The spirit of cooperation and empathy that led us to spend more time with our families and our friends.

But instead Beck and his ilk have turned it into an opportunity for division and shameless self-promotion. I'm no fan of big government but co-opting a national tragedy and using it to create more strife in this country in the name of more profits is in itself an act of terrorism in my book.

[Thats it]

Wow a fist. What should he use a peace symbol. I think most people actually have two fists. This article is a reach..and an obvious attempt to go after Glen Beck or to get people to react....Guess I did...you win add one reader to the column today.

[Mark]

The depth of ignorance of these nutjobs is unprecedented in contemporary American history. You people are irrelevant and marginalized and the President wont waste his precious time in acknowledging your rants and tirades. I am so glad that he doesn't need the hysterical right-wing's support to implement his policies. It's hilarious to see how frustrated you fools are becoming because her is not paying attention to you. I'm loving it.

[dimwitted teabagger]

I'm confused, are these protesters the teabaggers or Glen BecKKK's 9-12 zombie?

[Don]

This was an interesting piece until you described the protesters as "tea-baggers". Also, crowd estimates were in excess of one million. Your reference to 30,000 protesters signing up in advance was a nice diversionary tactic to be able to throw in a laughably low turnout figure.

Better luck next time.

[william gadd]

we are not ready to burn the constitution just yet so you folks might try something different and start reporting the ACTUAL news. Look at your circulation and you might get a clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck on your new job....

[Wes Werkman]

Why not refresh your grade 5 education, the log you have pictured is not the Beck logo. His is a snake. Good job, liberals, and you wonder why democrats can not govern well.

[hardmanb]

Same old, same old. Attach the messenger. Personal attacks. Associate the messenger with some despicable image or association. Anything to cover up the reality.

The reality is that this administration is out of touch with the people, and the main stream media has lost all credibility with the public and is dying a slow death.

Instead of reporting and editorializing on corruption, tax evasion, housing fraud, subsidizing brothels, exploitation of helpless hispanic children and promotion of sex slavery......just go on writing about Tina Fey, Michael Moore, Michael Jackson, Jay Leno and Serena Williams.

[allen]

If your refering to the clinched fist, could stand for a thousand different things, mostly for someone thats pissed off, my god you people are really stretching things, kinda sounds like you getting a little desperate

[Ben Gleck]

I think these people should be wearing white hoods and burning crosses - it would better represent what they are all about.

[slow news day?]

Nonsense. Beck's story was silly, and now the LAT is following suit. Any logo/symbol etc. that's been drawn/painted/carved was already done at some point in history. As an artist, I'll tell you it's nearly impossible to figure out if what you think is your original design, has already been done before, and chances are that many components of any design can be linked to something in the past. Until there is an easier way (such as researching the internet via drawings), it's an impossible, if not unreasonable task to ask of artists.

One small example: The Swastika, which is a Sanskrit word meaning "fortunate" was drawn, and used as a symbol for hundreds of different civilizations-just a few: ancient China used it heavily-it meant good luck, prosperity, and long life; India used it extensively in a totally different context. It's in ancient carvings in the Ukraine, on ancient coins in Persia, Asia Minor, Greece, Scandinavia; on Boetian amphora. The list goes on and on. Each had their own unique interpretations of the symbol. If one wants to, they can find anything "bad" about any artists creation. Utter nonsense.

[Dan]

What a fine time, reading these posts. Better than going to a comedy joint!

That word under the graphic, what's that? TAXPAYER?! Surely taxpayers couldn't have a reason to gripe?! They're suckers in the biggest shell game in human history.

There's a disgust with the the fascism embedded in America. The more it's denied, the more it's transparently so.

[YOU LIE]

So the LA Times is lying too. That march had at least 60,000 and maybe 100,000. Using these low ball numbers and the word "a bust" are just lies. Why mislead your readers. Why not bother to report or do some journalism and chase down an accurate figure, or at least report that figures vary. That march was a huge success... you may want to down play it. But don't be surprised in 2o1o when it's a route against incumbants. The signs are everywhere. People aren't happy with government.

[true colors blatantly clear]

I can't believe the stupidity of LAT continuing to allow this biased reporting, mainly because they can't see that they are only driving those who are currently undecided, to the right. Everyone in the internet age can easily decipher the differences between lies, under-reporting of facts, and biases. William Randolf Hearst was better at covering up his biases than this paper. Raise suspicion, and you will raise doubts. Reporting only the truth is always the best policy.

[not worth my time]

As someone who is neither Republican nor Democrat, I find these biased reports offensive. We are all people, passionate for our country, our lives, the lives of our children. I am concerned that so many Americans are divided. I am trying to get the facts. The reports in this paper become more discouraging each day, as they contradict so many others. Who is telling the truth anymore? This is just plain ugly reporting. The LAT, many years back, used to be the best source of facts. What happened? We can't even depend on what used to be our best paper anymore. Is there a new paper ready to take over? I hope so.

[James]

It looks a lot like the "Black Power" logo also.

[daveinboca]

Chiquita Obama should go now, and james is simply an idiot, not dangerous, as he is obviously insane. Ditto Joe and the gazillion other moonbats on this thread.....

Saul Alinsky and his ACORN MoveOn traitor horde are helped by this useful idiot Knight.