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

[matt fitzgerald]

I'm sure Glenn knows how to spell "oligarchy" too.

[Big Earl XXX]

I hate Glenn Beck but I do not see the similarity.

Oh... there it is... both have fists in the graphic.

With that clenched fist, maybe he is a gonzo journalist too.

[Rosie]

Mommy, I'm scared of beck and his zombies.

[gooper]

Glenn Beck is an idiot and most of those teabaggers are a bunch of racists.

[Bubba]

About the only thing Glenn Beck ever said that is worth remembering, was when he proclaimed himself to be 'just a rodeo clown". Obama, unlike most Republicans, cares about the poor and 'have-nots' (of which many are taxpayers).

[Kevin Colbert]

It is no wonder that an anti-Christian, anti-democratic, anti-American organization would attempt to attack a beacon of light for the truth. Of course you have your First Amendment rights, as does Glen Beck. My guess is, given the demise of news papers, you have to attack Mr. Beck because you and the rest of the liberals in this country can't handle the truth.

[Martin]

Just a tad bit reaching don't ya think Mr. Knight?

It is getting enjoyable watching the left grabing straws as they drown. Acorn shot out of the sky, kicked out of the U.S. Census partnership, Van Jones, and more to come, much more. Beck is such an ace!

[Rosemrazzle]

Oh wowie.
Did Olbermann put you up to this?

Jeeepers you jr high babies
no no... just keeeep following your Obamessiahleader and listening to your prophet Olbermann, the rest of us are really not into your hero worship
We have a country to save, a constitution to preserve

[William]

To all the commenters saying that this is what the populace is supposed to do when its leaders stop representing it, when the reins of power are unjustly seized, when control of the country is taken away from the people, I'd like to point out that Obama was elected by nationwide vote. He won both the popular vote and the electoral college. You might not like him, but when the guy that the most people voted for ends up as President, you can't really say that the populace isn't being represented by its leaders.

When the left protested against Bush, the right always reduced the argument to "If you don't like the President, feel free to leave the country." It was a bad argument and held absolutely no merit, so I'm glad the left isn't trotting it out (yet); but I find it a little ironic that less than a year after declaring that if you don't like the elected leadership of the US you should go someplace else, the right is now rending its garments over the mildest possible disagreements.

[SusanG]

This is all speculation and progressive twisting.

BTW your numbers are a big fat lie! There was 2 million people in DC yesterday, a million more in their own cities nation wide, and 10 million tuned in to watch Glenn's show yesterday.

LOL Progressives **shaking my head** What the hell did you go to journalism for if you weren't going to REPORT the news? Try writing a novel instead, at least then it would be shelved in the library under FICTION.

[bud]

The original writers of the constitution,bill of rights were called the same thing.RADICALS.I believe in what they came up with.Thanks for helping me finally figure out what I believe in.RADICAL is not so bad.It was the Radicals that gave us freedom of speech etc.There already is a move to limit religious freedom of speech and expression,look out what is next,government controlled health care?Congress and the Senate are already trying to be exempt from any Gov health care plan.Why is that?Bottom line is the masses do not want the government in there private lives.

[ColoradoBob]

Beck's fist is straight from the Weather Underground -

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/13/781545/-Send-These-Links-to-Keith-Olberman

[Johnny Depth]

Chris, you're really reaching.

[Bob]

Gee, I suppose no one on the right has ever seen left wing art before, is that supposed to be the premise of this editorial? Or perhaps the resemblance was intended and the blatantly obvious use of the style for its historic significance was too much for Mr. Knight.

[Free America]

You have to be totally loco to come up with any of these statements. I guess it's just a sign of the total desperation that the left has with the uprising that is taking place across conservative America. You have awakened a sleeping giant, and I hate to tell you, but you are going to lose. You are going to lose everything - all the special interest money like Acorn and other leftist front organizations, all the money that is being siphoned to the UN for their one world dream, and everything else that represents the communist values that the left adores. We are taking the country back, and the left will never, ever be in power again. You have really jumped the shark on this one, there's no turning back.

[submarine patriot]

You guys are really out there......with Carl Sagan and Gore and a multitude of wacko tin foil hatters

[livingamongthehoodwinked]

this guy is not worth responding to
...must need some attention

[freedumb2003]

Anyone who uses the term "teabagger" is a racist, an idiot and a fool.

He is not to be taken seriously and his opinions are of no value.

[out damned spot]

Dear Christopher,

He already has explained it. It's called using the Left's tactics against them and he did a complete show on it.

Besides, I guess you missed the fact that it's a takeoff on the black power symbol.

[happy1ga]

Irony must escape Mr. Knight. Good gravy are you stupid, man! Calling Beck stupid or ill -informed? Pot meet kettle. This is a common protest tactic going back forever. Turn the opposition's message/symbols against them. For such an knowledgable student of history, you aren't that knowledgable. Also, I have a friend who is a police officer in DC. He told me that they [internally] were saying there were around a million people protesting. You need facts before you type, but most importantly, before you hit send.