The parable of the sorcerers apprentice

Glenn Beck has a peculiar world view. On occasion he strays into another universe and has so in his Caliphate rant of a few days ago.  If you have the stomach for it, you can watch it here.



The term "Caliphate" refers to the embodiment of Islam in a nation or ruled area. Think Caliph as the head of this. It is Beck's contention that the liberals in this country have joined forces with the socialists and Marxists elsewhere to support the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt in overthrowing Mubarak and starting a chain reaction that will establish a "Caliphate" that will extend from Pakistan to and through Western Europe and eventually reaching the United States.  Obama and a bunch of others in his administration are "in on it".

Now here is the Goethe story from which the Sorcerer's Apprentice" is taken:

The poem begins as an old sorcerer departs his workshop, leaving his apprentice with chores to perform. Tired of fetching water by pail, the apprentice enchants a broom to do the work for him — using magic he is not yet fully trained in. The floor is soon awash with water, and the apprentice realizes that he cannot stop the broom because he does not know how.

Not knowing how to control the enchanted broom, the apprentice splits it in two with an axe, but each of the pieces becomes a new broom and takes up a pail and continues fetching water, now at twice the speed. When all seems lost, the old sorcerer returns, quickly breaks the spell and saves the day. The poem finishes with the old sorcerer's statement that powerful spirits should only be called by the master himself.

Beck's story of the Caliphate now has spawned any number of brooms - from Rush and Hannity to a zillion right wing websites and blogs.  These mindless sticks of wood are just carrying water and will do so until the spell is broken.  Like poem like reality.  Taking up buckets for Beck's rantings is causing a flood of misinformation and silliness. I would laugh but the problem is that people believe these liars. They really do and their repeated mouthings of Captain Insano's observations doesn't fall on deaf ears. Folks are believing this irresponsible moron and it is going to cause a flood of trouble before the master gets back and sets things right.

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