Alabama Republican House candidate Rick Barber released an ad yesterday wherein he sits at a table with the ghosts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Samuel Adams (note: they may have actually been time traveling - this is unclear) ranting about the IRS and talking about impeaching the president. The ad climaxes with one of the Founders declaring, “Gather your armies.”

While Fox Nation dubbed the insipid ad “amazing” yesterday, and the other nutty corners of the right-wing blogosphere offered their praise for Barber, Glenn Beck had a much harsher take, labeling Barber a “dope” on his radio show today, saying Barber is “one of the dumbest people” he has seen, and asking Barber “what is wrong with you?”

Beck's outrage at Barber's ad stands in stark contrast to Beck's own frequent use of violent rhetoric. Though Beck often implores his viewers not to resort to violence - not usually a good sign when you feel it necessary to do that once, let alone several times - he often characterizes political debates in violent and revolutionary rhetoric.

Just a handful of examples from the past few months:

• Engaging in his usual violent fearmongering about “revolutionaries” wanting to “overthrow our entire system of government,” Beck claimed that “the revolution of 1776 was a picnic compared to what the revolutionaries of today would like to do.” He added, “usually, millions of people die.”
• Once again pushing back on the idea that Beck himself is “fomenting rebellion,” Beck told Bill O'Reilly that “trouble is coming...it will be the French Revolution, not the American Revolution.”
• Discussing the supposed “soft revolution” led by progressives designed to silence critics like him, Glenn Beck declared that when all else fails, eventually “they just start shooting people.”
• While talking about how the “world is on edge,” Beck told his viewers that “those who survive” will “stand in the truth” and “listen.”
• While discussing the ongoing controversy over Arizona's immigration law, he told his listeners that “we are being pushed” towards civil war and that Obama is “trying to destroy the country.”
• During his commencement speech at Liberty University, Beck told graduates that they “have a responsibility” to speak out, or “blood...will be on our hands.” His advice for graduates (as well as his daughter) included “shoot to kill.”
• After quoting Thomas Jefferson, Beck warned that “there will be rivers of blood if we don't have values and principles.”

Perhaps Beck has an explanation for why his rhetoric is more acceptable, but judging by the comments above and applying his own standard, he's no less a “dope” than Barber.