What is Common Core? Why is it controversial? Does this controversy have any basis in fact or is it just another wingnut fantasy like death panels and FEMA camps? 

I hope you weren't looking for journalism to answer those questions: 

The tickets were $18 a piece and it was a Tuesday night. Still, some drove as far as a half an hour to sit in the darkness with some 30 others similarly concerned about the Core. Polls show conservatives are more likely to oppose or strongly oppose Common Core. And Beck of course is known from his days on Fox News as a conservative firebrand. But he went out of his way to argue this isn't a partisan thing.

Oh, well, if he SAID SO! And he went out of his way! 

Clears that right up! 

Apparently there is a homegrown, grassroots movement against Common Core: 

The feature presentation was essentially a two hour grassroots strategy session.

Tell me more about the grassroots, NPfuckingR: 

About a dozen members of the audience gathered in a hallway, excited and energized though not quite sure what the next step should be. This is exactly what Beck and others involved in the event were hoping for. Adam Brandon is Executive Vice President of FreedomWorks, a conservative activist's group that cosponsored the screening.

So a conservative activist group "co"sponsored the screening, but it's a grassroots movement? I don't think that word means what you think it means. 

KEITH: Near the end of the event, Glenn Beck read questions people had sent in via text and Twitter, including one from Butler.

BUTLER: I was like that's mine. That's my question, I did that (laughing).

KEITH: And more than the thrill of seeing her question on the big screen, Butler felt like she had been heard.

BUTLER: They really do pay attention. They really do address them as opposed to our public leaders that – you never hear anything from except a form letter reply. It's clear they really don't care what the people think.

KEITH: Butler says she doesn't identify with either of the major political parties. But on this issue, she's energized. People like Beck and groups like FreedomWorks are hoping to harness that energy. Tamara Keith, NPR News, Washington.

What was this woman's question? What was her concern? How was it "heard" by a talk-show host talking to people who paid $18 to watch him on a movie screen? 

Where did that $18 go? What did it pay for? Who collected it and what did they spend it on? 

I hope you weren't looking for journalism to answer those questions, etiher. On this issue, people were energized! 

A.