Has Glenn changed his stance on boycotts?

July 31, 2013

Writer

Glenn called the Salt Lake City Tribune’s wild accusations against him ‘one of the most irresponsible things I have ever, ever witnessed.’ in media. Out of all the smears that have been thrown at Glenn, this one stands out - but the paper’s reaction to this blatant mistake is even more outrageous than the article itself. The whole situation has made Glenn reconsider his longstanding opposition to boycotts.

In the past, when Glenn has strongly disagreed with a company he has always chosen to create something in order to replace it. Back in 2011, Levi's announced that they were the "uniform of progress". Glenn wasn't happy, but he chose to spend his money on creating something new - 1791 Jeans. Those jeans were offering a high quality jean, much like Levi's was doing, but they were Made in the USA and represented the values of freedom and liberty over progressivism.

Today, Glenn was presented with a similar issue. The Salt Lake Tribune has demonstrated a complete and total disregard for the truth. One of their readers submitted a piece of commentary that impiled Glenn is a Nazi sympathizer because he displayed pieces from World War 2 era Germany at the Independence Museum, which displayed the history of America and emphasized periods of light and dark over the past few centuries. The paper decided to publish the piece on their website despite factual errors, including inaccurate information on the name of the venue and the event.

The author also grossly mischaracterized the museum and Glenn's intent when she said "I can’t help wondering what prompted Beck to collect such macabre objects and include them among his personal belongings. What are the virtues of owning Göring’s love letters, Hitler’s signature or a few drops of his blood? Surely, harboring such items adheres to a personality cult and suggests a sympathizer rather than a critic."

Glenn explained in the weeks leading up to the event that the museum was intended to show the points of light and dark in history and the importance of faith to American history.

Pat and Stu, alongside many readers, have pointed out the inaccuracies of the piece to the Salt Lake Tribune, a Salt Lake City paper that saw enough merit in the article to publish it for the public. In response, the paper has chosen to simply say it was an opinion piece:

@MichaelSadick It's reader commentary, which is a long-standing part of our Sunday opinion section. Anyone can submit @ letters@sltrib.com
@DeborahLynnekit Reader commentaries have run for decades in our opinion section. Entirely separate from the newsroom operation.
— Salt Lake Tribune (@sltrib) July 31, 2013

How does Glenn respond to a company that has given up on the values of it's profession?

"I think the "Salt Lake Tribune" is a slanted, bigoted newspaper. That doesn't care about facts, apparently, doesn't care about facts. At least when it comes to us, which is strange," Glenn said.

For years, Glenn has been vocal about his distate for boycotts. He would rather there be more voices than less, and people would pick the winners by voting with their dollars and their time. That's why he has created TheBlaze as an alternative to the mainstream media, and 1791 Jeans as an alternative to Levi's. Both businesses have been succesful.

But Glenn also said that throughout history when people have been confronted with bigotry and hatred, they have used boycotts to change things. He pointed to Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and South Africa during apartheid.

"I have been look at what changes things. For instance, what changed Apartheid? What changed that? People getting together and saying 'I'm not going to buy anything from South Africa. Won't trade with you.' So it was a boycott that applied a lot of pressure" Glenn said.

"We are a different people. That's what my whole speech was about yesterday, we are different. We believe in you can make it, you can do it. We are positive, create something. Don't destroy something."

"However, there has to be a part of it that has to be 'don't do business with people who are trying to take you apart' and be very clear. We don't do business with these kinds of people. We don't."

Stu and Glenn did have a disagreement over the issue on air. Glenn's record on boycotts, which Stu has always supported, is that there shouldn't be the formal activism component that the left uses with boycotts. Instead, the focus should be on creating alternatives. But on radio today, Glenn said there needed to be more "teeth":

From radio:

STU: It's an question of an organizing thing, where you are out there telling people what to do. We need to do this all at once. Look, you have always expressed your belief on individual company and what you think where you should spend your money. And that's always fine. There's not a line there -- you are talking about what you do in your life. But asking people to think about it themselves and question whether they should --
GLENN: I got it. I'm with you. I've got it. I'm with you, but here's the thing: You don't have any teeth with that, Stu.
STU: What are you talk about? There's no teeth in this network?
GLENN: No, not talking about the network.
STU: It's a huge part of this. One thing we always complain about, and this example happens to be about media coverage, so what have we done in the past? We launched a network. Right now, who is winning this battle? The "Salt Lake Tribune" as a distribution of 110,000. The Blaze will have 13 million unique viewers this month. Who is winning this battle? It's a long road. We are approaching this the correct way, we are changing the media landscape by giving people options and letting them make their minds up. Not trying to silence them. I want to hear the beliefs.

Clearly, the debate wasn't going to be settled in one day.

But going back to the original question: Has Glenn changed his stance on boycotts?

Right now, his stance doesn't really seem to be different than his call for people to "put your money where your heart is", in other words support the businesses that represent your values. Create alternatives where there are none. Live your principles. And don't support those businesses that tear down and mock the things you know to be true.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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