What made Glenn say he doesn't want his citizenship anymore?

September 02, 2015

WRITER

Congressman Duncan Hunter (Rep) joined Glenn on radio Wednesday to discuss Charles Martland, an American Green Beret who was recently relieved of duty after serving his nation proudly for ten years. When he learned the reason for his discharge, Glenn’s blood began to boil, and not against Martland.

Here's what Glenn had to say.

In his own words, "I fully understand that during a previous deployment in Afghanistan, my detachment commander and I were absolutely wrong in striking one of our Afghan local police commanders."

So he struck him. Now, why would one of our soldiers strike an Afghani police commander?

In his own words, "This action was in response to the police commander kidnapping and brutally raping a young local boy and then beating the boy's mother after she came to our camp to plea for help. We've already had two other Afghani police commanders receive no punishment from the Afghan government for the rape of a 15-year-old girl and the honor killing of a commander's 12-year-old daughter for kissing a boy. My detachment commander and I felt morally we could no longer stand by and allow our allies to commit such atrocities."

In reaction to the letter, Glenn told Hunter he doesn't want his citizenship anymore, saying, "I think my citizenship is going to be used as an indictment against me in the eternal courts."

Later, he clarified, saying he really does want his citizenship, but wished there was a place like the United States used to be when Germany started to go down its road, where people could to stand on moral principles and not be punished for it.

Listen.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: Charles Martland. He has been relieved of duty. He has served his nation proudly for ten years. In ten years of service, he has only had one negative action against him. And in a letter that I have, he is apologizing to the military and said, I have learned and matured greatly since that incident. What was the incident?

In his own words, I fully understand that during a previous deployment in Afghanistan, my detachment commander and I were absolutely wrong in striking one of our Afghan local police commanders. So he struck him. Now, why would -- why would one of our soldiers strike an Afghani police commander?

In his own words: This action was in response to the police commander kidnapping and brutally raping a young local boy and then beating the boy's mother after she came to our camp to plea for help. We've already had two other Afghani police commanders receive no punishment from the Afghan government for the rape of a 15-year-old girl and the honor killing of a commander's 12-year-old daughter for kissing a boy. My detachment commander and I felt morally we could no longer stand by and allow our allies to commit such atrocities.

Nothing has happened to the -- to the police officers. Our, quote, allies. But he has been relieved of duty. Duncan Hunter is on the phone with us now. How are you, sir?

DUNCAN: I'm doing great. Pretty crazy story, isn't it?

GLENN: This is -- this is -- this is an atrocity in and of itself.

DUNCAN: Yeah. You know, what you see, Glenn, and this is what's happening in the military. This is why getting a commander-in-chief is of the utmost importance.

You see a military class that's now a political class, and they're in uniform instead of in suits. And that's what you get here. This is what you get when lawyers run US military, and it's not used to kill people and influence things. It's used to make sure that everybody in it is regulated and does not step across the line, which in this case doing nothing, in my opinion, would have been grounds for immediate removal from the Army. Doing nothing would have been grounds for kicking out Sergeant First Class Martland. Not doing something. He was reprimanded by a general. General Hoss. I mean, there's -- we have the letter of reprimand. Can you imagine setting up these village stability operations? By the way, this is not in Kabul. It's not in a big city. It's where six or seven Green Berets go to the towns out in the middle of nowhere, these little villages, and try to set up some form of stand-up government that is not the Taliban. That's what these Special Forces guys were doing.

So they're out there. They're alone and unafraid. And you find out that the police chief that we're paying for with taxpayer dollars that we're training with US soldiers has just raped repeatedly over six or seven days, this little boy, chained to a bed. And then as you said, beat up the mother, and the soldiers didn't even rough him up that badly, Glenn. They even say he exaggerated his bruises, meaning they didn't do enough to him, in my opinion. He would have been lucky to walk out of there with his life. But we know, you know, if you watch the movies now and you see like Lone Survivor, you know that there's no right answer for our guys on the front lines because they don't want to go to jail. That's the end decision.

GLENN: Let me tell you something. Congressman Duncan Hunter, let me tell you something, this is why we're hated around the world. We're hated around the world because we don't stand for anything. If we allow our ally to brutally chain and rape a 15-year-old boy after he's kidnapped him and then beat up the mother and then two other commanders also got away with an honor killing and another rape of a girl, who the hell are we? We expect the rest of the world to respect our uniform when we will stand idly by and see that atrocity going on?

DUNCAN: It's moral decay at the highest levels. And, see, that's the problem too, Glenn. It's not the guys joining. The guys from 18 years old to 25. I mean, these are great Americans. Right? But as you get up that ladder and you get promoted over and over again and you want to make general, what you don't want is for anything bad to come out on your record whatsoever. And that means not standing up for your men.

And that's what's happening now at the highest levels, especially in the Army, that the men at the lower levels that are out there doing the grunt work each and every day are not being stood up for by their commander-in-chief or their higher officers. And you have total moral decay in that -- what we think as right as Americans and what we would do in any situation, is not just frowned upon now in the US military, it's discouraged and even punished.

GLENN: I have to tell you, Congressman, I don't want my citizenship anymore. I really don't. I think my citizenship is going to be used as an indictment against me in the eternal courts. I mean, this is -- we're so far off the rails. We are supporting Iran today, the 34th vote came in for the Democrats. So we're supporting Iran over Israel. And the rest of our allies around the world who say this is insanity. We're -- we're telling this guy that he can't serve in -- he's been a Green Beret for 11 years. A Green Beret and we're kicking him out because he stood up for a 15-year-old boy and his mother. Good God Almighty, I don't want my citizenship. It's an indictment.

DUNCAN: Yeah. I've done a couple of tours, so I paid for this citizenship with my time. So I'll keep mind for a while, Glenn.

GLENN: No, I understand. And I know that's an outrageous thing to say, Duncan. But I think you can at least understand how people -- I mean, really, what does our citizenship mean? We are becoming a very dark, evil country if we can't stand clear on this one.

DUNCAN: No, we can't stand clear on this. We can forget about being pro-choice or pro-life. We're now selling baby bodies.

GLENN: Yeah.

DUNCAN: We're supporting Iran. This is a real -- it's all coming down.

GLENN: And what did Mitch McConnell say today? Mitch McConnell said that it's not a good time. It's just not a good time to defund Planned Parenthood. Good God, when they're selling baby parts, when is a good time?

DUNCAN: Right.

Now.

GLENN: So how can we help you on this? How can we help Charles Martland?

DUNCAN: What you can do is just let people know about it. I mean, that's all I can do even. There's no legislation I can pass. The president doesn't care. The SecDef hasn't answered me back yet. Just people need to know about this. It has to put pressure on the Army. The last thing the Army should want -- because it's an all volunteer force is for parents sitting at home going, hey, you know what, Johnny, I'd prefer if you don't join the Army. Join a different service that will at least look out for you when you do the right thing as an American when you're overseas.

GLENN: That we can do. That we can do.

DUNCAN: That's the only pressure, it comes from you and the public seeing this, and the Army realizing, hey, we better shape up, or we're not going to be able to even get people to join.

GLENN: So who should they call? Should they call the Pentagon?

DUNCAN: Yeah, call the Pentagon. Call the Secretary of Defense.

GLENN: Okay.

DUNCAN: And if you call my office in D.C. -- it's (202)225-5672 -- we can put you guys in touch with who to call. There's a great article out on this in Newsweek that just came online this morning that is a different case. Jason Amerine, who exposed the hostage -- the lack of hostage rescue ability the United States has. He's being kicked out of the Army. You have Major Golsteyn, who killed a terrorist. The CIA found out about it. He's being kicked out of the Army. You have all these Special Forces guys doing the right thing for us.

GLENN: That's easy. That's easy.

DUNCAN: And we're trying to publicize this stuff.

GLENN: This is the easiest thing I've ever asked anybody today because this is exactly -- because I have people coming up all the time and asking me, Glenn, would you put your son or daughter in the military today? And the answer is for the first time in my life, absolutely not. Absolutely not. You call the Army and say, I will put my son in the Air Force. I will put my son or daughter in the Navy. But I will not do it. I will not put you in the Army. I will not allow my children to go into the Army. If this is the way you treat people, if this is the standard that we have, I don't want anything to do with anybody in a military uniform with a US Army, if this is what you stand for. This is obscene! This is obscene! Duncan, thank you so much. I appreciate it. Anything we can do to help, you let me know. Please stay in touch with my office and tell us how we can help.

DUNCAN: Okay. We will do it. Remember, Marine Corps. Always got that option too.

GLENN: Yes, sir. Yes, sir. God bless you. Thank you so much.

Okay. Next we're going to go to a police officer in Philadelphia who says he's afraid to do his job. We'll talk to him in a second.

Let me tell you, everything is coming undone. I told you everything that you could believe in. Everything that you you thought you could believe in will turn to sand. Everything that you thought was solid will be liquid. Do you remember me saying that six, seven, eight years ago? Here we are. When you can't -- when a guy wearing a US Army uniform is kicked out of the Army for standing up against someone who was raping a 15-year-old boy and then beating his mother as he comes to the US Army for help, there's nothing left to believe in, except God.

'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 critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

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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 Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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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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