'Evil is working as it did in 1939:' A lesson from World War II that MUST be applied today

September 18, 2015

WRITER

In May 1939, a group of 900 refugees boarded the S.S. St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany, destined for Havana, Cuba. Facing death in the Old World, an escape to the New World was now their only hope. They scraped together what little funds they had and purchased tourist visas in Cuba, hoping to eventually make their way to the United States once quotas increased.

When the Cuban government refused to let them in, the ship desperately turned north to the land of the free. The lights of the Miami were visible. The hope and freedom and life, literally, was in their sight. But Roosevelt said he wouldn't allow them in either. The Coast Guard was dispatched to keep these criminals at bay.

The thought of returning to Germany and Europe was too much for many. Some committed suicide. As the S.S. St. Louis sailed back to Europe, an American Jewish relief organization acted at the last minute, purchasing visas for the 900 refugees for various countries in Europe. At least they wouldn't go back to Germany.

On June 17th, the S.S. St. Louis docked in Belgium, where the Jewish refugees were scattered. The world never heard from half of them after that. As the Nazis swept through western Europe, the Nazis took most of them into the concentration camps.

After telling this story on radio Friday, Glenn urged listeners to think about that story as it relates to the Syrian refugee crisis today.

"We're not talking about refugees. We're not talking about migrants," Glenn said. "We are talking about those who are Christians - are provable Christians - who are provable, that are being hunted by the state. And they're asking for asylum."

Watch Glenn's powerful monologue below.

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

GLENN: When there are Jews on a boat and they have been marked for death, they're not refugees. They're not immigrants. They're not migrants. They are seeking asylum. There is a difference between a refugee and those who are seeking asylum. Refugees are those who are going to go back. Refugees should be kept as close to their homeland because once the slaughtering stops, they go back to their homeland.

But, see, the Middle East knows, that doesn't happen in the Middle East. Once they're there, they're there permanently. We are taking whole Somali communities and we're saying that they're refugees. And the State Department is just dropping them in places like Minneapolis. If you go to Minnesota, it is a dramatically different place than it was ten years ago.

We're not talked about refugees. We're not talking about migrants. We are talking about those who are Christians, are provable Christians. Who are provable that they're being hunted by the state. And they're asking for asylum.

In Birmingham, I announced the Nazarene Fund to help rescue the Christians in the Middle East. They're facing exactly the same circumstances that those 900 Jews that boarded the St. Louis faced. They are at risk of death. If they stay, they will die. But they also are risking death if they try to flee to Europe because it's out of control now.

The world -- it's very easy to say, "Auxiliary we're going to disrupt this. Oh, we're going to support the Muslim Brotherhood. Oh, we're going to support the uprising in Syria." It's very easy to support those things. But now we're seeing the consequences. The ones that we warned of. The Nazarene Fund has now raised 7.5 -- I think it's $7.56 million. That's in three weeks. That's never happened before. Just two days I've been asking you to match the $37 -- what is it -- 37.32. We had a veteran try to -- he gave us his savings for the last few months, and he gave it all in change. And it was $37.32. And I said, "Could you just match that?" We have gotten this from children opening up their piggy banks. We have gotten this from people who are just trying to just -- they don't have a lot. We have raised just in two days $70,000 just from people matching 37.32, or less. People are doing bake sales. People want to help provide asylum.

We now have identified over 400 families. I have to have a conversation. I was hoping to have a conversation with you today. But I can't until probably next week.

And I have to be very careful of my language because I have now heard that we are, at least, the most famous effort to save these Christians. And every word that I speak could be a death sentence to people. And so I have to be very, very careful. But I also have to be very careful with you. This is an extraordinary responsibility. And I want you to know that we have looked at this money -- this is God's money. This is money that you didn't give to me. You didn't give to my company. You gave to Mercury One. But you want to make sure that it is going exactly to the right place and that we're saving the right people.

The pressure is enormous. And I would ask for your prayers. We are traveling to -- my staff is traveling to the Middle East soon. I can't give you any more details on this. But evil is working as it did in 1939.

These families are now delayed due to the vicious propaganda machine that is working in Europe and the rest of the world. Suddenly, they are not people escaping death, they are criminals, they are terrorists, and they're invaders.

We don't have the quotas here. We can't take anymore. We can't help them. The world is turning away the S.S. St. Louis. Now, I want you to understand, that it's not the same. Those who are refugees, those who are Muslim, it is not the same as those who seek asylum because they have been marked to death because of their Christianity.

I want to thank you. I want to thank the most amazing radio audience literally in the history of, I believe, this medium. I have never seen anything like this in the 35 years of broadcast that I have done. I've never witnessed an audience like this. This now has taken on a life of its own. And I know how much heat you're getting. And I know how much trust you're giving to me. And believe me, I know the forces of darkness, and I know the forces of the -- we fight more than flesh and bone, but we also fight flesh and bone.

There is a great propaganda campaign going on right now against this effort. And they're trying to make this into, "Glenn Beck wants to just scoop up a bunch of Muslims and bring them here." I never said that I would smuggle anyone in. I never said -- we take this responsibility. I am with you. I understand the security of the United States of America. Do you not think that we've had serious conversations in saying, "We cannot let one bad guy in. Not one." And not for any other reason other than, one bad guy dooms every other Christian in the Middle East to death. No one will ever take anyone. Do you know how much sleep my staff has lost?

My staff, some of them are currently over in the Middle East now. Some day when this is all over, I will share their emails. And I will share their concerns. And I will share their in the middle of the night getting up and crying and sweeping after hearing the stories, and Sophie's Choice, I can't help that person.

If you will, I'm not asking you to donate or anything today. If you'd like to, you can do it at now.mercuryone.org. Here's the one thing I would like to ask you for, is your prayers. Please, pray for the spirit to guide. Pray for the spirit to keep our hearts soft, and pray for miracles to happen. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the S.S. St. Louis.

Featured Image: Migrants board trains and buses at the train station in Beli Manastir, near Hungarian border on September 18, 2015 in Beli Manastir, Croatia. Officials are saying that they had no choice than to close eight road border crossings yesterday after more than 11,000 people entered the country since Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia earlier this week. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

'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

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

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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