Glenn: I have been haunted by and have pondered two things today

December 23, 2014

The Glenn Beck Program

On Police officers and the Hobbit.

I have been haunted by and have pondered two things today.

The first is the shootings of our police officers in NYC. I have been in the mountains so you would know better than I but, where was the presidents address on this? Has he said, they could have been my son? These were good men and justice must be served? More importantly, has the press made the same kind of hay and noise for these men as they did for those who's names were made famous by Al sharpton?

I remember saying on radio in 2006:

"there will come a time where everything will be upside down. What you thought you knew, you will not, liquid - solid and up will be down. You will not recognize your country."

Are we there yet? Is this the end or just another phase just as the dark days of the communist black lists in the fifties or the watts riots or la riots were?

Martin Luther King was right. If you put good and evil side by side and let the American people see them both, they will always choose good.

When a truck driver was beaten almost to death in LA in the 90s it was normal people that saw it on tv and went to help.

I still believe we are these people.

But the problem is that we are not allowed to call good by its name and the same with evil. We have been trained for so long not to judge that we have lost our ability to do so. All choices are NOT equal. All cultures are not the same.

If you really believe that take your daughter and your gay and Christian friends and move to Saudi Arabia. They are friends right? They are just as good as we are right?

If you want people who care about the planet as much as we do, take your Eco minded friends and move to china. Bath in their rivers, breath deeply the air and speak common sense and responsibility to their factory owners. Reason with their government about how to treat workers with fairness and dignity. It is an equal if not better system right?

You want great cops? Move 5 miles south of the American border. There is where you will find justice, protection of the innocent and fairness.

Freedom of speech? Move to putin's Russia. He is also great on no war for oil.

By the way, I for one am glad that we have opened Cuba up for travel. Now we can all see first hand just how great cubas health care really is. Now we can all go and experience first hand the beauty of the system proclaimed as better than ours for so long.

Who are you to judge? Who are you to say? What truth? Who's truth?

There is but one truth. It is universal and eternal. It is based on love, compassion and hard evidence. It is our job to seek it and hold fast to it. It requires us to question with boldness and to speak without fear.

If fear is given in lieu of answers, you know there is not much truth to be found. We must seek, ask and knock and in the end when our knock is answered we must be bold in declaring what we have found.

It is not just our right to judge - it is our duty!

When people march in the streets chanting "what do we want? Dead cops! When do we want them? Now!" We have a duty to stand against them and call what they are doing by name: Evil.

The same needs to be said for anyone that prosecute, persecute or discriminate based on race, nationality or creed. What the heck, let's add in sex, weight, sexual preferences - VOTING HABITS, religious affiliation, or whether they believe in the constitution or not.

"I have a dream! That man will be judged by the content of his character".

Is that dream still alive?

The answer is YES! You see the problem is, not that people see evil, it is that no one is showing them good side by side.

Where are the rallies, preachers, school children, parents, business' and communities that will link arms and speak the truth without fear?

Where are the honest reporters, artists, film makers, musicians, radio hosts, writers and teachers?

They are here. They are just silent. We are silent.

Some are afraid. Some are just tired. Some just have stopped believing that they can make a difference. People have begun to believe that nothing they do makes a difference.

They are tired. Broke. Drunk, high, arrogant, foolish or Hungry. Some are Depressed. Lonely. Some don't know what to do. Some are living in self imposed ignorance.

Most are waiting for a leader. Where is the image of good juxtaposed against the image of evil?

Our cops are good people. They are just like you. They reflect our communities. If we are good, so are they. Generally speaking.

Are their bad cops? Yes. Let's work to root them out, not to condemn them all. The cops I know are good. I have however, met a few arrogant ones. We all have. People are people whether they are cops or 7.11 clerks.

*By the way, how is the gun control argument working out for those who think the cops are bad? It is funny how much history repeats itself. It was the democratic southern politician during reconstruction that took the guns from blacks. The rest of the story is infamous. Now the democrats AND republicans would take our guns from us should we let them "for our protection".

Let's begin to trust one another. Let's begin to be responsible and love one another.

Can we begin to expect the best from each other again? Can we not jump to conclusions and immediately say that the cops acted stupidly before all the facts are in?

When the cop is bad, let's name him and make sure justice is served. When the guy who was shot was bad, let's make sure we name him with the facts.

Common sense.

I am sorry ... This isn't what I really wanted to say. tonight.

The other thing that has haunted me is the story line of The Lord of the rings and the two towers. I love this story. I have never watched all of the movies back to back until this last week. I love it even more.

Maybe it is just me, but has anyone thought of the hobbits as us, the Americans? Maybe this has been written about and I am being obvious, but I see their innocence, belief that the world isn't bad, that things will be better, that the "shire" is a special place and it is isolated and protected from the outside evils and I wonder, did JRR T see them as us?

If you buy in to my observation at all, are we still those people? I do not think so. We are sliding into a world that I do not think makes us stronger. Have we lost the innocence and trust that has always set us apart?

Out of all of the characters in that book, ask yourself, who do you most admire? Who would you most want to be or be around?

For me it is Sam. Frodo's companion. He is loyal, kind, compassionate, trustworthy, humble and protective. I am sure there is some kind of test on who you are in the hobbit and what that says about you. I think if the world had more hobbits like Frodo's and Sam our "Shire" would always be nearing spring..

None of us want to face the things that we must, none want to be the one selected to bear the burden of the ring. But we must. It is our lot in life and if we fail all may be lost. But if we just do what is right, keep our mind on those things that are important we just might change the world and beat all of the odds.

Let us be innocent. Let us approach life not as fools or the blind, but like children. ... Or hobbits. With wonder, hope, faith, love, friendship and loyalty to the truth and the task at hand.

Who will you be? Who will you wait for? What will you tolerate? What, with your silence will you teach your children to embrace?

Our kids see our actions JUST AS MUCH AS THEY SEE OUR INACTION.

We see evil. Together, let's prepare ourselves to be the polar negative to all that we see. Let give the world a choice. Together let's choose love and let the chips fall where they may.

I love you and I trust you. We all have children. Even if we had a bad childhood, we all in the depths of our souls do not want others to suffer what we did. We want to believe in the shire. We want to believe in Disneys Main Street USA.

And just,like when we are there, we behave differently. Because we want to believe and make it work.

It does work, it will work. With God all things are possible and tomorrow will be a better day. People can and do change. Let's lead the way.

From the mountain top deep in the heart of the west, good night America.

'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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