Governor Rick Perry not happy with Madonna for wearing Boy Scout outfit to GLAAD

March 19, 2013

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Glenn spoke the Rick Perry, Governor of the great state of Texas, this morning on radio. The two covered a wide-range of topics from the state of the economy to the Second Amendment, and even Madonna's recent attack on the Boy Scouts when she showed up to a GLAAD meeting dressed like a Boy Scout.

"It's fascinating that someone would make that kind of gratuitous shot at an organization that has probably done as much to promote young men to the type of values that the vast majority of the people in this country aspire to," Governor Perry said to Glenn. "You know, I get to see a lot of resumes, Glenn, you know, boards of regents or to head up agencies and commissions, and when I see Eagle Scout, I pull that out and I set it aside because I know something about this individual without ever meeting them. Without reading anything else on their resume, I know that as a young man they made a decision to follow a long and arduous path to reach that Eagle Scout award and that if they went through that long process between the ages of 10 and 15—16 years old, that those qualities, those characteristics, those values are still very much alive in that young man who's asking to work for you and that's the kind of people I want surrounding me. That's the type of individuals I want to be working with and I'm counting on to take the great State of Texas forward."

Glenn agreed, explaining that he too has a very high opinion of young men he meets that make it to Eagle Scout.

It had been awhile since Glenn had touched base with the Governor, so he quickly shifted the conversation back to business. Glenn wanted to get Perry's take on thing big topics in the news that have been on his mind lately: finance, education, and the Second Amendment.

Common Core, a recent education program Glenn covered on TheBlaze TV, was stopped in Texas by Governor Perry. Glenn was curious to know why the Governor shared his feelings on the programs.

"Could you explain a little bit about why these things are so insidious and what people need to understand?" Glenn asked. "Because it seems to me it is a backdoor to cut off all rights to parents and to states on anything to have to do with education."

"Well, it is, and it's a great concern that we've seen this effort to bypass oversight by Michael Williams, the Commissioner, you know, the legislature for that matter, because the legislature is a microcosm of the state," Perry responded. "This is a conservative state, and I absolutely agree with education chairman Patrick and TA commissioner Williams that we need to ensure that there is appropriate transparency, quality control, oversight of the CSCOPE."

Perry also noted that he and his state strongly support homeschooling. Commenting on the German family who are in a legal battle to get political asylum in the United States to be able to homeschool their children, Perry said, "Let me tell you that won't stand in the State of Texas. As a matter of fact, if there's a state that is stronger from the standpoint of supporting parents' individual rights to homeschool their children than Texas, I don't know which state that is."

Another concerning topic on Glenn's mind is what went on in Cyprus over the weekend. The government is taking 7% to 10% of the savings their citizens currently have in bank accounts, and have shut down their bank accounts until at least Thursday.

"It's really to send a message that this is not your money," Glenn said.

"What's happening over in Europe will eventually come here if we don't turn the page, and it may come anyway," Glenn added. "How does somebody ‑‑ how does a state protect to make sure that the people's money in their banks never fall under this, that they just can't, they just can't seizure money or in a state's case that they just don't take the money from the state?"

Governor Perry's belief is that what is happening in Cyprus are just the canaries in the cole mine.

"I will suggest to you that are nothing more than a piece of paper are ‑‑ that may be just about what they're worth. I mean, if you don't have physical gold, it's one of the reasons that, you know, we were in the process in Texas of bringing gold that belongs to the State of Texas back into the state," the Governor told Glenn.

Governor Perry went on to explain that Texas legislature in the process of bringing the gold they own back to the state. And despite Glenn's skepticism that it could be done, because of rehypothecation, Perry seemed confident. Rehypothecation is when a bank or other broker-dealer takes the collateral pledged by its clients and reuses that same collateral to cover it's own borrowing.

"I'll tell you Mexico they're [the Federal Reserve] going to turn down. They've already turned down Germany at the Federal Reserve, and it's all because of rehypothecation. When people understand what rehypothecation really means, the game is up. And I'd be surprised if Texas is allowed to get their gold back."

"If we own it, I will suggest to you that that's not someone else's determination whether we can take possession it, bring it back or not," Gov. Perry responded.

Glenn liked that answer quite a bit.

"This is a very good transition and I know you didn't mean it this way but I'm going to take it that way because it makes me feel better. There is currently, and you know, a serious and perhaps the biggest and most serious attempt to do this since reconstruction," Glenn said. "And when they tried to grab the guns from African‑American and freedmen, there is a serious attack on guns, you can't buy ammo, you can't buy guns, and what's going to happen if Colorado passes it and it starts to move in that way and the president just says, 'You know what? It's moving that way and that's where we're going?'"

"Well, I think this gets right back to the conversation and the strong argument that we've made for the last couple of years relative to the Tenth Amendment and that our Founding Fathers understood clearly that, you know, there are, there are enumerated powers in our Constitution," Gov. Perry stated. "It lays them out. It clearly articulates what the federal government is to be involved with and the Tenth Amendment clearly shows that if it is not enumerated, if these powers are not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, then they are reserved for the states or to the people. And that goes right to the heart of a substantial number of these ‑‑ of these arguments."

He went on to add that if states continue to sign these bills regulating gun manufacturers, they'll be welcomed into the state of Texas.

"Mag pool I can assure you has already been contacted by the State of Texas inviting them to move their operation here, that they not only will be free to manufacture but they will be welcomed wholeheartedly and look forward to allowing those employees to keep more of what they work for so that they won't be overtaxed as well as over-regulated in a state like Colorado," he said.

Glenn added onto the Governors comment about encouraging companies and individuals to move to Texas, asking him to encourage that people be invited to Texas for the freedom, not just the jobs. He noted about progressives moved to Colorado and are changing that landscape. Glenn is afraid that the same thing will begin to happen in Texas.

"We're recruiting people that truly believe in freedom," Perry responded. "If they're takers, if they want government to take care of them from cradle to the grave, they're going to stay in California. They're going to stay in states with these rich programs that they take other people's money and then redistribute it. The people that are coming here are people who still believe in the basis for America, that the freedom from overtaxation and freedom from overregulation, freedom from over-litigation."

Governor Perry added, "Colorado had, I will suggest to you, too many programs that lured too many people that want government taking care of them rather than believing in the free market system and allowing people the freedom to fail as well as the freedom to succeed."

It's safe to say Glenn is much happier to now have Rick Perry as the governor of his state than Gov. Cuomo.

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

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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?

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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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