Glenn joined Matt Kibbe, Senator Mike Lee, Rafael Cruz, and others on the eve of Man in the Moon for FreedomWorks 'Free the People 2013' rally at Usana Amphitheater in Salt Lake City. The event, focused on the topic of entrepreneurship was filled with passionate speeches from prominent figures, politicians, and Americans just like you.
President of FreedomWorks, Matt Kibbe opened the night by praising small business owners, Tea Party and 9/12 group leaders, and the entrepreneurs in the crowd.
"Unlike my hometown, Washington D.C., I actually respect what you do," Matt Kibbe told the crowd.
Kibbe went on to note that the current administration is alienating small business owners, demonizing those that are successful and limiting the success of those that are working hard to make ends meat. But, Kibbe noted, that is to be the expected response of anyone in power toward those who don't need or want to turn to them for assistance, noting that the founders felt lonely as well when they signed that sheet of paper that declared the country's freedom.
Great African American conservative leaders, like Mia Love, Deneen Borelli, and Rev. C.L. Bryant also joined the rally to tell their stories of hard work, failure, and eventually success.
Mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah Mia Love told the story of how her parents came to the United States from Haiti with nothing, but with hard work, were able to buy a home and eventually put all three of their children through college.
For them, Mia noted, "you didn't come to the United States of America for "easier", you came here to be free."
Deneen, now a Fox News Contributor, was the first member of her family to graduate college.
"Hard work, perseverance, and my faith in God that has gotten me to where I am today," she told the audience.
She attended night school for 11 years while working in corporate America to achieve that success. Borelli spent 20 years in corporate America before moving into the public policy sphere, describing her move as going from "a citizen on the sidelines to a citizen on the front lines
"We have two choices," she told the crowd, "to be dependent or independent. I chose to be independent."
Arizona Congressman David Schweikert and entrepreneur Jeff Sanderer each joined the stage for a few moments to talk to the FreedomWorks crowd. Schweikert focused on the responsibility each American has who truly believes that the Constitution is a divinely inspired document.
He noted that the things destroying the country and the culture and internal.
"We've allowed the ballot box to put these people into power," he said, "that needs to stop and it needs to stop today."
Sanderer, told the audience that it's his believe that they are the one who will put a stop to it. In fact, he told the audience he believes they'll do more than that, he believes they're going to change the world.
Much like Glenn has been highlighting lately, the current battle isn't simply about economic freedom or the right vs. the left — it's about freedom vs. slavery.
"Liberty is right, slavery is wrong," he said. "Man longs to be free."
"The opposite of liberty is not financial insecurity," he continued, "it's slavery. And we should not be afraid to say so."
Arguably one of the most memorable speeches came from father of Senator Ted Cruz, Rafael Cruz. After heard him speak for a few minutes it's easy to see that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree in the Cruz household.
Rafael came to the United States from Cuba at the age of 19. He put himself through college and thought Cuba had found the man to revolutionize the country and increase freedom with Fidel Castro was elected. After moving back to Cuba after college, it didn't take long for Mr. Cruz to see how very wrong he was.
As a result of the marxist ideology that Castro put the country under, Cruz came back to the United States — disillusioned, but thankful. After his life in cuba, he knew how precious and rare America was.
In 1976, after hearing witnessing policies that reminded him of Cuba be implemented in the country, Rafael quickly got actively involved in the Reagan campaign. He knew what happened there couldn't happen here.
"If we lose our freedoms here, where do we go?" he asked, and noted was something he engrained into Ted while he was growing up.
Today, under the Obama regime, Rafael noted his fear that the country is following the same mistakes he and his former country once did. He recalled the most ominous words he's ever heard were said in the last two State of the Union Addresses by President Obama: "If Congress does not act, I will act unilaterally."
"This country is unique because of its documents," he continued. "Outside of the Bible, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence are the greatest two documents ever pinned. And the written they've last is because they were written on the knees of the framers."
He emphasize how important it is that they are not disregarded.
"this country is unique
outside of the bible, constitution and declaration are the greatest two documents ever pinned. and the reason they've lasted is bc they were written on the knees of the framers.
"This administration can take everything away, but they can't take our honor," he closed.
A Senator that is cut from the same cloth as Rafael Cruz's son addressed the crowd later in the show: Utah Senator Mike Lee.
Senator Lee recalled what it was like when he first joined the Senate and how uncomfortable he felt with the title. But, after being hassled for looking like a DC staffer, Lee recognized something: sometimes you have to assert your title — or as he put it, "what is properly yours."
"Sometimes, even when it's difficult, you have to assert that which is properly yours," he said, "As men and women of America, we were meant to live free and we must assert it every day of our lives."
"If we stop and we don't assert those rights because is difficult," he continued, "we all lose them."
Senator Lee noted that looking at the crowd that showed up in his home state of Utah makes him more optimistic than ever that the freedom movement is going to be the winning movements.
"We can win. We can get there. But we have to do it together," he told the crowd.
Quoting Gandhi, Lee reminded them, that at first your detractors will ignore you, then they'll laugh at you, next they'll want to fight you, but then…you win.
Looking back over the 9/12 and TEA Party movements, Sen. Lee reflected, "our movement began just a few years ago…and when we started it they ignored us…and then, of course, they laughed at us. Righ now they're fighting us. But guess what comes next? We win."
Glenn took the stage last, and tied everything that was said that night together in a way that only Glenn Beck could. He tied it all to Civil Rights, our basic rights. In fact, because of that simple fact — that this freedom movement is all about our basic constitutional (of Civil) rights — that's the only reason we're capable of organizing this size crowd.
"There isn't anyone on the left or the right that can put this kind of crowd together," he told the audience. "We can because all we care about is the basic constitutional rights of Americans."
Almost all Americans agree on these basic rights, but the language used between the left in the right is different. One group talks about Civil Rights, while the other talks about the Constitution. What it all comes down to is where you draw your line in the sand.
"If you don't draw a line in the sand you will just keep drifting," he explained. "You have to know what you are willing to do and what you're not willing to do. It's really easy because it's about civil rights."
"MLK wasn't asking for special rights," he continues. "He was asking for the same things guaranteed in our Constitution."
Even today, in what feels like one of the most divisive times in recent history, 85% of america agree with freedom of speech. Despite that, we're letting these rights be violated every single day by groups like the NSA who are tracking and monitoring everything we do in the digital world and otherwise.
"When will we say enough is enough?" he asked the audience.
"What are WE creating? What is our line?" he continued.
Glenn's line, like most Americans, is simple: It is the constitution of the United States of America.
There are two fronts to the current freedom movement, Glenn explained: the political and of conscience. These movements have to work side by side and it can't just be about politics, it has to be about rights.
This week, Glenn has met people who traveled from all of the world to be here for Man in the Moon. China, Canada, Hong Kong, you name it. The world is crying out for help and looking for a model to follow.
"You are the model the world is crying out for," Glenn told the audience. "Stand up and take the reigns."
"This audience is going to be a pivot point," he continued. "This audience is going to be the one that changes and saves the nation."
But not just with politics, Glenn explained that while they're working on the political, and the mainstream media will try to keep them focused on the political, that's now how you create real change the hearts and minds of the people around you. The culture has to shift.
"We're working on the political, we're working on the spiritual, but the voting box is the last stop," Glenn said. "The first stop is the culture."
"When you see the Main in the Moon tomorrow it is my hope that we no longer let the dreamers and the great artists of our day be co-opted by the left," he said. "We can change the culture and imprint that on our children's hearts."
In closing, Glenn explained that he's already begun work on (what's now called) Man in the Moon 2. It's about the journey to America and why people came here.
"People came here a reason," Glenn proclaimed. "To follower their own conscience — to be free. We need to celebrate that!"
"Find out why YOU have made the spiritual journey to America," he continued. "Stand. Protect. Defend. And love one another with courage. Trust in God and divine providence and all is well."
Check out the quick interview with Glenn following the FreedomWorks event below and then get ready for the big event tomorrow!
USAF / Handout | Getty Images
Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images
David McNew / Stringer | Getty Images