Erick Stakelbeck: Do you think the Muslim Brotherhood will go away quietly after Egypt coup?

Well, I was on vacation last week down the Jersey shore. The good part, no Snooki sightings, and as I’m on the beach playing with my two young daughters, a family member comes up to me looking excited. He says, “Hey, did you hear the news? The Muslim Brotherhood guy in Egypt, Morsi, he got kicked out. He’s gone. The army’s in charge now.” And there goes my vacation.

Look, I live and breathe this stuff. My new book about the Muslim Brotherhood comes out next Monday, July 15. It’s called The Brotherhood: America’s Next Great Enemy. So, as you might imagine, I’m all over this issue. But what struck me during my vacation as all of this was unfolding in Egypt, was that friends and family members who aren’t political junkies were very interested in what was happening.

I spent a good part of my week answering questions about Egypt and about everything that’s going on right now in the Middle East. Look, when you have three million people in the streets of Cairo, three million, the largest demonstration in human history, that should be enough to make anyone stand up and take notice that something massive is happening, or so you would think.

A lot of Americans still seem to believe that what happens over there stays over there. Hey, Honey Boo Boo is on the tube, and Kim Kardashian is getting married. In a way, I guess, I can’t totally blame them. They’re just following the example of our elected leadership. As Egypt was in the middle of a historic upheaval last week, President Obama was seen on the golf course at Camp David, and his Secretary of State, John Kerry, the man who’s supposed to be the driving force behind our foreign policy, was out on his yacht.

There they are, ladies and gentlemen, your crack foreign-policy team. Don’t you feel safer knowing they’re on the case? These are the same folks who helped to create this whole violent mess in Egypt by backing the Muslim Brotherhood at every turn. Now, Egypt is on fire, and it’s only going to get worse. Civil War is a real possibility, and remember, this is the most populous and most influential Arab nation, the recipient of billions in U.S. aid.

This isn’t Somalia or Yemen, some medieval backwater. If Egypt becomes a failed state, which it is this close to becoming right now, the whole world is going to feel it. That’s one reason why you over here need to care about what happens over there. Events in Egypt are spiraling out of control very quickly, and that could create a few potentially nasty consequences for America.

The Muslim Brotherhood waited 84 years to gain power. They had it finally. Sharia law was about to be enforced. Women were going to be covered from head to toe. Christians were in the crosshairs, and war with the hated Jews loomed. All of the Brotherhood’s sick dreams were about to be realized and with the full backing of the United States to boot. And then it was all wrenched away from them suddenly and violently after just one year in power.

Do you really think the Brotherhood is just going to go quietly now and accept this turn of events? Folks, this is the granddaddy of them all when it comes to Islamic terrorist groups. They started the entire modern Islamic jihadist movement. The Brotherhood spawned Al Qaeda. I outline in my new book how Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, every major Al Qaeda figure you can think of belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood before they joined Al Qaeda.

That’s no coincidence. The Brotherhood is the gateway drug for jihad, the ideological driving force behind all of the terrorist madness you see today. Oh, and did I mention that Hamas is the Brotherhood’s Palestinian wing? And is it surprising that the Boston bombers attended a mosque controlled by a group that federal prosecutors say is an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in America?

This is a fact: Without the spread of Muslim Brotherhood ideology, of conquering the world for Allah, killing the infidel, and reestablishing a Caliphate, 9/11 would’ve never happened. I repeat, if the Muslim Brotherhood had never been created in Egypt back in 1928, 9/11 would’ve never happened. There would be no war on terror. You’d even be able to keep your shoes on at the airport.

Every single Al Qaeda leader worth his suicide belt was inspired by the teachings and writings of Muslim Brotherhood ideologues like Hassan al-Banna and especially Sayyid Qutb. Remember that name. They laid the groundwork starting with the Brotherhood’s official motto, “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

Now, pay particular attention to those last two lines – jihad, military conquest, is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. Folks, they ain’t going quietly. That’s very bad news for us for a few reasons. The last time the Brotherhood was in this situation in the late 1940s and the 1950s, they carried out a wave of terrorism across Egypt and assassinated Egyptian leaders.

Finally they were crushed by Nasser and banned. But like jihadi vampires, they wouldn’t go away. Their backs are up against the wall now once again. Just today, it was announced that there is an arrest warrant for the Brotherhood’s supreme leader, Mohammed Badie. Morsi and other Brotherhood leaders are under house arrest, and the Egyptian military has killed dozens of Brotherhood supporters over the past week alone.

Look for the Brotherhood and its allies to respond to all of this with terrorism and violence. Bet on it. And folks, if they target the Suez Canal with terror attacks and shut it down, oil prices will go through the roof. That affects you. All of that Middle Eastern oil travels through the Suez before reaching Europe. Do you think the Brotherhood and its allies are unaware of this?

And how about the possibility of the Brothers and other Islamist groups provoking a military confrontation with Israel? Jihadists are launching attacks out of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula against Israel practically every day now. If the Egyptian military can’t control them, Israel will eventually have to take action to defend its borders. But it’s not just the Islamists who could start a war with a hated Zionist entity.

Writing in the Tablet Magazine last week, respected Middle East analyst Lee Smith said, “The Egyptian army has only one card left to play…Egypt may be headed to war with Israel in the not-too-distant future. But as the country implodes, war has become the easy way out…”

Smith wrote, “A short war today – precipitated by a border incident in Sinai, or a missile gone awry in the Gaza Strip, and concluded before the military runs out of the ammunition that Washington will surely not resupply – will reunify the country and earn Egypt money from an international community eager to broker peace. Taking up arms against Israel will also return Egypt to its former place of prominence in an Arab world that is adrift in a sea of blood.”

Ask yourself what would a new Middle East war do to oil prices and the global economy? It’s coming. The only question is whether Egypt, Syria, or Iranian nukes will be the trigger. What also could be coming is Egypt in total collapse with people literally starving. That’s how bad the Egyptian economy is right now. A Civil War, the kind the Islamists want to provoke, would be a death knell.

And who would be left to pay the bills to help try to lift Egypt out of total chaos and collapse? That’s right, you and me, American taxpayers. And by the way, speaking of America, just a little reminder, the Muslim Brotherhood is here in your backyard. As we’ve seen on TheBlaze TV in the groundbreaking documentaries, The Project and Rumors of War III, the Brotherhood has devised plans to destroy America from within.

Our government knows about these plans, yet Brotherhood supporters are guests in the White House, advising the Obama administration on its counterterrorism and Middle East policies. In my new book, I call them “terrorists in suits.” I’ve interviewed them around the world, face to face. They are slick, well educated, well spoken, and well dressed. They are dangerous. Right now, because of what happened to Morsi, they’re also angry.

We saw hundreds of Morsi supporters take to the streets in Chicago earlier this week to call for Morsi’s return as president. Folks, you need to know about this group and not the mainstream media version. Pick up my book, The Brotherhood, when it comes out on July 15. Pick it up.

And you know, it gives me no pleasure to deliver tough news and unpleasant facts, but if you’re watching TheBlaze, I’m pretty sure you’d rather know what’s coming than not know. And you’re going to be just fine as a result.

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

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We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'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.

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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 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.

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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.