In The Marketplace: Why ‘American Made’ Matters (part 3 of 5)

October 17, 2013

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Editor’s Note: This article was written by Colin Balfe, director of The Marketplace by TheBlaze, and is part of a series of stories highlighting businesses in TheBlaze’s eCommerce channel. In this five-part series on “American Made” small businesses, we learn about the people behind the shops in The Marketplace by TheBlaze. Read Part 1 of the series HERE and Part 2 HERE.

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The Marketplace is a collection of remarkable people, extraordinary small businesses and excellent products. It’s the feeling you get upon entering a general store in a small town. It’s the handshake and smile you receive from a shop owner who has been working 16 hours straight, five days in a row. Beyond that warmth and within their work ethic is a passionate pursuit to fulfill their own version of the American dream. Learn their struggles, celebrate their triumphs and support their dream to strengthen American manufacturing.

CONSTITUTION QUEST

You’ve probably heard about Constitution Quest, the board game that’s sweeping the nation with Constitutional literacy. What you might not have realized is that the creators of the game aren’t part of some big conglomerate in the gaming industry. Instead, they’re a regular American family, fired up with the entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for our nation’s Constitution.

“Our passion for the Constitution has grown over the years,” says Pam Barret, co-owner of the business.

The Barrets’ dedication is also what caused them to commit to producing the game 100 percent in the USA. You may ask, what’s so important about that? To the creators of the game, they had no other choice.

“We never considered having this American curriculum made anywhere besides the USA.” Pam says. Every time a marketing “expert” urged them to manufacture the game overseas for a higher profit margin, they politely refused.

“Just because we want to be entrepreneurs doesn’t mean it’s only about the money,” Pam says, adding that many of their customers have applauded their commitment to producing the game entirely in the U.S.

“Our customers feel personal pride in supporting American workers and American jobs, and they want the dollars they spend to directly benefit American communities,” she says.

At The Marketplace, we’re proud to work with “Made in America” businesses like the Barrets. They have found a way to make the Constitution engaging and fun for the whole family!

WE THE PEOPLE FIGHT TYRANNY GAME

Like the Barrets, Robert and Brenda Snizek discovered one of best ways to teach kids is to make a game out of learning, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. Brenda is a part-time math instructor at Montana State University and her husband Robert works as a medical case manager helping people with acquired brain injuries in their recovery process. The Marketplace is proud to have them as a part of our small business community.

Robert and Brenda view themselves simply as concerned parents. As parents of teenagers, the Snizeks saw the need for a tool to help teach their kids the difference between liberty and entitlement and between freedom and “free” stuff.

Combining what they know about education with what they believe in their hearts about teaching kids, the passionate duo has created a new kind of game that teaches this invaluable lesson.

“People don’t know what modern-day tyranny looks like,” Brenda says. “So, we built a tool to teach just that, both liberty and tyranny.”

Throughout the process of creating and distributing their game, We the People Fight Tyranny, the Snizeks have remained committed to making their product in America.

“We love America!” Robert says. The game represents the Snizek family’s investment in our country’s future in several ways.

“First,” Robert explains, “by manufacturing it here, we support working families. Second, the content of this game teaches why individual liberties are worth defending—which is the first step in preserving America’s future.”

Brenda adds, “We’re trying to make a difference in the world by shaping and teaching the next generation.”

And they are succeeding. With each game they sell, the Snizeks are creating a generation of youth that is not afraid to stand and defend liberty, because they not only know what they believe, but why.

We’re proud to support small businesses that provide ways for our youth to engage in truth and history and are helping to build the greatest force for liberty our country has ever seen.

TIMBERWORKS TOYS

For the younger set, we present Timberworks Toys, another amazing small business that is 100 percent committed to staying “American made.” In fact, it’s what got them started.

“Really, it all started on a weekend in 2008 when my wife told me how much she hated that the toys she wanted to buy for our son were made in China,” explains Chris Heston, owner and manufacturer at Timberworks Toys. Chris’ wife encouraged him to make some log toys for their son in his wood shop.

Already busy as a custom cabinetmaker in Columbia, Mo., Chris started making log toys for his son during father-son time on the weekends. All of a sudden, they were extremely popular with his cabinet clients.

“They would come in to meet with me about designing their kitchen cabinets, and they would be ‘sidetracked’ by the toys,” Chris says. After several clients started requesting his creations for their kids and grandkids, Chris decided to turn the toys into a business.

What started as an effort to create quality, made-in-America toys for their son has turned into a thriving family business for the Hestons. Chris’ son continues to be responsible for much of the success of the business.

“He is so creative, smart and innovative,” Chris says. “I designed the parts necessary to allow him to build a bridge for his toy cars, but he was the one who wanted to build a bridge with his log toy set in the first place – he did the rest!”

Of his business, Chris says, “Owning my own business means a sense of following my own destiny,” and he’s keeping it American made.

'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?

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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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