Glenn: The things that are worthwhile you can't buy, you can't build

December 17, 2013

Writer

Glenn opened this morning’s radio program with an emotional monologue focused on the silence of the snow and the opportunity it provides to reflect on what is really important. As he drove past the festive Christmas decorations lining New York’s Fifth Avenue this morning, Glenn had a chance to observe both the good and bad this time of year has to offer. Furthermore, Glenn shared some troubling news about the condition of his good friend Pastor Ken Hutcherson that he received last night, and he asked the audience to pray for Hutch's family and one another.

The snow is falling in New York City. There's nothing more beautiful than the snow. There is nothing more peaceful than snow. I don't know. It does something to us. It does something to the rush when you can walk down the streets of one of the largest cities in the world and it's quiet. It's the same whether you're in the normally quiet woods or the mountains and it begins to snow. There's a hush that falls even in the forest, and it gives you time to reflect.

Today as I drove by Central Park, I looked for the man who normally I see on the park bench, the same location every day, with his boxes and his bags and his shopping cart, a man who I drive by every day and I watch him at the stoplight, a man who most people would walk by and think is insane because he talks to himself, sometimes quietly, sometimes loudly.

For a long time I thought he was mentally unstable, and indeed maybe he is, but not when he talks to himself. When he talks to himself, he's not crazy. He's lonely. I know this to be true because I watch him every day, just for a few minutes, as he sits right by a stoplight. And every day I turn my head and I wonder who he is, I wonder where he came from, in the rain, in the heat, always wearing the same clothes. I wonder how he got there.

One day as I watched him having a conversation with himself, he looked up and he saw me. He stopped, he looked me in the eye and I looked him in the eye, man to man, human to human, soul to soul, brother to brother, and he looked down. In the moment he looked down, I knew he was not crazy. He felt caught looking crazy. He looked back up at me. I just nodded my head. He quietly looked away, and the light changed.

As I drove away, I drove down Fifth Avenue, and already the hustle and bustle of the street, people going to their job, people not looking at each other, people not noticing each other, no one saying "good morning," no one saying "hello," no one saying "how are you" and meaning it, and I began to wonder how did everyone get here. What is everyone's story? Those people who are angry and disgruntled, how did they become that way? Those who are lost, how did they become that way? How many are successful recognize that it wasn't just them?

I saw a man with a briefcase who was wearing an expensive suit, expensive shoes, a nice watch, waiting to cross the street. He changed his mind and decided to cross the street in front of my car. And I looked at this successful man and I thought: How did you end up there and another man end up at the side of the park talking to himself? How close is the line? And are you any happier than he is? What is it that you do that maybe at times you would look up because you would see someone watching you?

I realized how much we all are alike. I realized how much we have in common. I realized fear is what keeps us apart. Love is what brings us together. There is no peace on Earth, I said. This morning as I drove in, I looked for the man in the park. He wasn't there today. It was just a bench on the side of the road covered with fresh snow.

Last night I got into bed at 5 o’clock because, I don't know, maybe I was pretending to be my grandfather and go to bed before the sun goes down. I got into bed at 5 o’clock and I hadn't more than a couple of hours sleep the night before and so I wanted to try to catch up on my sleep as I have a very busy week this week, and I'm taking my daughter out for a father/daughter date tonight. I hope to have more than a couple of minutes to talk to my wife, more than a couple of minutes just to talk to my son about hippopotamuses, as we did in the hallway last night.

And my phone rang about 7 o’clock. I hadn't slept well. I kept waking up, things and people weighing on my mind. And it was a friend of mine, Mark, who is a guy who joined my company more as Joe Black than anything else, a guy who wandered the hallways of my company for about a year and a half because I asked him to, because I saw such great talent in him and nobody really understood him and nobody understood what he was supposed to do, and he found himself alone most of the time until the last eight months, when finally fear in him and fear in others subsided and people were able to see each other for who they were. He's the man I asked to go spend time with Ken Hutcherson. He was on the other end of the phone when I picked it up and he said, "Glenn, it's Mark. Ken's dying." A man I know, that I knew, before either of us was born, won't make it until Christmas. I called Ken last night. He couldn't really speak. His wife held the phone up to his ear. I'm praying that the Lord will give him just enough time so I will be able to visit him on Friday. He's on the other side of the country.

And as I drove down Fifth Avenue today and I saw the snow fall and the people rushing to work and all of the stores filled now strangely not even with Santa but with Christmas ornaments and packages and silver and gold and not even red and green really anymore, and white, and it was snow and there were polar bears in the store windows, and I don't even know, Saks Fifth Avenue had the abominable snowman, I think. I don't even know what it was. It was something Christmassy, I guess. And by this afternoon the streets will be packed with people who don't look at each other and don't talk to each other. And they'll rush into the stores and they'll buy a bunch of crap and their kids will open it gleefully and the boxes will be thrown away and the wrapping will be thrown away or thrown into the fireplace and the kids will play with the crap until it breaks. And then they will say, "What's next."

Snow is great because it's quiet enough to allow your thoughts to be heard, and my thought this morning was: What is the meaning of all of the crap, except it distracts us from the things that we should be doing. We should be looking another man in the eye and letting him know we see him. We know he's real. We know he exists, and it's okay. We should be listening and learning from the people who are crossing our paths every day, that really have something to teach, and we should be grateful for the things that we have that didn't come from a store. The things that are worthwhile you can't buy, you can't build.

I know I sound a little, I don't know, melancholy might be a little light to describe my mood today, but it's really not. It's gratitude. It's gratitude for the people that are in my life, that make my life wonderful. It's gratitude for the people in my life that stress me out but stress me out and make me better. It's gratitude for the opportunity to meet so many unbelievable people and become a better man because they crossed my path.

I would ask that you would pray not for Hutch. I don't think he needs it. He's ready and he's good. I told his wife last night, I think the Lord's kept him down around here for a while because he doesn't want Hutch underfoot up there. Honestly I think the Lord's like, “Jeez, I don't know what I'm going to do with Hutch around here. He's going to drive me out of my mind. He's always going to want to be doing stuff.” But pray for his children. Pray for his wife who's going to have to find a job and start a whole new life, take care of the kids. And pray for us that we see the need in others.

The need is great, but we are greater.

Front page image courtesy of the AP

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

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Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

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The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

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Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

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The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

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Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

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Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.

The government is WAGING WAR against these 3 basic needs

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The government has launched a full-on assault against our basic needs, and people are starting to take notice.

As long-time followers of Glenn are probably aware, our right to food, water, and power is under siege. The government no longer cares about our general welfare. Instead, our money lines the pockets of our politicians, funds overseas wars, or goes towards some woke-ESG-climate-Great Reset bullcrap. And when they do care, it's not in a way that benefits the American people.

From cracking down on meat production to blocking affordable power, this is how the government is attacking your basic needs:

Food

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Glenn had Rep. Thomas Massie on his show where he sounded the alarm about the attack on our food. The government has been waging war against our food since the thirties when Congress passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. They started by setting strict limits on how many crops a farmer could grow in a season and punishing anyone who grew more—even if it was intended for personal use, not for sale on the market. This sort of autocratic behavior has continued into the modern day and has only gotten more draconian. Today, not only are you forced to buy meat that a USDA-approved facility has processed, but the elites want meat in general off the menu. Cow farts are too dangerous to the environment, so the WEF wants you to eat climate-friendly alternatives—like bugs.

Water

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As Glenn discussed during a recent Glenn TV special, the government has been encroaching on our water for years. It all started when Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, which gave the government the ability to regulate large bodies of water. As the name suggests, the act was primarily intended to keep large waterways clear of pollution, but over time it has allowed the feds to assume more and more control over the country's water supply. Most recently, the Biden administration attempted to expand the reach of the Clean Water Act to include even more water and was only stopped by the Supreme Court.

Electricity