How to Stop the Seismic Cultural Shift Threatening the Next Generation

March 15, 2017

WRITER

America is facing a moral and cultural crisis like never before. In his new book, Fault Line: How a Seismic Shift in Culture is Threatening Free Speech and Shaping the Next Generation, author and journalist Billy Hallowell explores the battle being waged against our foundation through the mainstream media, the entertainment industry and the educational system. He also offers practical steps for all Christians to take and provides advice on how to respond to these growing problems. Hallowell joined Glenn Wednesday on radio for a lively discussion.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

GLENN: I'm going to look something up here. I'm looking -- I'm reading Billy Holloway's book Fault Line. And he says how to be able to solve this, one, you have to be informed. I think we're informed on this story.

PAT: Yes.

JEFFY: We are.

PAT: I think so.

GLENN: Then don't tell me what you believe, live what you believe. What are your values and beliefs?

PAT: Okay.

JEFFY: We put on the red, white, and blue flag. We believe in America, amen.

GLENN: Okay. Got to make sure you're living it.

PAT: Right.

GLENN: So the people that were wearing the red, white, and blue, they were living what they believe. It wasn't about -- it was team spirit for their school. Why is it that somebody else is -- why is there a problem here? Most likely because people on the other side took offense. That was coming from them. Not from the other side.

PAT: Right.

GLENN: They took offense to it because they weren't informed on the subject. They didn't know these guys did this all the time. And they're not living their principles of, I am a refugee from a very oppressed place, and I'm coming to the United States for shelter.

PAT: And the United States is taking me in. So I should enjoy seeing those --

GLENN: Hello. I'm grateful that I live in a place with diversity.

PAT: Yeah. How about the fact that I'm at a basketball game looking at other students wearing red, White, and blue, rather than I'm looking out the window at an ISIS fighter slicing the head off of somebody? How about that?

GLENN: All right. All right. All right. All right. Okay. I got it.

Let me -- can I get Billy Hallowell on?

Billy Hallowell has a new book called Fault Line: How a Seismic Shift in Culture is Threatening Free Speech and Shaping the Next Generation.

This is really important to pay attention to. Because the facts and figures in this book are accurate. And they are going to fundamentally transform us. Billy, welcome to the program.

BILLY: Hey, thanks for having me.

GLENN: So let's go to -- you talk about in the book, you say, you know, one of the biggest faults we have -- and I don't want to misquote you, but basically that it is the line between being tolerant and being relative. And we have slid into moral relativism, where we need to be tolerant, but it has been used against us. How do we -- first, give me the facts or the stats on this. And then tell me how to fix that.

BILLY: Yeah, we've got over half of the country saying that it's up to cultures to figure out what they think is moral. Right? So there's this baseline of morality that's completely gone. I mean, the majority of us are saying, oh, you just have to decide for yourself what you believe to be true. And that's specifically true with millennials. Fifty-one percent of millennials believe that truth is relative. So you have a big problem there.

And so that's sort of the starting point. How do we fix it? Well, you've got to acknowledge the problem first, which is that the Hollywood content we've seen, media universities, all three of those have really reshaped the culture. We've allowed that to happen. And we've allowed that to happen because so many of us have disengaged.

So my big solution to this, and this is from a 30,000 foot level in fault line is that we've got to get engaged. We have to make good Hollywood content. We have to make -- you know, get involved in media. We've got to be professors. We've got to be out there. People who are Christians, conservatives, people who are complaining -- you know, it's great to complain, but what are you going to do to fix the problem?

PAT: Yeah, we got to -- we have to make an impact in the culture. It's interesting that you note in the book, Billy, that 35 percent of millennials have no faith whatsoever. They're atheist or agnostics. Is it 35 percent?

BILLY: So that number, in fact -- and it's crazy because every two years, you know, a new study will come out. It was 2015 that Pew first came out saying it was about 34, 35 percent.

PAT: Wow.

BILLY: Now we've got a poll out saying it's about 39 percent. Now, those people are -- and here's sort of the hope. They're atheist, agnostic, or just unaffiliated. And the biggest chunk are unaffiliated.

But those are the people who we're going to lose, right? If we don't go out there and bring the message to them, we're going to totally lose them.

But the hope is, hey, they're not agnostic, they're not atheist. They believe in something. But because of this chaos that we've created in culture and that we've allowed, they're just not sure what that is. So would he give you to get that message to them.

GLENN: But, Billy, I think the churches are approaching -- most of the churches -- many of the churches are approaching these things all wrong. They're still coming at it with the -- with the -- with the same style of message. The message has to remain true. But the same style of message. And if -- if it's not the same style, it's just the -- the same kind of almost judgmental message. Except now it has, you know, fog machines and -- and rock bands behind it. People are not -- millennials are not interested in talk. They're interested in, show me the results. Do it.

BILLY: Absolutely. And so we've got a lot of Christian actors, which is great, right? A lot of Christian journalists, which is wonderful. But we need actors who are Christian, directors who are Christian. I mean, look at Hacksaw Ridge. Look at some of these films that tell really good stories. And I think Christian moviemaking is great. God's Not Dead. All that is fine. If you want to preach to the choir, that's great. But that is not going to solve this problem. We have got -- I know you've talked about this a lot over the years. We have got to get engaged.

And I think the whole point here, you know, with this book is to show the problem, right? These numbers -- you mention the statistics. A lot of us don't know. We kind of have a feeling that Hollywood is off. The media is off. Universities are off. We see these anecdotal examples. But we don't really have the data.

And I wanted to really put that data out there and sort of show that there's this triangular dominance and sort of what I call this progressive privilege that has existed in these areas for too long. And, yes, we've got to complain about that, like I said. But we have to figure out how to tell the stories and do it in a way that reaches people and shows them, not just tells them, the message.

STU: There was a video that came out, it went viral, Billy, right after the -- after the election, that I saw a lot of people posting. And it was -- you know, a lot of the left was kind of coming out and saying, how could this have happened, Donald Trump won. Here's a guy who, you know, said he was going to grab women in ways and look how crass he is. How is this -- the culture allow this. The culture is getting so much more crass.

And this person pointed out, hey, wait a minute. Have you guys noticed that every piece of our culture -- forget the president -- every piece of our culture has become more and more crass over a long period of time, and it's been cheered on by the left.

And you really go through that in the book, in that the development -- as we've gone through on television and movies, has become much more advanced to that -- the anti-faith sort of side. And many people haven't even noticed it.

BILLY: Well, and that's why, you've got to look at the numbers, from like 2007, 2002, to 2014 and 2016. When you look at what Gallup has measured and others have measured. I mean, moral acceptability on so many issues.

Even -- even polygamy, you go down the line, it's insane, because of the relativism, what people are now willing to accept. We've got, you know, 67 percent of the country saying that having a baby, you know, outside of marriage is morally acceptable. Seventy-two percent, saying divorce is morally acceptable.

And these numbers have changed dramatically, even within the last decade, decade and a half. And we have been pushing -- we have allowed this to be pushed out. We haven't been effective in our messaging.

And I think, you know, Fault Line really kind of leaves people convicted a little bit. And I hope, you know, it has us thinking, how can we do this? Not all of us can be directors, actors, you know, professors. But, you know, we have to figure out how -- how we can at least encourage people, good people who have their values in check, to enter into these arenas.

GLENN: I have to tell you though, Billy, the answer really is living it ourself.

Look, Donald Trump -- you can blame Donald Trump on a lot of things if you want to talk just about him to the left. You know, they try to, "Well, you take responsibility for him." You know who Donald Trump is? Donald Trump is the first Howard Stern president. That's what he is.

PAT: Hmm.

GLENN: He's a guest on Howard Stern that loved Howard Stern. Played hard. And we all laughed. And we all thought it was great. And some stood against and said, "No, this is immoral. This is wrong." And those people were driven out of society because they have sticks up their butt. But this became the mainstream culture.

And, look, that's just how guys talk. Yes, they do talk that way. On Howard Stern.

And now we seem to have a problem. The left does. Because they don't -- they don't like that.

Well, okay. But you -- you were fine with it. You were totally fine with it in Hollywood. If anyone dare says like clean films -- or clean pure flicks, whatever that is, where they want to edit and make things less crass, how dare you don't touch my art.

BILLY: Well, they've created this environment.

GLENN: Right.

BILLY: They've created this very environment, which is so fascinating to me. Everything that Donald Trump has represented and everything that both candidates represented in the general is basically what they have created.

And so they're kind of relishing in that and trying to figure out, you know, well, how did we get here? Well, turn on prime time TV, and you'll figure out how we got here. There's nothing you can watch with your kids outside of The Middle and maybe a couple of other shows. So...

GLENN: We tried to say that this is why character matters in the '90s when the women's organizations were defending Bill Clinton as just a rogue.

No, that's like saying what Donald Trump said, well, that's all the way men -- no. If that is the way men behaved, men shouldn't behave that way. Those are boys that behave that. Men do not behave that way. But it requires us to be consistent. And I like this about your book.

You know, you talk about how most people can't even tell you what they believe. 95 percent of Christians, according to Billy in his book, cannot tell you what they believe. Well, that's a real problem.

The first thing we need to do is figure out what we believe. And then live it.

BILLY: Absolutely. Living it out. That's the example we set, right? So we've got to do that. And we've got to encourage other people, particularly millennials, because that's the generation this most impacts. Although, I'm sure the generation behind them will be hit even harder by this. We've got to figure out how to have that presence. But doing it by living it first, I think is the most important. And that's what I encourage in Fault Line. And people can get more information at HallowellFaultLineBook.com.

GLENN: Billy Hallowell. The name of the book again is Fault Line. Billy wrote for TheBlaze for a long time. And I'm so proud of you. And proud of your success and to see where you're going. Thank you for everything you're doing. Billy Hallowell.

BILLY: Thank you, appreciate it.

GLENN: The name of the book again is Fault Line.

'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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