As Part of the Fight Against Human Trafficking, Painter Creates ‘Underground Railroad’

December 14, 2017

Writer

Utah-based painter Jon McNaughton joined Glenn today to talk about “The Underground Railroad,” a painting commissioned by the Liberty89 Foundation on behalf of modern-day abolitionists who fight human trafficking.

Operation Underground Railroad Rescues Nine Girls Being Pimped by Their High School Teacher

“He paints these amazing paintings that tell stories,” Glenn described McNaughton’s work. “Stories of where we are as people.”

The detailed painting portrays “abolitionists of yesterday and today,” including some of the undercover Operation Underground Railroad operatives who fight modern-day slavery. All profits from sales of the painting will go toward the fight to end human trafficking.

GLENN: So I have to tell you, I'm -- I am -- I'm uncomfortable with this next -- with this next interview in some ways, and I think you'll understand once you hear what it is.

But John McNaughton is an artist. He is -- has been controversial over the last few years. But he -- he -- he paints these amazing paintings that tell stories. Tell stories of, you know, where we are as people. And he ties history and current events together. You'll recognize his paintings the minute you see them.

He's just done a painting that OUR did not request. It wasn't a commission. Because it's made all of us -- we're really flattered, but also really uncomfortable. He's made this painting, and he has made it and donated it to raise funds to help out the -- the stop of slavery around the world.

And it is the -- the modern day abolitionist side by side with the original abolitionists in a very powerful painting.

And welcome to the program, John McNaughton. How are you, sir?

JOHN: Hi, Glenn, I'm good. Thank you.

GLENN: I hope you don't take my -- I don't even know how to explain this. I guess my shyness on this as an insult. I'm honored that you would paint this and even include me in this. But it's really awkward.

JOHN: Yes, I know. You know, Tim Ballard told me that you would feel that way. HEP he told me 100 percent. You don't have the spotlight, but you're in there.

GLENN: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So Tony Robbins is in there. Mike Tomlin from the Steelers is in there. Montel Williams. Mia Love. Ashton Kutcher is there. Albert Pools is there. Eric Metaxas. HEP it's some of the really great people of our day.

STU: And Glenn as well. Glenn as well. So all the great people, plus Glenn.

GLENN: Yes. And I'm on the edge, so you can kind of airbrush me out of this.

So what was your inspiration? And tell me about why you did it.

JOHN: Yeah, sure. Someone who is friends with Tim Ballard was talking to me one day about the organization. And I had never heard about it before. And as he explained it to me, you know, I had this image in my mind, kind of where I saw this rescuer, or line of rescuers, you know, carrying children, walking down the tracks, you know, the underground railroad. And on both sides of the tracks, you had different abolitionists holding their lamps, guiding away. And I was just really taken by the idea.

And I thought, you know, this could actually be a project that could help the cause to save children. And, you know, I always tried to do paintings that I think will make a difference. But this one, I mean, to save a child, it was overwhelming. And so I just started painting it. And after I had gotten so far, my friends who knew Tim Ballard contacted them. And then from there, Tim gave me a lot of his suggestions of who should be in the painting.

GLENN: So we have just partnered with Tim Ballard. In case you're listening and don't know who Tim Ballard is, we've just partnered with the Nazarene Fund. We've been a partner. We raised the original money to open up, you know, Operation Underground Railroad, rescue our children.

It is a worldwide effort to stop slavery. And he is now the CEO of the Nazarene Fund as well.

And we are going to start going in, in a big way, next year. Rescuing slaves in the Middle East. These Christians that have just been left to die by the rest of the world. To live be sure life in slavery. And we're going to really double down and start rescuing them next year.

It's quite an amazing thing that's going on.

When you were picking -- when when you were picking the people -- the modern day -- or, I'm sorry, the earlier -- the original abolitionists.

JOHN: Yeah.

GLENN: How did you decide who would be in there?

JOHN: Well, we just looked at the history of, you know, abolitionists in the past and people who had interesting stories. And talking with Tim, he said, oh, you have to have this person. You got to have this person. And, you know, some of the names I recognized. A lot of them I didn't. People like William Wilberforce, you know, I remember seeing him in the movie Amazing Grace, you know, his story. But there was this woman named Harriet Jacobs that I had never heard of that had this remarkable story that Tim told me about. I think they only learned about her in the last six, seven years. And so she's in the picture. And just a lot of different stories that I just didn't know about. And they have an e- book that comes with the painting where people can learn all the details of each person in the picture and why they're there. It's pretty amazing.

GLENN: So you can buy it at ourpainting.org. Our painting.org.

How many of these are you selling or how much are they?

JOHN: They start at $29. And then they go up. You can get a nice framed one. And 100 percent of all the profits, everything is going to rescue children. And Tim told me it takes about $2,000 to rescue a child and to help rehabilitate them and go through that process.

And so we're hoping that we can just sell a lot of these prints and to -- to -- to rescue, you know, thousands of children, if we can.

GLENN: Well, I know that you left Tony Robbins in disguise because he goes on operations in disguise. And he thanks you. I wish you would have painted a beard on me to disguise me as well. It's an honor to have been thought of as part of that. And I tell Tim all the time, and he hates when I say this, I do believe that they're going to build statues of him someday because of the work that he has done. He is changing -- he is the modern day abolitionist for sure. And I sure appreciate your help. Thank you, John, so much.

STU: And, John, we really appreciate your efforts to not only stop slavery in the world, but also your efforts to make Glenn feel uncomfortable.

GLENN: Thank you. Thank you.

JOHN: I do my best.

GLENN: Well, thank you. You did a good job. John McNaughton. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. You see the painting and purchase the painting. It would be a good Christmas gift.

You might want to frame it in a little bit. There's some shady characters on the outside of it. But ourpainting.org. Ourpainting.org. All of the proceeds go to help rescue slaves all around the world, including the Middle East and the Nazarene Fund.

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

David McNew / Staff | Getty Images

"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

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

"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

Dan Mullan / Staff | Getty Images

"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

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

"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

VALERIE MACON / Contributor | Getty Images

"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

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

"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

Oleg Nikishin / Stringer | Getty Images

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

New York Daily News Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

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

Galerie Bilderwelt / Contributor | Getty Images

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

Nick Ut / Contributor | Getty Images

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

Bill Hinton / Contributor | Getty Images

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

WPA Pool / Pool | Getty Images

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

NICHOLAS KAMM / Contributor | Getty Images

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

Fiona Goodall / Stringer | Getty Images

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

ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO / Contributor | Getty Images

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