Occupy protester had seizure at Beck book signing

December 05, 2011

Writer

Glenn has talked at length on radio and TV for years about getting the junk out of your life, prepare, and be a lifeboat to others. Be ready to help anyone who asks and anyone who needs it. Besides just being the right thing to do, there are other reasons -- like the one discovered on book tour this weekend when an Occupy protester at Glenn's signing had a seizure. Who helped and who didn't?

"An Occupy demonstrator had an apparent seizure while protesting Glenn Beck's book signing in Alabama on Friday, forcing the Occupy participants to end their protest early. WKRG TV reported hundreds of Beck fans turned out in Fairhope, Alabama where he was signing copies of his latest book Being George Washington. But when Beck arrived, about two dozen Occupy protestors started chanting at the front of the line. For about 15 minutes, the shouting was heated until ‑‑ this is according to the TV station ‑ the shouting was heated until one of the protestors fell and began shaking uncontrollably," Glenn said.

"It was an ugly, ugly scene. Police officers and other protestors surrounded the young man until an ambulance arrived. This appeared to take the wind out of everybody's sails and the protest stopped on a serious note. The book signing continued without the loud chanting that preceded it," Glenn said.

"First of all, the video that you see, the scary moment during the protest, was taken by one of my people. Before we came to this town, we had had two other Occupy Wall Street scares, and I want you to know that if you're ever in a crowd and these things happen, love them. Sing, 'We wish you a merry Christmas.' Do not shout them down, do not get into a shouting match. Love them. Love them. Love them," Glenn said.

So what happened behind-the-scenes at this signing?

"We're on the bus and we're on our way to Alabama and we find out that this is going to be a nasty Occupy Wall Street stop which we had known about all day. And I said before we got there, I said, 'Let's all say a prayer.'"

"So there's about ten of us on this bus. And so we stop and we all say a prayer, not just for protection but also to be able to love these people. Love them. And as we are getting closer, I'm talking to Craig and I can see that he's a little skeptical on what I am announcing on Thursday and it ‑‑ and I had just said to him, 'Look, this puts us right in the middle of people who are going to be spitting on us, calling us names, wanting to kill us, calling us the devil, but we're going to love them.' We're going to love them every step of the way, and it will change hearts."

"There's one woman who is part of the Occupy movement who grabs his head as he starts to come down to the ground, grabs his head and cushions his head so it doesn't slam onto the street. Nobody else does anything. Craig, who's with me, unbeknownst to me, goes and rushes in and holds the guy's leg down. The guy ‑‑ the video stops almost immediately after this guy goes down because my other guy, Jeremy, he stops the video and he goes and he grabs the other leg of the guy to try to help him. They're loving him."

"So anyway, he says, what did you people do to him? Craig turns around and said ‑‑ addresses the crowd. Who ‑‑ only the woman from ‑‑ my understanding, only that woman is helping. Everybody else is standing around. And my guy turns around and says, 'What is wrong with you people? What is wrong with you? We're helping him.' That's when the Occupied crowd looks at the guy who says, what did you do with him ‑‑ what did you do to him and said, 'Knock it off, man. They're helping.' There was a moment ‑‑ not saying we agree with each other. There was a moment of sanity. The guy was taken to the hospital and refused to be seen, refused to be ‑‑ and I only know this because I asked about him afterwards. We wanted to know the status after, make sure that he was okay, and he was taken to the hospital, refused treatment and then demanded to be taken back to the protest."

"But here's the amazing thing. At the end of the book signing, a woman came in. I've never seen her before. I didn't know what had happened outside. I didn't know that my two people had loved him and helped him. The woman who cradled his head on the street, the second in command of Occupy Wall Street, came in to me and she was in line," Glenn said.

"All the security knew who she was but I didn't and so I see everybody kind of close in around me and I'm like, 'Don't freak out, don't freak out, don't freak out, don't say anything.' And I said, hi. Merry Christmas. And she said, 'Listen.' And she was awkward but nice. She said, 'Listen. I'm the, you know, co‑founder or whatever of the Occupy movement here and we were outside protesting you.' And I said, yes. Okay, nice to meet you. And she handed me a pamphlet and she said, I just wanted you ‑‑ I thought you should see what we were saying about you firsthand. And I said, 'Well, thank you very much.' I said, 'I believe in freedom of speech. So thank you. I appreciate that.' She said, 'Well, there.' And she started to walk away. And I said, merry Christmas. She turned to me and she said, 'Yeah, merry Christmas.' And walked away."

"Make sure you are with me on Thursday. It is not going to be an easy road. But it is, I believe, the only road, at least the only road that I can take. And I know how this ends in a bad way if we fail, and I know how this can end in a good way if we succeed. It was divine providence that protected us. It was divine providence that Craig got on the bus."

Watch the video below:

'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 America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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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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