Glenn speaks to the NRA: "Yes I Will"

April 15, 2012

Writer

A chalkboard, history, unpasturized butter, and a shoe - there is only one man who could take all of these things, put them together in a speech, and get a standing ovation. That man is Glenn Beck.

Saturday night Glenn gave the keynote at the National Rifle Associations annual convention. He was introduced to the stage by the NRA's Wayne LaPierre, who told the crowd that "he shoots straight and gun owners couldn't have a better fan."

Glenn kicked off the speech by clearing the air about who he is endorsing for President of the United States - his shoe.

"Anyone but Barack Obama, including my shoe," Glenn said. "He'd do better than Barack Obama, I can make the case."

Next, Glenn discussed how the tragic death of Trayvon Martin is being used to target our second Amendment rights. "This government will never let a crisis go to waste," Glenn said, describing how this particular crisis is being used to vilify gun owners.

Glenn also touched on Al Sharpton for his public role the last few weeks in the Trayvon Martin case. George Zimmerman, the shooter, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the Florida teen’s death.

“I saw him this week actually patting himself on the back,” Beck said of Sharpton. ” ‘I was the first to say he’s guilty and should go to jail.‘ When did that become something we’re proud of? When did that become something we wear as a badge of honor, to say ‘I was the first to try a man in the media? I was the first to say oh, that pesky Constitution. The right to a jury trial. I was the first to say guilty before innocent.‘ That’s crazy. The world is absolutely upside-down.”

Glenn compared what Sharpton and others on the left are doing now to what they did when the administration tried to hold the trial of some of the worst terrorist in New York City. "It was vital to show the world how great the our justice system is. …where are they now defending that great American justice system? Nowhere - let the world see the American justice system. It works," Glenn told the crowd.

This transitioned into a discussion of the lack of truth in the mainstream media today. "The media is not telling you the truth. That's why we started GBTV," Glenn said pointing out the coverage the case in Florida is getting compared to noncontroversial stories where guns were used for self-defense. Glenn cited six stories where people were able to defend and save their own lives because of their right to bear arms:

A woman in Oklahoma who was being attacked by a man with a knife.

A college student in Philadelphia who robbers began firing shots at because he didn't have any money.

A woman in Duluth, GA who was met by a man with a knife when she stepped out of her shower.

A woman in Albany, GA who was met by a man with a butcher knife and another with a gun when she walked into her office.

A double amputee who had his home invaded by a teen who fired two shots at him.

And finally, a 110lb Florida beauty queen, who was dragged upstairs to her bedroom by an intruder, where he was met by her fiancé, giving her just enough time to grab her pink 38.

The National Academy of Science recently published a review to find out which laws are really helping out when it comes to violent crime, suicide, and accidents. "Take a guess?," Glenn asked the crowd. "Out of 253 journalists, 99 books, 43 government publications and 80 gun control schemes, the number of laws that actually help - zero. Nobody reports anywhere when someone saves a life or stops a crime, because they're a responsible citizen with a gun. But, the chance of you getting hurt or killed by a gun in the hands of a responsible citizen - one in a million."

Glenn told the crowd that the name they all need to know and learn about when it comes to regulations is Cass Sunstein, who Glenn describes as "the most dangerous man in America."

"They're not going to take your gun away from you. They're just going to make it impossible for you to buy another one, impossible for you to own a bullet, buy a bullet, shoot it anywhere," Glenn said, while giving the example of what it is like for someone to try and buy a gun in New York City.

Glenn continued to give other examples of out of control regulation. Everything from digging from arrow heads and selling sea otters to a woman who was raided by NOAA with assault rifles. NOAA …the weather people.

Glenn also told the audience about how our government spent a year undercover with the Amish. "What's their crime? Unhomogenized, unpasteurized milk," Glenn said, joking about how they were ever shipping it across state lines.

Glenn happened to have spoken in Lancaster, PA Friday night, and brought some unpasteurized butter back with him - yes, across state lines.

So, how did we get here? "We don't know our own history," Glenn said, while referencing the famous picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware.

The original was painted in Germany where it was destroyed in an airstrike in 1944. Glenn gave the history of the recreated piece of art that resides in America, featuring not just George Washington, but Madison holding the flag, a woman, a Scott, and an African American. It was recreated by a man from Berlin in 1850, just after the 'Spring of Nations', which took place on February 23, 1848. What caused this eerily familiar sounding revolution to breakout across Europe on the 23rd? Just two days prior, on February 21st, 1848, Karl Marx published the Communist Manifesto.

Glenn explained the history lesson to the crowd using his trademark tool - the chalkboard.

"How does it relate to this picture? And what does history?" Glenn asked the crowd. "What is it screaming to America? It was communism that led to the Spring of Nations that broke out all over Europe, and one man lived in America, who was a German, went back and said 'No! that's the wrong direction'."

Glenn asked the crowd why would the painter include a woman, a farmer, an African American, all together in this one painting?

"Because, the average person, when linked together, can do anything," Glenn said while being met with applause.

"America is never about the finished product," he told the crowd, "it's about the journey, the process; it's about being what we are - each of us with different skills and different backgrounds, coming together and doing the right thing."

"We are headed for another spring of nations - history is crying out everywhere - it is telling us - it aint that hard guys - the answer is not that hard."

Glenn told the crowd about what George Washington did before fighting the Revolutionary War - he called for a National Day of Prayer and Fasting on May 17th. Glenn suggested that we do the same this May 17th.

"We beg God to protect this nation and His cause. Go home and tell your preachers and your rabbis," Glenn told the cheering crowd while continuing to tell the story of the amazing Crossing of the Delaware.

"The solutions that we need are right in front of us," Glenn transitioned. "We need to find a leader. We have Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney's our guy. I haven't been a Mitt Romney fan, but let me tell you something, I've done a lot of research. I've looked into his past. I've looked into all of his policies. I've looked into everything I can possibly find on Mitt Romney to see if there is something I can really get my arms around, and say 'Yes, the American people need to know this.' Here it is: Mitt Romney is my guy, because Mitt Romney is not a communist."

Glenn emphasized to the crowd how important it is going to be for every one of them to vote in the next election, while citing that 10 to 30 percent of every conservative organization is not registered to vote. "Clean up your own house first," Glenn said.

"We need God, we need education, the third thing we need is empowerment. We need entrepreneurship," Glenn explained telling the crowd that we must not only create, but we must also elevate others.

Glenn wrapped things up by talking about what conservatives have to do if they really want small government - be charitable. "Who is going to take care of the poor? Who's going to take care of those that are unemployed? Who will take care of the elderly? If you really want small government, let's be a group of people that when the press asks, 'Who is going to take care of the poor?' We don't say we will, we say we are. Our churches our neighborhoods are organized and taking care of the poor and those who cannot work."

“Barack Obama‘s winning slogan was 'Yes we can.' That’s the dumbest damn slogan I’ve ever heard,” Glenn said. “Don’t tell me what you can do. Will you do it? Will you do it? ‘Yes we can.’ What a bunch of crap that is.”

Glenn wrote the words “Yes I will” on the chalkboard.

“Yes I will,” he said. “Are you going to vote? ‘Yeah I could do that.’ Are you going to vote? ‘Yes I will.’”

“Will you be a man or a woman of honor?” he asked. “‘Yes I will.’ Will you seek equal justice for all? ‘Yes I will.’"

"Seek the truth. Have the courage to stand." Glenn concluded. "These are not the times that try mens souls, but they will be. The great news is, we'll be ready."

Many were live tweeting during the speech, here is what a few people had to say:

‏@RJBoisvert: @GBTV @glennbeck Inspiring speech at NRA by Glenn Beck! YES I WILL!

@HeadToToeHarlen: Will you stand or not? Great speaker! Thank you Glenn Beck for coming to our NRA convention! ALL IN!

@cbrown285: Glenn Beck "Mitt Romney is my guy because he is not a communist." that is a low bar of expectations but it is better than Obama #NRA

@nlasmus: The @glennbeck speech at the #NRA Convention is so inspiring! We the ppl hold the key to restoring our nation! National Day of Prayer May 17!

@EJRWatkins: @glennbeck LOVED video of NRA speech. You're 100% right. We ARE a covenant land and people!

Of course the usual haters were one the prowl, condemning Glenn for sharing stories of men and women protecting themselves from attackers using their 2nd Amendment rights (kind of proves his point about the left and the media, doesn't it?).

@CSGV: .@glennbeck stories of "justified" homicides, celebrating the deaths, #NRA Celebrating 18 yr old mom and baby being alive - evil

@CSGV: @glennbeck has now been a headline speaker at #NRA Convention for six years in a row. #Extremism #ows #labor #WarOnWomen #immigration #p2

'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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