Detroit man reflects on Restoring Love

July 31, 2012

Writer

A few weeks ago, Torrie called into the radio show. A former member of SEIU who became a big fan of Glenn's, Torrie had recently lost his job but not his desire to help others. When Glenn heard his story, he invited him down to Texas for Restoring Love. What did Torrie take away from the event? He explained on his return to the radio show this morning.

Transcript of call:

GLENN: Let me go to Torrie in Detroit. He's on Line 8. Torrie.

CALLER: Hey, good morning, guys. How you doing, Glenn?

GLENN: I'm good. How are you? How was your trip down here? Torrie, if you don't remember, is the guy who lost his job with SEIU because he started telling the truth. He has been a fan. He's a black American that has just been standing up in Detroit and is not real popular because of it. How are things down here when you got down here?

CALLER: Things down there was hot but it was lovely. You know, from the moment we stepped off the plane, I want to give thanks to everybody at Mercury, everybody at The Blaze, everybody at Freedom Works, Brad, Lindsey, Virginia, Zachary, Sidney. The entire staff, they gave me and my wife so much love that it's just, it's unexplainable how a person can come from Detroit, go down to Texas and know don't know anybody there but they treated us like we were family. And we became family that weekend. That brought me and my family down to Texas and we were very humbled about this experience. We went to, I believe it was Grapevine Lake, we cleaned up the riverbank. The people that we were hooked up with from Group Bus A that was in Israel, they embraced us. They gave my wife advice on breast feeding because this is her first child, you know, and it was just humbling. And I'm really, really excited about being there. I just don't have the words to explain what you guys did for us.

GLENN: Well, I'm glad you came, and Pat has some you have some breast feeding advice, too, for Torrie, don't you?

PAT: Yeah. I wouldn't do it.

GLENN: You wouldn't do it?

PAT: No. I wouldn't do it.

GLENN: You never you didn't breast feed?

PAT: I didn't breastfeed at all. I didn't breast feed at all.

GLENN: Now, your wife insisted that she would

PAT: Now, my wife did.

GLENN: Yeah, but you said no.

PAT: I said no to breast feeding. And Torrie, I would say just say no to breast feeding. Just say no.

STU: (Laughing.)

CALLER: I'm not going to do that.

GLENN: Well, okay.

PAT: Okay.

GLENN: I personally think, I mean, the male La Leche League and hmmm?

STU: What was that?

PAT: Really?

GLENN: Yeah. I'm in La Leche male, the male La Leche.

PAT: And so you're all about male breast feeding?

GLENN: That's why I'm growing my breasts so large.

PAT: Okay. Yeah, I was wondering.

GLENN: I was thinking there for a while I might be pregnant but it turns out I'm not. But I'm just ready in case

PAT: Are they tender right now?

GLENN: They are a little tender right now and I think well, they're not going to I don't think they'll ever produce milk, but they might produce licorice at some point.

PAT: I think just gravy comes out of mine.

STU: (Gagging.)

GLENN: Is this too far? Is this too much?

STU: Yeah, it's a tad.

PAT: Is it too soon? Is it too soon on the breast feeding sTorrie

GLENN: Right.

PAT: To start making

STU: You're just a couple thousand miles past the exit. That's all.

GLENN: Okay. All right. Right. I mean, let me tell you something. If I could just get my breast into my mouth, if it would actually produce, like, red vines, I'd never leave the movie theater.

STU: (Laughing.)

PAT: Sorry, Torrie, we took that an ugly, ugly direction.

GLENN: Ugly way and

PAT: But it was great, it was great to have you here and, you know, it's

GLENN: You're still looking for a job, aren't you, Torrie?

CALLER: Yes, I am. Lindsey called me this morning, a gentleman called the show yesterday and wanted my phone number and she called me and gave me his information. So I have to call him this afternoon. But Glenn, whatever you did to my wife, she's in love with you.

GLENN: Well, it happens. Chicks dig me.

PAT: Mmm hmmm.

STU: Oh, yeah.

CALLER: We watched the interview yesterday on her cellphone and she said, look at us. Don't we make a good couple together? I said wow.

GLENN: (Laughing.)

CALLER: I said, okay, I'm going to tell him he's a home wrecker now.

GLENN: Torrie, what do you you were working for SEIU. You were working at the hospital and you were an x ray tech?

CALLER: No, no. I worked for a contract company for the hospital, and SEIU was our union representation.

GLENN: Okay. So what

CALLER: My job duties was to dispose of trash and biohazard bodily waste. That was my job description.

GLENN: That is a fun gig.

CALLER: Yeah, it was very fun.

GLENN: That's a fun gig.

CALLER: You know, especially when I would come in on a Monday morning and they didn't have anybody the night on the night shift to empty any trash or biohazard and it would be left on me. And when I would bring it to management's attention and the union's attention, they would say, "Well, Torrie, you gotta do it. We didn't have nobody." I said, wow. Is that how I'm getting treated around here? And then I would talk to my coworkers about issues that were going on, and the only time they would mention it is if we were at lunch or on break behind closed doors. But when we were in meetings, no one said a word. It was always me. And they would isolate themselves from me so they wouldn't get reprimanded like I did.

GLENN: Well, you know what? You did the right thing, and if there's anybody within the sound of my voice that wants to get Torrie and his wonderful wife and family out of Detroit and into real work, jus, do you want to give out your phone number? That would probably be

STU: No, no.

GLENN: E mail address, Torrie?

CALLER: Well, I don't have e mail yet, not quite. But I will have one in a few weeks.

GLENN: Okay.

CALLER: Because I talked to Virginia yesterday and she's hooking us up with that computer you donated us and we're really grateful for that.

GLENN: Okay. Well, you call us

CALLER: That's a blessing.

GLENN: You call us up and set up some sort of a gmail account where the government can read it and then what? And then go ahead and call us back and then when you have an account, then we'll put you on the air again and hopefully somebody will give you a job, man.

CALLER: Okay. And I want to give a shout out you to Big Dave from Utah. He gave me some real inspirational words when we were cleaning up Grapevine Lake. He is a great guy, and I hope he's listening because he embraced us the whole nine yards we were there. And I appreciated it.

GLENN: Was it, was it about licorice?

CALLER: (Laughing.)

GLENN: All right, man, talk to you, Torrie. My best to your wife.

'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?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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?

Glenn's Show Prep