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.

The Woodrow Wilson strategy to get out of Mother’s Day

Stock Montage / Contributor, Xinhua News Agency / Contributor | Getty Images

I’ve got a potentially helpful revelation that’s gonna blow the lid off your plans for this Sunday. It’s Mother’s Day.

Yeah, that sacred day where you’re guilt-tripped into buying flowers, braving crowded brunch buffets, and pretending you didn’t forget to mail the card. But what if I told you… you don’t have to do it? That’s right, there’s a loophole, a get-out-of-Mother’s-Day-free card, and it’s stamped with the name of none other than… Woodrow Wilson (I hate that guy).

Back in 1914, ol’ Woody Wilson signed a proclamation that officially made Mother’s Day a national holiday. Second Sunday in May, every year. He said it was a day to “publicly express our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” Sounds sweet, right? Until you peel back the curtain.

See, Wilson wasn’t some sentimental guy sitting around knitting doilies for his mom. No, no, no. This was a calculated move.

The idea for Mother’s Day had been floating around for decades, pushed by influential voices like Julia Ward Howe. By 1911, states were jumping on the bandwagon, but it took Wilson to make it federal. Why? Because he was a master of optics. This guy loved big, symbolic gestures to distract from the real stuff he was up to, like, oh, I don’t know, reshaping the entire federal government!

So here’s the deal: if you’re looking for an excuse to skip Mother’s Day, just lean into this. Say, “Sorry, Mom, I’m not celebrating a holiday cooked up by Woodrow Wilson!” I mean, think about it – this is the guy who gave us the Federal Reserve, the income tax, and don’t even get me started on his assault on basic liberties during World War I. You wanna trust THAT guy with your Sunday plans? I don’t think so! You tell your mom, “Look, I love you, but I’m not observing a Progressive holiday. I’m keeping my brunch money in protest.”

Now, I know what you might be thinking.

“Glenn, my mom’s gonna kill me if I try this.” Fair point. Moms can be scary. But hear me out: you can spin this. Tell her you’re honoring her EVERY DAY instead of some government-mandated holiday. You don’t need Wilson’s permission to love your mom! You can bake her a cake in June, call her in July, or, here’s a wild idea, visit her WITHOUT a Woodrow Wilson federal proclamation guilting you into it.

Silent genocide exposed: Are christians being wiped out in 2025?

Aldara Zarraoa / Contributor | Getty Images

Is a Christian Genocide unfolding overseas?

Recent reports suggest an alarming escalation in violence against Christians, raising questions about whether these acts constitute genocide under international law. Recently, Glenn hosted former U.S. Army Special Forces Sniper Tim Kennedy, who discussed a predictive model that forecasts a surge in global Christian persecution for the summer of 2025.

From Africa to Asia and the Middle East, extreme actions—some described as genocidal—have intensified over the past year. Over 380 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution, a number that continues to climb. With rising international concern, the United Nations and human rights groups are urging protective measures by the global community. Is a Christian genocide being waged in the far corners of the globe? Where are they taking place, and what is being done?

India: Hindu Extremist Violence Escalates

Yawar Nazir / Contributor | Getty Images

In India, attacks on Christians have surged as Hindu extremist groups gain influence within the country. In February 2025, Hindu nationalist leader Aadesh Soni organized a 50,000-person rally in Chhattisgarh, where he called for the rape and murder of all Christians in nearby villages and demanded the execution of Christian leaders to erase Christianity. Other incidents include forced conversions, such as a June 2024 attack in Chhattisgarh, where a Hindu mob gave Christian families a 10-day ultimatum to convert to Hinduism. In December 2024, a Christian man in Uttar Pradesh was attacked, forcibly converted, and paraded while the mob chanted "Death to Jesus."

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommends designating India a "Country of Particular Concern" and imposing targeted sanctions on those perpetrating these attacks. The international community is increasingly alarmed by the rising tide of religious violence in India.

Syria: Sectarian Violence Post-Regime Change

LOUAI BESHARA / Contributor | Getty Images

Following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria has seen a wave of sectarian violence targeting religious minorities, including Christians, with over 1,000 killed in early 2025. It remains unclear whether Christians are deliberately targeted or caught in broader conflicts, but many fear persecution by the new regime or extremist groups. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a dominant rebel group and known al-Qaeda splinter group now in power, is known for anti-Christian sentiments, heightening fears of increased persecution.

Christians, especially converts from Islam, face severe risks in the unstable post-regime environment. The international community is calling for humanitarian aid and protection for Syria’s vulnerable minority communities.

Democratic Republic of Congo: A "Silent Genocide"

Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Stringer | Getty Images

In February 2025, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated group, beheaded 70 Christians—men, women, and children—in a Protestant church in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, after tying their hands. This horrific massacre, described as a "silent genocide" reminiscent of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has shocked the global community.

Since 1996, the ADF and other militias have killed over six million people, with Christians frequently targeted. A Christmas 2024 attack killed 46, further decimating churches in the region. With violence escalating, humanitarian organizations are urging immediate international intervention to address the crisis.

POLL: Starbase exposed: Musk’s vision or corporate takeover?

MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO / Contributor | Getty Images

Is Starbase the future of innovation or a step too far?

Elon Musk’s ambitious Starbase project in South Texas is reshaping Boca Chica into a cutting-edge hub for SpaceX’s Starship program, promising thousands of jobs and a leap toward Mars colonization. Supporters see Musk as a visionary, driving economic growth and innovation in a historically underserved region. However, local critics, including Brownsville residents and activists, argue that SpaceX’s presence raises rents, restricts beach access, and threatens environmental harm, with Starbase’s potential incorporation as a city sparking fears of unchecked corporate control. As pro-Musk advocates clash with anti-Musk skeptics, will Starbase unite the community or deepen the divide?

Let us know what you think in the poll below:

Is Starbase’s development a big win for South Texas?

Should Starbase become its own city?

Is Elon Musk’s vision more of a benefit than a burden for the region?

Shocking truth behind Trump-Zelenskyy mineral deal unveiled

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have finalized a landmark agreement that will shape the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations. The agreement focuses on mineral access and war recovery.

After a tense March meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy signed a deal on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, granting the U.S. preferential mineral rights in Ukraine in exchange for continued military support. Glenn analyzed an earlier version of the agreement in March, when Zelenskyy rejected it, highlighting its potential benefits for America, Ukraine, and Europe. Glenn praised the deal’s strategic alignment with U.S. interests, including reducing reliance on China for critical minerals and fostering regional peace.

However, the agreement signed this week differs from the March proposal Glenn praised. Negotiations led to significant revisions, reflecting compromises on both sides. What changes were made? What did each leader seek, and what did they achieve? How will this deal impact the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations and global geopolitics? Below, we break down the key aspects of the agreement.

What did Trump want?

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Trump aimed to curb what many perceive as Ukraine’s overreliance on U.S. aid while securing strategic advantages for America. His primary goals included obtaining reimbursement for the billions in military aid provided to Ukraine, gaining exclusive access to Ukraine’s valuable minerals (such as titanium, uranium, and lithium), and reducing Western dependence on China for critical resources. These minerals are essential for aerospace, energy, and technology sectors, and Trump saw their acquisition as a way to bolster U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Additionally, he sought to advance peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, positioning the U.S. as a key mediator.

Ultimately, Trump secured preferential—but not exclusive—rights to extract Ukraine’s minerals through the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, as outlined in the agreement. The U.S. will not receive reimbursement for past aid, but future military contributions will count toward the joint fund, designed to support Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Zelenskyy’s commitment to peace negotiations under U.S. leadership aligns with Trump’s goal of resolving the conflict, giving him leverage in discussions with Russia.

These outcomes partially meet Trump’s objectives. The preferential mineral rights strengthen U.S. access to critical resources, but the lack of exclusivity and reimbursement limits the deal’s financial benefits. The peace commitment, however, positions Trump as a central figure in shaping the war’s resolution, potentially enhancing his diplomatic influence.

What did Zelenskyy want?

Global Images Ukraine / Contributor | Getty Images

Zelenskyy sought to sustain U.S. military and economic support without the burden of repaying past aid, which has been critical for Ukraine’s defense against Russia. He also prioritized reconstruction funds to rebuild Ukraine’s war-torn economy and infrastructure. Security guarantees from the U.S. to deter future Russian aggression were a key demand, though controversial, as they risked entangling America in long-term commitments. Additionally, Zelenskyy aimed to retain control over Ukraine’s mineral wealth to safeguard national sovereignty and align with the country’s European Union membership aspirations.

The final deal delivered several of Zelenskyy’s priorities. The reconstruction fund, supported by future U.S. aid, provides a financial lifeline for Ukraine’s recovery without requiring repayment of past assistance. Ukraine retained ownership of its subsoil and decision-making authority over mineral extraction, granting only preferential access to the U.S. However, Zelenskyy conceded on security guarantees, a significant compromise, and agreed to pursue peace talks under Trump’s leadership, which may involve territorial or political concessions to Russia.

Zelenskyy’s outcomes reflect a delicate balance. The reconstruction fund and retained mineral control bolster Ukraine’s economic and sovereign interests, but the absence of security guarantees and pressure to negotiate peace could strain domestic support and challenge Ukraine’s long-term stability.

What does this mean for the future?

Handout / Handout | Getty Images

While Trump didn’t secure all his demands, the deal advances several of his broader strategic goals. By gaining access to Ukraine’s mineral riches, the U.S. undermines China’s dominance over critical elements like lithium and graphite, essential for technology and energy industries. This shift reduces American and European dependence on Chinese supply chains, strengthening Western industrial and tech sectors. Most significantly, the agreement marks a pivotal step toward peace in Europe. Ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which has claimed thousands of lives, is a top priority for Trump, and Zelenskyy’s commitment to U.S.-led peace talks enhances Trump’s leverage in negotiations with Russia. Notably, the deal avoids binding U.S. commitments to Ukraine’s long-term defense, preserving flexibility for future administrations.

The deal’s broader implications align with the vision Glenn outlined in March, when he praised its potential to benefit America, Ukraine, and Europe by securing resources and creating peace. While the final agreement differs from Glenn's hopes, it still achieves key goals he outlined.

Glenn's Show Prep