Former USSR caller: “I’m scared, ok?”

Glenn talked with a woman on radio today who grew up in the Soviet Union and later came to America. She openly talked about why she is so afraid at an Obama second term - she’s quite familiar with the warning signs of a dangerous administration. Why is she scared now?

"Glenn, well, I grew up in the Soviet Union and I came to this country 18 years ago and I felt that I'd never again have to live in fear," she said. "And I've been worried for the past four years but after what happened last night, I'm just scared, okay?"

"This president, his entire administration, I know a Communist when I see one, and he's passed his policies, the direction we've been going in the past four years, it can't be any clearer to me what his beliefs and goals are. And I think being an American is not about where you were born. It's about what you believe, what's in your soul. And what's in his soul is dark. The ideology he believes, it's pure evil. It kills people. It destroys souls. It's synonymous with hopelessness, misery, apathy."

"I mean, that's the only equality you get in socialism: Everyone but the government and the criminals are equal and miserable and poor and apathetic. And maybe it's because I've lived through that that I can truly appreciate what America is and what it stands for. And I'm trying to find something positive about what happened last night, about this situation, some kind of hope, take it with good humor, but all I can feel is this dread."

"I had so much faith in the American people and our determination to do what's right especially after what we saw at Restoring Honor which, by the way, me and my husband went to and it was amazing. I was in shock at what happened. I'm still in shock."

"I was mistaken. So many Americans have become diluted and pampered and all they care about is, you know, free stuff and the latest episode of American Idol. It's insane. I don't understand what's happening here."

Glenn had to take a break, but when he came back he addressed her concerns.

"I want to tell Maria who called me from New York. She said she came here from the former Soviet Union. She grew up in the Soviet Union. She remembered what it was like. I remember what it was like. I didn't live there, but I remember the stories and I remember how afraid we were of communism. We had forgotten. We think socialism is fine. Kruschev said to the American people, 'You are so foolish, so arrogant. We will feed you socialism bit by bit until you fall into our hand like overriped fruit.; She said, I just, I worry. I have fear now. I haven't felt fear. And I don't understand my country."

"No, no, no. Remember, you don't understand half of your country. Half of your country feels exactly the same way. And Maria, if you're living in New York City, boy, do I understand. Boy, do I understand. I don't go to New York City very often. I only go when I have to now because it is openly hostile. And so many of us live in cities and in areas like that where they are openly hostile to. And we have taken it and we have lived in there and we have said, this is my home and I just get along and I won't say anything. I won't say anything at the PTA meeting. I won't say anything in my kids' school or in my business. Or, I'll take that sign down or, shhh, don't make any trouble. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of it, and I'm not going to live that way anymore. I have a right to say what I believe. I have a right to believe what I believe. I have a right to worship God as I believe. Just as they do. And I'm not trying to shut them down. That's fine. But I am no longer going to stand. And this has been one that came a while ago for me, but maybe today's the day that you'll start to feel this way. I'm no longer going to feel like a pariah. I'm no longer ‑‑ I'm no longer going to allow to be treated like a pariah. I am a man, as Martin Luther King said. I am a man, and I deserve to be treated as a man. I demand to be treated as a man. That's all there is to it. I will not comply. But I'm not suicidal, either."

"We almost last night elected a man who was of faith that was the only faith to actually receive an official extermination order. Look how far we've come. Nobody was even talking about that now. I am so proud of my country. And yes, Mrs. Obama, I've always been proud of my country, but last night made me even more proud. That people of all faiths got together and they put religion aside and said look at the character of the man. We can argue about religion, but let's unite on character. And they did. What an amazing American moment. Especially if you really know the history 150 years ago of a group of people that just wanted to worship God as they saw him. A lot of people disagreed. But there was a political side of this, too. Most people don't know that Joseph Smith actually ran for president. He was an abolitionist. I know, Mormons hate blacks so much. He was an abolitionist... in Missouri, you know, the site of the Compromise. He was against slavery. And so they weren't popular for a couple of reasons. They didn't look at God the same way that everybody else looks at God, but that's their right to do it. And they also didn't look at slavery like the people did in Missouri, and that wasn't okay. It got to be so bad after they murdered not only him but so many others, mainly the men, that the women took their children across the mountains in the snow. Many of them dug graves for their children on the open plains in the middle of winter. They dug those graves with their hands, in the frozen ground, and left the bodies of their children in the ground behind. And they moved to another country. But what they did was very smart. They gathered themselves. They were still persecuted, and it wasn't until last night that one of them could even be considered to run for president. I think some of that division is now behind us, thank God. They look to people to judge them by the content of their character, not their party affiliation, not the color of their skin but their character. Amen, brother."

"The reason why I tell you this story is because they gathered themselves together. And I'm not suggesting that we move to another country, I'm not suggesting ‑‑ well, I am suggesting that you move to Oklahoma. But I am suggesting that you surround yourself with like‑minded people. I am suggesting that if you're living in one of these states, especially in the Northeast - look what happened when there was trouble. Look what has happened. I never, I never thought the Northeast ‑‑ I never really thought that there were that many people that would stand on their roofs or on their broken‑down house and scream for FEMA and then, like a threat, say, 'If they don't come, well, then we're just going to organize ourself and do it ourselves then, all right?' That's not a threat. That's what you should be doing anyway. That's what we've always done. That's the spirit of America."

"Find your Galt's Gulch. Find it. Find it. Do not give up. I know what it takes to put a business together. I know how tired you are. Believe me I know how tired you are. I'm tired, too. You know, we'll catch a nap when we're dead. Right now let's really live."

"Like right now let's make sure our children have freedom. Let's not be afraid. And let's not cower. Let's gather together. Let's build. Let's create. Let's move forward. Let us live the Constitution."x

"We win in the end. I'm telling you we win in the end. Yesterday sucked. Today sucks. Tomorrow and maybe a few ‑‑ maybe even a few years are going to suck beyond belief. But someday we're going to be happy. Someday it will all work out. I don't know how much I actually can hang onto that idea. We need to be by each other's side and lift each other up. When one of us is down, the other will be strong. And we need to teach our kids what America always has been and make sure that we're creating a culture of goodness and decency and honor and integrity and invention and exploration, and all of the things that we actually still believe but is not being practiced anymore. It will not go on to our next generation through osmosis. They must experience it. They must witness it. They must be a part of it. Find your place. To instill it in your children beyond the history book. Let them live it and experience it."

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

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Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

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We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

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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.

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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 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

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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.

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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.