Why does Colorado want to regulate shotguns?

March 04, 2013

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Colorado has been at the center of some controversies related to gun control over the past few weeks, and they aure aren't looking to get out of the spotlight anytime soon. A new law would come after the standard shotgun, and it's already passed the House.

"Colorado has a new bill that's been passed by the House, now going to the Senate. It would ban the standard shotgun. Why? Because you can take the tube at the end, you can take the tube off of it and you can put an extension on it. And when you put an extension on it, you can hold up to, I don't know what it is, 12 or 14 shells. And that's just too much. Why would anybody need 14 shells? Why would anybody need? Oh, I don't know. I was just at the gun range this weekend and I used a shotgun just like that. Why ‑‑ why not? Why can't I have 14 shells?" Glenn said.

"They are now going after the standard shotgun. Not the extension, but your gun, your shotgun, if it's a pump shotgun, it can be modified and so that's not ‑‑ what does that leave you with? That leaves you with a shotgun that's a double barrel because two shots is enough."

TheBlaze explains:

“They’re coming after the standard shotgun,” Republican state Sen. Greg Brophy told KCNC-TV.
The bill, aimed at banning high-capacity ammunition, has already passed the House and has support from Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper. If it’s signed into law, it will also seriously limit shotguns used by most hunters in the state, according to the station.
“Hundreds of thousands of pheasant hunters are probably going to be carrying around a gun they won’t be able to replace after July 1 this year,” Brophy told KCNC.
In a state that’s seen two of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history — Aurora and Columbine — Brophy said there’s a section of the bill that defines a high-capacity magazine as one that can hold or be converted to hold more than 15 rounds or eight shotgun shells.

"Has anybody asked why is Colorado the leader of all of this gun regulation besides New York? Why? Because they have New York and then they are looking at the other end of the spectrum and they're saying Colorado. And they're putting the pressure on the politicians in will Colorado, the White House is, to get them to pass all this stuff."

Glenn suggested that Colorado was leading the charge from a strategic standpoint because it has traditionally been a pro-gun state. If they pass the new regulation, then the spectrum from traditionally anti-gun states, like New York, and pro-gun states, like Colorado, are covered.

Glenn then went into history, explaining the role that the NRA played in Reconstruction and how banning guns could end up like Prohibition America.

Transcript below:

Look. You know there's a ‑‑ I want to show you this. This is an original. This is an original document from the National Rifle Association. It's not even in their archives. In fact, I told them that I had this and they were like, "You what? Huh?" This is the National Rifle Association, this is a certificate of membership and it says this person is in ‑‑ a member in good order and it is signed. I don't know if you can see here because there's so much glare on it. I'm trying to get it so ‑‑ there it is. It's kind right there by Ulysses S. Grant, president of the National Rifle Association. Now why is U. S. Grant president of the National Rifle Association? Because the National Rifle Association was started by two union generals. That's why. And why was it started by two union generals? Because what was going on with Reconstruction with the South. And they knew they needed to get people to understand the Second Amendment and they needed to get people trained with guns because of the oppression that was happening in the South.
Now think of that. What is the ‑‑ what is the ‑‑ what is the ‑‑ who's killing here in America? Where are most of the gun murders happening? They're happening in the inner city. Where are ‑‑ where are the strictest gun control laws?
PAT: Inner cities.
GLENN: Inner city, right? Who lives in the inner city? Mainly minorities. The poor. So they're living in these drug‑infested neighborhoods with no way to protect themselves. This is exactly what was happening with Reconstruction, and the KKK. It wasn't the drug dealers. It was the KKK. And during Reconstruction, the white man in the South was saying, "Yeah, you guys can't have any guns." So they weren't able to defend themselves.
The National Rifle Association is important. Has been important for a long time. When you see the signature of Ulysses S. Grant, the greatest union general, the one that won the war, when you see his signature on a membership card, his actual ‑‑ he hand‑signed it, and he says president of the National Rifle Association, that's not president of the United States. That's the president of the NRA. Because his buddies started it. To make sure you could go after the KKK. The same thing is happening. It's just not the KKK. Minorities are the ones who are going to be hit the hardest on this because, what, you really think ‑‑ go ask anybody in these drug neighborhoods. Go ask them. If they're living there, really, is gun control going to stop this? These guys, are they buying guns legally and they are filling out all the paperwork? Do you think they are doing that? You think you could stop ‑‑ you know this is the progressive way: They really thought they could stop people from drinking with Prohibition. Because it's the right thing to do. "People hurt themselves. People get drunk and it's bad." And so they make it illegal to have alcohol. And they think they can stop people from drinking and so what happened? People were making it in stills in the woods. People were getting it across the borders and smuggling it in. And what happened then? Illegal crime went through ‑‑ illegal crime. Illegal booze starts coming through the border, you've ‑‑ all of a sudden you have these giant mobsters like Al Capone. What do you think Al Capone was funded on? He was funded by illegal booze. That's what he was funded with. Because people couldn't get it. So he could charge an arm and a leg. It makes the crime syndicate go through the roof. The same thing with the drug war. The drug war is doing nothing, gang. Nothing. Except make these guys a buttload of money. The same thing that happened with alcohol. We have to start realizing these connections. And they think they are going to wipe out gun crime? They are only going to make it much, much worse because there's always somebody that will provide that gun. And how many legal Americans who live in a tough neighborhood, who know that it's not about the government to them, who live in a tough spot will then do business with somebody they know, they would never do business with because they fear for their children's lives?
Let me ask you something: If they make guns illegal and you happen to fear for your life, if your daughter fears because somebody is stalking her and you can't buy a gun, let me ask you a question: Will you at least consider going to a nefarious underworld type to buy a gun to protect your child? I don't think there's a dad within the sound of my voice that wouldn't at least consider it, especially when you've grown up in a country where you know that right to defend yourself comes from God.

'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?

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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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