WATCH: Dana Loesch reacts to Zimmerman verdict

Conservative radio host Dana Loesch filled in for Glenn on last night's Glenn Beck Program and reacted to two stories that have made national headlines lately: the Zimmerman verdict and the passage of new abortion legislation in Texas.

"Let’s start today with the not guilty verdict the jury returned in the murder trial of George Zimmerman," Dana said to open the show. "A jury of six women found Zimmerman innocent of second degree murder. Now, in the end, the jury felt that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt, and so they acquitted Zimmerman."

The anti-Zimmerman rhetoric has been commonplace since the night of Trayvon Martin's death last February. And while any of loss of life is tragic, the racially and politically charged spectacle this trial became was disgraceful.

"Make no mistake, this was a tragedy. A young man was killed. A loss of life is always a tragedy, but not every tragedy is a crime. An honest jury, and for the progressives, five white women and one black woman, served for justice," Dana explained. "Others, unfortunately, are serving for self, the usual race pimps out there demanding that the DOJ bring charges against Zimmerman, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose Christian name must be Reverend, because the man isn’t fit to shepherd a flock."

The hypocrisy of people like Al Sharpton runs particularly deep when one considers the number of black youth that die on the streets of Chicago each day. Where is the outcry for those children?

"Where’s the outcry for black youth when study after study shows that we are losing entire generations of black youth to abortion? The left only cares about tragedies apparently when they involve little blonde-haired, blue-eyed children from Connecticut," Dana said. "Was the intensity of interest in the Zimmerman-Martin case a way to make up for all of the years the left ignored black children killed every day in Chicago? Or Detroit? Or St. Louis? A little Johnny-come-lately action, hmm?"

Despite the Martin family's plea for non-violence, violent protests have broken out in cities around the U.S. with assault and vandalism running rampant. Those who truly believe that Zimmerman was guilt of second-degree have every right to be mad - but, as of now, the anger is misplaced.

"If you want to get mad, get mad at the media. Get mad at the laughable journalistic entity that literally whitewashes the news.  Get mad at the race pimps who haven’t visited cities like Chicago and Detroit and Houston and other cities where black youth are killed daily because there aren’t any television cameras there," Dana explained. "Get mad at the politicians who play hurt and rescue. They pass policies which disenfranchise their constituents of employment opportunity and the ability to become economically prosperous by killing industry. Get mad at the churches who are afraid to be beacons of light in the fog and take a loud and proud stance on responsibility, life, and marriage, all of the ingredients which build family units."

Speaking of the breakdown of the family, Dana moved on to the passage of the Texas State Legislature's 'House Bill 2,' which provides simple, common sense solutions to the otherwise loosely regulated abortion industry that have resulted in horror stories like abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell.

"The bill, now law, prohibits abortion after 20 weeks. Five months kind of seems like an inordinate amount of time to decide whether or not you’re going to keep your baby. It’s not like you’re returning clothes or putting something on layaway," Dana said. "This isn’t like buying a dress and wearing it to the party and then taking it back. In this case, once you choose to wear the dress, the choice has been made. You own the dress. If you didn’t want this dress, now you shouldn’t have gone shopping, tried it on, and purchased it."

Texas State Legislator Wendy Davis made national headlines for her 11-hour filibuster to block this bill, while pro-choice activists surrounded the Texas State Capitol chanting 'Hail Satan' with used feminine hygiene products, human feces, and urine. It is easy to be disgusted by the lack of respect these protestors have shown, but Dana took a slightly different approach.

"Instead of feeling angry at them now, honestly, I feel kind of sad for ’em," she said. "I feel sad that these women have grown up after a lifetime of being spoon fed liberal feminist disempowerment. Modern-day feminism is all about disempowering women and making them feel like they can’t survive without the government’s assistance. I would know because I was one of them."

Dana shared the moving story behind why she rejected “liberal feminist dis-empowerment” in 2001 because she "grew tired of these people telling me that as a woman, I wasn’t strong enough to raise a child in my circumstances.”

She got pregnant as a “broke, unwed student from a single parent household." And not broke like “wearing last season’s clothes... Broke like I can see through the rust hole in the back passenger side of my Buick.”

"I rejected that ideology in large part because I grew tired of these people telling me that as a woman I wasn’t strong enough to raise a child in my circumstances," Dana said. “Mentally, I said screw this, I can do it. Twelve years later not only did I do it — I did it pretty well.”

She attributes her success to her faith in God and her boyfriend (and now husband). Chris Loesch.

"I wasn’t alone in this, and from this, I learned something valuable that I’m instilling in my sons. Men, do not allow yourselves to be emasculated," Dana said emphatically. "Do not allow yourselves to be persuaded to let an entire generation die away because you didn’t feel it was your place to step up and speak out.  ight back. Your sons need you. Your daughters need you. Your wives and your girlfriends need you. The mothers need you, and you need it too as fathers."

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.