WATCH: Heroes and history

February 03, 2014

Writer

Over the weekend, Glenn spoke at a GOP fundraiser in Texas where he heavily criticized the national Republican party for turing away from the uniting principles of freedom and limited government. During the speech, he used several historical items to help illustrate his point, including items from heroes like Marcus Luttrell, Sam Brown, and the fallen Chris Kyle. He brought those items back to Dallas Monday night, where he used them to discuss heroism and freedom for the TV audience.

The below is based off a transcript of Glenn's monologue from Monday's show

Now, the news always seems to zero in on the bickering and the fighting, and there is a time to focus in on that and turn the tables over, but it shouldn’t be all the time. I don’t know about you, but last night I’m watching the Super Bowl, and I actually felt good. When’s the last time you watched a mass event, and you felt good afterwards? Been a very long time because usually there’s some political thing or there’s some, you know, sexual thing, or whatever.

This time I really felt like it was great because it was uniting, and that’s what we should be looking for. What unites us? This last weekend, I went, and I spoke to the GOP here in Texas. And I think everybody in the room liked it, except for really the, you know, traditional GOP people. They didn’t like it all that much, the establishment. But it was a good group of people, and they know the GOP is in trouble because the GOP is just not offering any real fixes to the problems.

They are like every party. This is their job, get people elected, and they’re about self-preservation and scoring points. And Karl Rove, his fundraising is now down 98% as Crossroads. Think of that, you want to talk about an unmitigated disaster, down 98% in fundraising. So what has he done? He’s started a new thing, what is it, Kentuckians for Real Solutions or something like that?

And so he’s taken his name off of it, and he’s raising funds hoping that people don’t know it’s Karl Rove behind it. And he is taking on Matt Bevin and instead trying to get Mitch McConnell reelected. I mean, if you don’t need more on Mitch McConnell on why he shouldn’t be elected, because Karl Rove is behind it. Maybe that should be it.

There’s lots of things that unite us, but none of them happen with the political people. They happen with real people. And the things that unite us are true. They’re not just things that make us feel good, but they are things that are good. And you see it from heroes, and I want to show you a couple of things.

Last week we had Sam Brown on. He is running for Congress in Texas. This is his pack. And you can see how it is burned, and I can’t imagine being on fire. And he said within 30 seconds he was crying out for his God and his mother. What makes a man recover from this without bitterness? What makes a man say I still want to serve my country after this?

This is the pack from Marcus Luttrell. I want to show you this. This is the pack from Marcus Luttrell and what he was wearing. You know, we’ve seen the movie, but this is the real uniform that actually was with him. I want to show you these pants. As you can see, his pants are all cut up and not in good shape.

What most people don’t realize is that when Marcus was, you know, falling down the hill, the movie doesn’t show this because Marcus is too, I think, too modest, but he was lying on the Republic of Texas. He was lying down in those pants with this and this helmet, and he crawled for eight miles. He took his knife, and he drew a line up at his head. And he was pretty much paralyzed from the shoulders down.

So he took his knife, and he drew a line in the sand, and then he crawled across that line. And he thought when my feet cross that line, I’ll draw another line because I’m getting out of here. He did that for eight solid miles. What makes a man do that?

And then there’s this. This weekend is a very special anniversary. Joe Namath had one of these on yesterday. This is something that Taya Kyle gave me to remember her husband, Chris Kyle, who died a year ago, the greatest American sniper, the one the president still hasn’t even recognized. But this was his helmet. This was his tripod for his gun, and these were his magazines, still with the rounds in it. What makes a man do that?

That, that. Now, these two men had this instead of the American flag. Why? Well, if I may show you one more piece of history. This is an amazing letter. This is from Davy Crockett. When I have shown this before in Texas, it gets audible gasps. People are like oh my gosh. I mean, it practically has to travel around in a Brinks truck. But it’s not the actual letter.

This is so amazing because Davy Crockett was an American that I think felt an awful lot like the way people today feel, and it explains what’s at the base of Chris Kyle’s helmet. I don’t know if you can see it, but it is the Texas flag. It explains why Marcus Luttrell had that, and it’s not hubris by any stretch of the imagination. It really comes from that letter from Davy Crockett.

In that letter, Davy Crockett wrote, I’ve almost given up the ship as lost. Do you feel like that? Because I do. I’ve almost given up. Several times I’ve almost just went you know what, it’s just lost. He says I’ve gone so far to declare that if the President, Martin Van Buren, is elected, I am going to leave the United States because I’ll never live under his kingdom. See, some things never really change.

He said I will not submit to his government. I will instead go to the wilds of Texas. I will consider that government a paradise to what this is. In fact, at this time, our republican government has almost dwindled into insignificancy. Our boasted land of liberty has almost bowed to the yoke of bondage. Our happy days of Republican principles…and what are Republican principles? I don’t mean the party. What are Republican principles?

This was before the Republican Party. Small government, Libertarianism, being free to be yourself, just doing the right thing. He’s talking about a president who has just expanded the government like crazy. He said our happy days of Republican principles are near an end when a few will transfer the many. This is the Van Buren principle. There are more slaves in New York and Pennsylvania than there are in Virginia and South Carolina, and they’re the meanest kind of slaves because these slaves volunteer to be slaves.

Is that not what we’re living now? So what are the principles? What are the uniting principles? What are the things that bring us all together? I will tell you, old, old dusty words that nobody even knows what they mean anymore, we hold these truths to be self-evident, meaning I can wake you up from a dead sleep. I can ask you hey, I’m the President of the United States, should I be able to kill you without trial? No. Okay, good, go back to sleep. Right?

We hold these truths to be self-evident. You can go and ask anybody anytime, uneducated or educated, they know it’s wrong to hold somebody against their will and make them a slave. They know. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. Okay, that means that you’re not born a king. You have to earn your way to king or whatever it is. You have to earn your way, earn your keep.

You’re not just born into it. Just because you’re a Kennedy doesn’t make you any different than me. Do we still believe that? And by the way, created, all men are created equal. Well, created means, kind of lends credence to the next line, and endowed by their Creator. Creator, even Richard Dawkins, the atheist, he says it wasn’t God. It’s certainly not God. It’s probably some alien life form. I’m not kidding you, this is really what he really says, some alien life form that created man and then seeded him here. That’s what he thinks we’ll find out.

Okay, well whatever, so there is something we can agree on, we were both created. You say by a super intelligent alien life form. I say it’s by God. Either way, we were created, and we were created and given some inalienable rights, meaning nobody can change them. Except for God or the alien, nobody can change these rights because we’re all born exactly the same. We all have an equal shot.

And among these life…you can’t kill me because you’re not my creator; liberty, you can’t arrest me. You can arrest me if I’ve done something wrong, but you better tell me what the charge is, and I have a right to a speedy trial with all my other fellow beings. And I get to be able to see the evidence, and if you take my child away from me, you can’t put a gag order on me. I should be able to say hey, this is wrong.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that’s why Davy Crockett said he was going to come down to Texas. That’s why I came down to Texas. Can you still be your own man or do you have to do it somebody else’s way? You know, we’re building radio studios down here in Texas or looking to build radio studios here, and we’re also probably going to move our facilities in New York City, still in New York City unfortunately but move them, and we were talking about the expense of it today.

Here in Texas, I don’t need any special kind of light switches or anything else, but in New York, I have to, if I move into a space, I have to upgrade the entire facility, and I have to have motion light switches in every office. Well, when I asked what is this all going to cost me at the end of the day, all of these regulations, you’re almost putting me out of business. Are you free to be able to do business? Are you free to pursue your happiness?

Yes, the Internet makes it easy. I can connect with anyone in the world until they start to regulate that. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and in support of this, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. See, honor does play a role. Honor, it means that we have to be true with one another. We have to speak honestly and openly and treat one another with respect. That’s what honor means.

So to support this idea that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator, we have to have honor. There’s your fix. There’s your uniting principle. Forget about the Coke ad and are you a racist or not a racist, that’s it. And then coming to a place to where you say I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me.

My wife last night, oh my gosh, she was talking to me during the Super Bowl. It got into the last quarter, and she was rooting for the Broncos in the last quarter because she felt bad for them. I mean, can’t the Seahawks just – I swear to you – can’t the Seahawks just let them score? I mean, just let them score one. I feel bad. They should have at least one touchdown.

I was like do you want me to call the president and see if we could just redistribute some of these points? What are you talking about? Earn it. Earn it. That’s what it’s all about, earn it. Do I feel bad for the Broncos? Not really. They were in the Super Bowl. How many teams didn’t make it to the Super Bowl? Do I wish they would’ve? Maybe, I mean, I think it was kind of cool, just the butt kicking, but maybe that’s because I’m from Seattle originally.

Find the things that unite us, and tonight we’re going to do just that.

What our response to Israel reveals about us

JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor | Getty Images

I have been honored to receive the Defender of Israel Award from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The Jerusalem Post recently named me one of the strongest Christian voices in support of Israel.

And yet, my support is not blind loyalty. It’s not a rubber stamp for any government or policy. I support Israel because I believe it is my duty — first as a Christian, but even if I weren’t a believer, I would still support her as a man of reason, morality, and common sense.

Because faith isn’t required to understand this: Israel’s existence is not just about one nation’s survival — it is about the survival of Western civilization itself.

It is a lone beacon of shared values in the Middle East. It is a bulwark standing against radical Islam — the same evil that seeks to dismantle our own nation from within.

And my support is not rooted in politics. It is rooted in something simpler and older than politics: a people’s moral and historical right to their homeland, and their right to live in peace.

Israel has that right — and the right to defend herself against those who openly, repeatedly vow her destruction.

Let’s make it personal: if someone told me again and again that they wanted to kill me and my entire family — and then acted on that threat — would I not defend myself? Wouldn’t you? If Hamas were Canada, and we were Israel, and they did to us what Hamas has done to them, there wouldn’t be a single building left standing north of our border. That’s not a question of morality.

That’s just the truth. All people — every people — have a God-given right to protect themselves. And Israel is doing exactly that.

My support for Israel’s right to finish the fight against Hamas comes after eighty years of rejected peace offers and failed two-state solutions. Hamas has never hidden its mission — the eradication of Israel. That’s not a political disagreement.

That’s not a land dispute. That is an annihilationist ideology. And while I do not believe this is America’s war to fight, I do believe — with every fiber of my being — that it is Israel’s right, and moral duty, to defend her people.

Criticism of military tactics is fair. That’s not antisemitism. But denying Israel’s right to exist, or excusing — even celebrating — the barbarity of Hamas? That’s something far darker.

We saw it on October 7th — the face of evil itself. Women and children slaughtered. Babies burned alive. Innocent people raped and dragged through the streets. And now, to see our own fellow citizens march in defense of that evil… that is nothing short of a moral collapse.

If the chants in our streets were, “Hamas, return the hostages — Israel, stop the bombing,” we could have a conversation.

But that’s not what we hear.

What we hear is open sympathy for genocidal hatred. And that is a chasm — not just from decency, but from humanity itself. And here lies the danger: that same hatred is taking root here — in Dearborn, in London, in Paris — not as horror, but as heroism. If we are not vigilant, the enemy Israel faces today will be the enemy the free world faces tomorrow.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about truth. It’s about the courage to call evil by its name and to say “Never again” — and mean it.

And you don’t have to open a Bible to understand this. But if you do — if you are a believer — then this issue cuts even deeper. Because the question becomes: what did God promise, and does He keep His word?

He told Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.” He promised to make Abraham the father of many nations and to give him “the whole land of Canaan.” And though Abraham had other sons, God reaffirmed that promise through Isaac. And then again through Isaac’s son, Jacob — Israel — saying: “The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you and to your descendants after you.”

That’s an everlasting promise.

And from those descendants came a child — born in Bethlehem — who claimed to be the Savior of the world. Jesus never rejected His title as “son of David,” the great King of Israel.

He said plainly that He came “for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And when He returns, Scripture says He will return as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” And where do you think He will go? Back to His homeland — Israel.

Tamir Kalifa / Stringer | Getty Images

And what will He find when He gets there? His brothers — or his brothers’ enemies? Will the roads where He once walked be preserved? Or will they lie in rubble, as Gaza does today? If what He finds looks like the aftermath of October 7th, then tell me — what will be my defense as a Christian?

Some Christians argue that God’s promises to Israel have been transferred exclusively to the Church. I don’t believe that. But even if you do, then ask yourself this: if we’ve inherited the promises, do we not also inherit the land? Can we claim the birthright and then, like Esau, treat it as worthless when the world tries to steal it?

So, when terrorists come to slaughter Israelis simply for living in the land promised to Abraham, will we stand by? Or will we step forward — into the line of fire — and say,

“Take me instead”?

Because this is not just about Israel’s right to exist.

It’s about whether we still know the difference between good and evil.

It’s about whether we still have the courage to stand where God stands.

And if we cannot — if we will not — then maybe the question isn’t whether Israel will survive. Maybe the question is whether we will.

When did Americans start cheering for chaos?

MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND / Contributor | Getty Images

Every time we look away from lawlessness, we tell the next mob it can go a little further.

Chicago, Portland, and other American cities are showing us what happens when the rule of law breaks down. These cities have become openly lawless — and that’s not hyperbole.

When a governor declares she doesn’t believe federal agents about a credible threat to their lives, when Chicago orders its police not to assist federal officers, and when cartels print wanted posters offering bounties for the deaths of U.S. immigration agents, you’re looking at a country flirting with anarchy.

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic.

This isn’t a matter of partisan politics. The struggle we’re watching now is not between Democrats and Republicans. It’s between good and evil, right and wrong, self‑government and chaos.

Moral erosion

For generations, Americans have inherited a republic based on law, liberty, and moral responsibility. That legacy is now under assault by extremists who openly seek to collapse the system and replace it with something darker.

Antifa, well‑financed by the left, isn’t an isolated fringe any more than Occupy Wall Street was. As with Occupy, big money and global interests are quietly aligned with “anti‑establishment” radicals. The goal is disruption, not reform.

And they’ve learned how to condition us. Twenty‑five years ago, few Americans would have supported drag shows in elementary schools, biological males in women’s sports, forced vaccinations, or government partnerships with mega‑corporations to decide which businesses live or die. Few would have tolerated cartels threatening federal agents or tolerated mobs doxxing political opponents. Yet today, many shrug — or cheer.

How did we get here? What evidence convinced so many people to reverse themselves on fundamental questions of morality, liberty, and law? Those long laboring to disrupt our republic have sought to condition people to believe that the ends justify the means.

Promoting “tolerance” justifies women losing to biological men in sports. “Compassion” justifies harboring illegal immigrants, even violent criminals. Whatever deluded ideals Antifa espouses is supposed to somehow justify targeting federal agents and overturning the rule of law. Our culture has been conditioned for this moment.

The buck stops with us

That’s why the debate over using troops to restore order in American cities matters so much. I’ve never supported soldiers executing civilian law, and I still don’t. But we need to speak honestly about what the Constitution allows and why. The Posse Comitatus Act sharply limits the use of the military for domestic policing. The Insurrection Act, however, exists for rare emergencies — when federal law truly can’t be enforced by ordinary means and when mobs, cartels, or coordinated violence block the courts.

Even then, the Constitution demands limits: a public proclamation ordering offenders to disperse, transparency about the mission, a narrow scope, temporary duration, and judicial oversight.

Soldiers fight wars. Cops enforce laws. We blur that line at our peril.

But we also cannot allow intimidation of federal officers or tolerate local officials who openly obstruct federal enforcement. Both extremes — lawlessness on one side and militarization on the other — endanger the republic.

The only way out is the Constitution itself. Protect civil liberty. Enforce the rule of law. Demand transparency. Reject the temptation to justify any tactic because “our side” is winning. We’ve already seen how fear after 9/11 led to the Patriot Act and years of surveillance.

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

Two dangers face us now: the intimidation of federal officers and the normalization of soldiers as street police. Accept either, and we lose the republic. The left cannot be allowed to shut down enforcement, and the right cannot be allowed to abandon constitutional restraint.

The real threat to the republic isn’t just the mobs or the cartels. It’s us — citizens who stop caring about truth and constitutional limits. Anything can be justified when fear takes over. Everything collapses when enough people decide “the ends justify the means.”

We must choose differently. Uphold the rule of law. Guard civil liberties. And remember that the only way to preserve a government of, by, and for the people is to act like the people still want it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Stand with Voddie Baucham’s family in this time of loss

In the quiet aftermath of a profound loss, the Christian community mourns the unexpected passing of Dr. Voddie Baucham, a towering figure in evangelical circles. Known for his defense of biblical truth, Baucham, a pastor, author, and theologian, left a legacy on family, faith, and opposing "woke" ideologies in the church. His book Fault Lines challenged believers to prioritize Scripture over cultural trends. Glenn had Voddie on the show several times, where they discussed progressive influences in Christianity, debunked myths of “Christian nationalism,” and urged hope amid hostility.

The shock of Baucham's death has deeply affected his family. Grieving, they remain hopeful in Christ, with his wife, Bridget, now facing the task of resettling in the US without him. Their planned move from Lusaka, Zambia, was disrupted when their home sale fell through last December, resulting in temporary Airbnb accommodations, but they have since secured a new home in Cape Coral that requires renovations. To ensure Voddie's family is taken care of, a fundraiser is being held to raise $2 million, which will be invested for ongoing support, allowing Bridget to focus on her family.

We invite readers to contribute prayerfully. If you feel called to support the Bauchams in this time of need, you can click here to donate.

We grieve and pray with hope for the Bauchams.

May Voddie's example inspire us.

Overcoming loneliness: Connecting in a disconnected world

Loneliness isn’t just being alone — it’s feeling unseen, unheard, and unimportant, even amid crowds and constant digital chatter.

Loneliness has become an epidemic in America. Millions of people, even when surrounded by others, feel invisible. In tragic irony, we live in an age of unparalleled connectivity, yet too many sit in silence, unseen and unheard.

I’ve been experiencing this firsthand. My children have grown up and moved out. The house that once overflowed with life now echoes with quiet. Moments that once held laughter now hold silence. And in that silence, the mind can play cruel games. It whispers, “You’re forgotten. Your story doesn’t matter.”

We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

It’s a lie.

I’ve seen it in others. I remember sitting at Rockefeller Center one winter, watching a woman lace up her ice skates. Her clothing was worn, her bag battered. Yet on the ice, she transformed — elegant, alive, radiant.

Minutes later, she returned to her shoes, merged into the crowd, unnoticed. I’ve thought of her often. She was not alone in her experience. Millions of Americans live unseen, performing acts of quiet heroism every day.

Shared pain makes us human

Loneliness convinces us to retreat, to stay silent, to stop reaching out to others. But connection is essential. Even small gestures — a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a shared meal — are radical acts against isolation.

I’ve learned this personally. Years ago, a caller called me “Mr. Perfect.” I could have deflected, but I chose honesty. I spoke of my alcoholism, my failed marriage, my brokenness. I expected judgment. Instead, I found resonance. People whispered back, “I’m going through the same thing. Thank you for saying it.”

Our pain is universal. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and fear. Everyone feels, at times, like a fraud. We are unique in our gifts, but not in our humanity. Recognizing this shared struggle is how we overcome loneliness.

We were made for connection. We were built for community — for conversation, for touch, for shared purpose. Every time we reach out, every act of courage and compassion punches a hole in the wall of isolation.

You’re not alone

If you’re feeling alone, know this: You are not invisible. You are seen. You matter. And if you’re not struggling, someone you know is. It’s your responsibility to reach out.

Loneliness is not proof of brokenness. It is proof of humanity. It is a call to engage, to bear witness, to connect. The world is different because of the people who choose to act. It is brighter when we refuse to be isolated.

We cannot let silence win. We cannot allow loneliness to dictate our lives. Speak. Reach out. Connect. Share your gifts. By doing so, we remind one another: We are all alike, and yet each of us matters profoundly.

In this moment, in this country, in this world, what we do matters. Loneliness is real, but so is hope. And hope begins with connection.