Do the ends ever justify the means?

During Tuesday's morning meeting, Glenn expressed a lot of concern over the comments he was seeing on social media calling for an armed response in the conflict between Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and the federal government. The concern wasn't over the comments necessarily, but the overwhelming sense that good people who believe in freedom and small government will be caught between violent, anti-government fringe groups who offer chaos and progressive, big government people who will offer control under the guise of safety. And that's why in the meeting Glenn decided "it is more important then you can understand that we are messengers of peace at all times, that we are very clear at all times, that I think the show today needs to focus on that message of peace that we have declared over and over and over and over."

And that message of peace and it's history as part of every project and event that Glenn has worked for more than five years was the focus of Tuesday's monologue.

It’s an interesting time to be alive, but there is a question that I want you to answer right now if you haven’t answered it already before.  And it is this, and I want you to really think about this because we have always thought of the ends justify the means.  We always say no.

But it’s always been because we’re looking at the Progressives.  We’re looking at the Bill Ayers.  We’re looking at the Barack Obamas.  I want you to look at your circumstance.  Is there any circumstance where you are willing to violate your principles in order to achieve a desired result?  Would you ever steal, cheat, lie, murder?  This is the question that Dietrich Bonhoeffer dealt with his whole life, frustrated and just so torn apart in the end.

If you thought, really thought it would lead to an overall better ending, remember, Moses did this, he killed the Egyptian because it will lead to a better ending.  But it didn’t.  If you think that it will lead to a better ending, would you do any of these things?  We’re called to be honest, faithful, kind, peaceful, still have a spine, still stand up, and it is hard to follow those guidelines during times of prosperity.

I mean, people are having a hard time doing it now.  But what happens when your options are stripped from you, and your back is pushed up against the wall?  I have told you in the past that there would come a time when you will have to choose.  I’ve been saying it for a while.

Glenn (2011):  It’s up to you.  Will you link arms?  Will you reach across the aisles?  Will you defend the defenseless?  Will you stand up against the lies?  Will you do it with peace and love?  Read Gandhi.  Read Jesus.  Read Martin Luther King.  Will you stand up? 

That was two days after the event in Washington, D.C.  We chose peace.  I’ve chosen peace, and we’ve been in this really easy…I know it hasn’t seemed easy, but we’ve been in the easy part.  We have had the patriot movement, if you will, kind of be this one big block where we all kind of agree with things.  But I knew there would come a time when that would start to break apart because we’re not all alike.  There are those that do want revolution.

That’s been my message from the start of be peaceful, and it began with the 40-day and 40-night challenge while we were at FOX.  We committed, and I asked you to commit yourself to the pledge of nonviolence of Martin Luther King, and people didn’t understand why I was doing this.  I was laying a foundation, and I was lucky enough to be able to do it with Alveda King.

I remember seeing a picture of Martin Luther King with his son, and he was taking out a burnt cross from his front yard the next morning.  And his son was sitting right behind him, this big, and I thought to myself wow, that takes a great man.  And I don’t know if I’m a good enough man to be able to make it, but I will if I plant the roots deep in honor and courage and love.  And this is what we’ve done for the last four summers.

Think of this, I want to show you these, and listen to the words I said in the last four summers, first at the mall in Washington, then in Jerusalem, then at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, then in Salt Lake City with the Man in the Moon.  Listen to the words.

Glenn (Restoring Love, 2012):  We must be better than what we’ve allowed ourselves to become.  We must get the poison of hatred out of us.  No matter what anyone may say or do, no matter what anyone smears or lies or throws our way or to any Americans way, we must look to God and look to love.

We win because while their conviction is rooted in hate, our conviction is rooted in love.  And love always wins in the end. 

With malice toward none and charity toward all, let us tonight restore love, for love will hold us together.  Love will make us a shelter from the storm.  I will be my brother’s keeper, and the world will once again know that they are not alone because again, the Americans have stood up and arrived again with honor, courage, and love.

That was the Restoring series.  The theme of that was always love and peace.  And then we went into a new phase, and we started trying to make that message more accessible to people.  And that’s why I did Man in the Moon.  But I want to show you just this last clip.  This was the point, the message of the moon.  Listen.

Man in the Moon (2013): Tonight, you will go home and kiss your little beasts, and they shall kiss you.  If I have done my job, your light shall burn just a little brighter, and when you awake, you will again choose and begin to write the next pages of this amazing story yourself.  And so will all those around you.  Help each other.  Be good to each other.  Love one another.

I will tell you that I didn’t realize when I was writing that that it was as autobiographical as it turned out to be.  It wasn’t until I had the moon makeup on, and I read those lines, “if I have done my job, your light will burn a little brighter.”  I wrote to my wife this morning, and I asked her to pray for me because I fear I haven’t done my job.

Somehow there are those in this audience and millions in America that did not hear the message of MLK, not from me but even MLK himself.  Quote something from Gandhi, can you?  Tell me something Bonhoeffer said.  We know them, but they’re like cartoon characters to us.  We don’t know really what they said.  Their message today is as clear and as new as anything I could tell you myself, and it is the message of our day and the message of our coming days, months, and years.

And it is a message that I ask you to share with everything that you have, everything that you are.  Live it, learn it, live it, and share it because the time to make a choice is now here.  The hatred is spreading.  In Nevada, one of the guys, he was a former sheriff, he was on television, and he was actually talking about how they were going to put women in front of the protests so in case somebody shot anybody, it would be the image of a dying woman on television, and that would help their cause.  Watch.

Ex-Sheriff supporting Cliven Bundy: We were actually strategizing to put all the women up at the front.  If they’re going to start shooting, it’s going to be women that are going to be televised all across the world getting shot by these rogue federal officers.

I don’t think appalling even begins to describe that.  Do the ends justify the means?  If there is violence, well, as long as it’s violence with them shooting women and kids, then it will be good for the cause.  They’re not saying they want to get them to shoot them, but if they’re going to shoot, let them shoot women and children.  It is evil.  It is the same kind of thinking that the Progressives have.  This is not George Washington.  That is George Bernard Shaw.

Three were shot dead in Kansas right before, Passover is tonight, last night.  I mean, just as the suspect yelled Heil Hitler, shots rang out.  You know that we’ve had yet another killing, another tragic shooting at Fort Hood.  And it’s also today the anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing today.  All of those people, the Heil Hitler guy, the Boston bomber, they all were terrorists.  They thought they would win.

Timothy McVeigh said this, that he hoped that he would prove some point, and it would be a tipping point.  And all of a sudden the people would rise up.  It doesn’t work that way.  It never will, and if it does, remember what happened to Hungary.  Remember what happens every single time.  Remember what happened with Egypt.  It is the fallen and the injured in those attacks who are the true victors, not the people who started it.

Their memories and stories of overcoming whatever it is are our rallying point.  They inspire people, not the people who set it up.  I mean gosh, you talk about a false flag, my gosh, who in their right mind says put women and children up front?  Who says that?  Bill Ayers says things like that, Bill Ayers.  Bill Ayers bombed buildings, attacked police, spit on soldiers.  Is that who we are?

It is those who put themselves in harm’s way peacefully.  Remember, “Don’t break the ranks,” said Martin Luther King.  Let them beat you on camera.  Do not swing back, don’t, don’t.  Don’t taunt them.  Don’t be Occupy Wall Street.  Those will be the true victors, not the terrorists like Bill Ayers or the Boston bombers.

My gosh, I think of that picture of Martin Luther King with his son, do you really think that you have it worse than Martin Luther King and blacks in the 1950s did?  Do you really think so?  Have you done everything in your church?  I’m sorry, I don’t mean to lecture you because you’re here, and you know this.  We are not the violent revolutionaries in the Middle East, Ukraine, Greece, Occupy Wall Street, those people fueled by hate, anger, and vengeance – give it to me!

It is so easy to be consumed by hate.  I have seen it happen with my friends.  I have.  Please, get the poison out of you, please, please, please.  You will regret this.  Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.  Let me tell you something, there is somebody who I had a real problem with, and it’s not worth telling, but I had a real problem with this individual.  And my wife and I got down on our knees every day.  It took us four years, four years, to forgive this person.  And there’s constant injury going on on top of it.

We got to the point to where we weep for them because we see what pain they must be in to cause this pain.  It is tough, but we’re required to do it because vengeance is a losing battle.  Vengeance is His and His alone.  I was in that meeting this morning, and I brought this up.  And Pat, my partner on air, said Glenn, why are you bringing this up?  Because, you know, the Nevada thing is passing.  I said, you know, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, I don’t know, but what I do find so alarming is that there are so many people on the left and the right, people who claim now to be fans of mine, posting on my Facebook page.

Please, defriend me.  Please defriend me.  I want you to unfriend me, defriend me, whatever the hell it’s called, click that button.  I don’t want you to be my friend.  If you believe vengeance is yours, I don’t want you.  It doesn’t belong to you.  One guy wrote, “Well I guess I am no longer a fan of yours because it’s time we the people make a stand and fight.”  No, it’s not.  No, it’s not.  Who are you, we the people?  How dare you speak for we the people.  I’m one of the people.  I don’t agree with you.

You were never a fan of mine.  If you were a fan of mine, you wouldn’t have missed the message of Restoring Honor, Restoring Love, and Restoring Courage or the Man in the Moon or how many shows have I done?  The message of love and peace is at the core of everything that I am, everything that I am as a human being, so no, you have not been misled.  I have not defrauded you.  You deceived yourself.

You’ve been itching for this fight.  I don’t know if I’m in the minority or if they’re in the minority.  I think that this is a really, really, really, really, really tiny minority on Facebook, but I will tell you this, even one person calling for violence is too many, and you must separate yourself.  You must be very clear, if that’s who you are, I am not with you, and you must work to defuse that as much as I do.  You must be vigilant on calling it out, the ends do not justify the means.

Angry people, violent people claiming to be fans of mine, calling for armed insurrection, are not fans of mine.  Unfriend me.  I’m almost up to 3 million friends on Facebook.  I don’t care if I have ten friends on Facebook.  I’m a recovering alcoholic, do you know how many friends I lost when I sobered up?  All of them, all of them.  I’m fine.

We can agree that the government is corrupt.  We can agree that they are usurping the Constitution.  We can agree they’re bloated, out of control, they are spending our children, children’s, children’s, children’s money.  We can agree that they’ve pushed us to the brink.  They’ve poked, they’ve prodded, they’ve taxed, they’ve regulated, they’ve lectured, they’ve mocked us.  They have done everything, everything, except set us on fire.

I get that.  I get it.  But if you are for provoking violence against the Bureau of Land Management, the post office, the dogcatcher, I don’t care, we don’t have anything in common.  I know you’re frustrated, I know, but your frustrations cannot be allowed to boil over into anger, hate, and rage.  That’s what makes us human.  The ends never justify the means, especially when they’re violent means.  Love and peace are the lasting answer.  They always have been the answer.  They always will be the answer.

What is the Secret Service trying to hide about Trump's assassination attempt?

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This past weekend we were mere inches away from a radically different America than the one we have today. This was the first time a president had been wounded by a would-be assassin since 1981, and the horrific event has many people questioning the competency and motives of the supposedly elite agents trusted with the president's life.

The director of the Secret Service apparently knew about the assassin's rooftop before the shooting—and did nothing.

Kimberly Cheatle has come under intense scrutiny these last couple of weeks, as Secret Service director she is responsible for the president's well-being, along with all security operations onsite. In a recent interview with ABC, Cheatle admitted that she was aware of the building where the assassin made his mark on American history. She even said that she was mindful of the potential risk but decided against securing the site due to "safety concerns" with the slope of the roof. This statement has called her competence into question. Clearly, the rooftop wasn't that unsafe if the 20-year-old shooter managed to access it.

Glenn pointed out recently that Cheatle seems to be unqualified for the job. Her previous position was senior director in global security at America's second-favorite soda tycoon, PepsiCo. While guarding soda pop and potato chips sounds like an important job to some, it doesn't seem like a position that would qualify you to protect the life of America's most important and controversial people. Even considering her lack of appropriate experience, this seems like a major oversight that even a layperson would have seen. Can we really chalk this up to incompetence?

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

The Secret Service and DHS said they'd be transparent with the investigation...

Shortly after the attempted assassination, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Secret Service, launched an investigation into the shooting and the security protocols in place at the rally. The DHS promised full transparency during the investigation, but House Republicans don't feel that they've been living up to that promise. Republican members of the House Oversight Committee are frustrated with Director Cheatle after she seemingly dodged a meeting scheduled for Tuesday. This has resulted in calls for Cheatle to step down from her position.

Two FBI agents investigate the assassin's rooftop Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Why is the Secret Service being so elusive? Are they just trying to cover their blunder? We seem to be left with two unsettling options: either the government is even more incompetent than we'd ever believed, or there is more going on here than they want us to know.

Cheatle steps down

Following a horrendous testimony to the House Oversight Committee Director Cheatle finally stepped down from her position ten days after the assassination attempt. Cheatle failed to give any meaningful answer to the barrage of questions she faced from the committee. These questions, coming from both Republicans and Democrats, were often regarding basic information that Cheatle should have had hours after the shooting, yet Cheatle struggled with each and every one. Glenn pointed out that Director Cheatle's resignation should not signal the end of the investigation, the American people deserve to know what happened.

What we DO and DON'T know about Thomas Matthew Crooks

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It has been over a week since 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks narrowly failed to assassinate President Trump while the president gave a speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennslyvania. Despite the ongoing investigations, we still know very little about the would-be assassin, which has left many wondering if the agencies involved are limiting the information that Congress and the public are receiving.

As Glenn has pointed out, there are still major questions about the shooter that are unanswered, and the American people are left at the whim of unreliable federal agencies. Here is everything we know—and everything we don't know—about Thomas Matthew Crooks:

Who was he?

What we know:Thomas Crooks lived in Bethel Parks, Pennsylvania, approximately an hour south of Butler. Crooks went to high school in Bethel Parks, where he would graduate in 2022. Teachers and classmates described him as a loner and as nerdy, but generally nice, friendly, and intelligent. Crooks tried out for the school rifle team but was rejected due to his poor aim, and reports indicate that Crooks was often bullied for his nerdy demeanor and for wearing camo hunting gear to school.

After high school, Crooks began work at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a dietary aide. In fact, he was scheduled to work on the day of the rally but requested the day off. He passed a background check to work at the facility and was reportedly an unproblematic employee. Crooks was also a member of a local gun club where he practiced shooting the day before the rally.

It was recently revealed that sometime before his attempted assassination, Crooks posted the following message on Steam, a popular computer application used for playing video games: "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds." Aside from this, Crooks posted no warning or manifesto regarding his attack, and little other relevant information is known about him.

What we don't know:It is unclear what Crook's political affiliations or views were, or if he was aligned with any extremist organizations. Crooks was a registered Republican, and his classmates recall him defending conservative ideas and viewpoints in class. On the other hand, the Federal Election Commission has revealed he donated to a progressive PAC on the day Biden was inaugurated. He also reportedly wore a COVID mask to school much longer than was required.

Clearly, we are missing the full picture. Why would a Republican attempt to assassinate the Republican presidential nominee? What is to gain? And why would he donate to a progressive organization as a conservative? This doesn't add up, and so far the federal agencies investigating the attack have yet to reveal anything more.

What were his goals?

What we know: Obviously we know he was trying to assassinate President Trump—and came very close to succeeding, but beyond that, Crooks' goals are unknown. He left no manifesto or any sort of written motive behind, or if he did, the authorities haven't published it yet. We have frustratingly little to go off of.

What we don't know: As stated before, we don't know anything about the movies behind Crooks' heinous actions. We are left with disjointed pieces that make it difficult to paint a cohesive picture of this man. There is also the matter that he left explosives, ammo, and a bulletproof vest in his car. Why? Did he assume he was going to make it back to his car? Or were those supplies meant for an accomplice that never showed up?

The shocking lack of information on Crooks' motives makes it seem likely that we are not being let on to the whole truth.

Did he work alone?

What we know: Reportedly, Crooks was the only gunman on the site, and as of now, no other suspects have been identified. The rifle used during the assassination attempt was purchased and registered by Crooks' father. However, it is unlikely that the father was involved as he reported both his son and rifle missing the night of the assassination attempt. Crooks' former classmates described him as a "loner," which seems to corroborate the narrative that he worked alone.

What we don't know: We know how Crooks acquired his rifle, but what about the rest of his equipment? He reportedly had nearly a hundred extra rounds of ammunition, a bulletproof vest, and several homemade bombs in his car. Could these have been meant for a co-conspirator who didn't show? Did Crooks acquire all of this equipment himself, or did he have help?

There's also the matter of the message Crooks left on the video game platform Steam that served as his only warning of the attack. Who was the message for? Are there people out there who were aware of the attack before it occurred? Why didn't they alert authorities?

We know authorities have access to Crooks' laptop and cellphone that probably contain the answers to these pertinent questions. Why haven't we heard any clarity from the authorities? It seems we are again at the mercy of the federal bureaucracy, which begs one more question: Will we ever know the whole truth?

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

JIM WATSON / Contributor, Chris duMond / Stringer, Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

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Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

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Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

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Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

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Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

Five times Glenn had J.D. Vance on his show and where he stands on key issues

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We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who Trump will pick for his running mate, and it's none other than Ohio Senator and friend of the show, J.D. Vance. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump officially accepted the party's nomination as the Republican candidate and announced J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Glenn has had Senator Vance on the show several times to discuss everything from DEI to the Southern Border. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with the next potential Vice President, look no further, here are five conversations Glenn had with Trump's VP pick:

Why Biden Won't Stop "Racist" Government DEI Programs, But Trump Would

How Trump’s Trials Could HELP Him in the 2024 Election

Could THIS new Senate bill DOOM a Trump presidency?

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