Glenn: “The Constitution went on hiatus last night”

November 21, 2014

Writer

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; among them, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

That all men are created equal. All men. It doesn't matter where you're from. It doesn't matter if you're from Mexico or from the United States. All men are created equal.

Last night, the Constitution of the United States of America went on hiatus. I don't know if it ever comes back. But last night it was declared that we no longer have to live under the shadow of the Constitution.

OBAMA: If you've been in America for more than five years, if you have children who are American citizens or legal residents, if you register, pass a criminal background check, and you're willing to pay your fair share of taxes, you'll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily without fear of deportation and come out of the shadows.

Well, we haven't had anybody in the fear of deportation for quite some time.

The problem with our nation right now is we don't even know who we are anymore. We're so busy lecturing other countries on exactly how to live their lives, and then listening to the lectures that are hypocritical from them as well. Mexico, telling us exactly what we should do on our border, yet that's exact opposite of what they do on their border.

Meanwhile, we're telling everybody how the banking system needs to work all around the world. We're telling them how to be free while we're cozying up to people like Saudi Arabia or China. We don't stand for anything. So we don't even know who we are anymore. We don't know where we got our laws.

Our laws come from some place. They come from God. We hold these truths to be self-evident. We don't even have to talk about them. We don't have to convince anybody. They're self-evident truths. That all men are created equal. Freedom is not just for Americans. It's for all men created equal and endowed by that creator with certain rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

They have a right to pursue happiness.

Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

That isn't a, oh, let me just cuddle everybody. That is a challenge to the rest of the world. What we have over here is so special, and we know it will set the whole world on fire in a good way. We know it will free millions and you can't get past your lumbering structures. You can't get past your lords and your ladies. You can't get past all the things that make you crippled nation and world. Those things. Corruption, kings, lawlessness. You tell others, you can't make it. You can't make it because you haven't passed this test. You haven't gone through this gate.

I met somebody yesterday. Wildly successful. He came in from Silicon Valley. He was standing in the audience. We did an audience show. He was sitting in the audience two days ago. I met him afterwards.

He said, I want to meet you. I wanted to see your operation. I'm so-and-so, and I work in this particular company out in Silicon Valley. His business partner was one of the founders of Facebook.

And so they're just sitting there. We're chatting.

And I said, so tell me about yourself because you look to be about 12.

And he said, yeah, I went to Stanford for a year and a half. And then I realized, this is a waste.

Yes, good. You don't need anyone to tell you -- I don't need that gate of yours anymore. I don't need that gate. I don't need that little piece of paper that hangs up on my wall. I'll be hired for my merit. I'll be hired because I've gone out and done something, not because I've gone and gotten a piece of paper from somebody for a bunch of memorization that means nothing. I'll do it myself.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free. Somebody who says, I can do it. I just want a chance. Martin Luther King, that's what he was saying: Just give me a chance. Don't judge me on anything, except who I am as an individual. Just me on my character.

That's the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. Judge me on my character.

That is the meaning of the purple heart. Merit, merit, merit. What can you do?

Everybody is given life, and everybody is given a chance to do something. What is it you're going to do?

Well, I can't make it because I've had this problem or this problem. Everyone has problems.

Some, more than others. Some people are born into a lap of luxury. Some people are not. But those born in the lap of luxury. Nine out of ten times lose it all, including their soul because they've never had to work for anything. They've never had to do anything. They never have to struggle. Your struggles are a blessing.

All men are created equal. And our Statue of Liberty stands there with a worldwide beacon with a light in her hand. Come to our sunset washed gates. Come here to our gates. Come in. No matter what anyone tells you elsewhere. If you work hard, if you're smart, if you have a better idea, if you want to play by the rules, come here. And show the rest of the world what liberty does.

And if we really had a better understanding of what we're supposed to do, what we're supposed to be guarding, we would then encourage them, go back and now change your country. Go back now and take this information and spread it all throughout the globe.

Instead, what we do is we take our soldiers and we march them around the world and we say, we're right, and you'll do it this way. And we've grown arrogant and we have lost touch on even who we are. What is the law supposed to do? The law is supposed to praise those who do right. Praise and uphold and clear the path for those who are doing the right thing. And prosecute those who are doing wrong.

When that happens, everyone knows what the rules are. And you can make progress. Praise those who are doing right. Good job. How can I help you? How can I help you do more? How can I help you teach other people? What can I do to take some of these paths and straighten them out for you? Good job. You're making things better here for all people. Good job. You're playing by the rules.

And prosecuting those who don't. Can you imagine what your family would be like if your children, the good child in the family, the one that never has problems, always doing A's and everything else, can you imagine what your family would be like if you always prosecuted -- you said that one, you know what, you got an A, good, you're grounded. You're ground. Oh, you did an A, good. Well, you just don't have to study so much, do you, go out and mow the lawn. And the one sloughing off and doing nothing, always constantly in trouble, if you were coddled that person, what would your family be like? Is there a soul within the sound of my voice that thinks that's a good idea. No, of course, not because common sense says, eternal principles tell us that you praise those and help those who do right, and you prosecute those who do wrong.

The reason our country is in the trouble that we're in is because we are praising those who do wrong and prosecuting those who do right. You are punished for living a righteous life. You are -- if you believe in the Constitution, if you believe in God, you're an outcast in our society. We're not praising you. We're mocking you. We make you feel like an outcast. If you however believe in revolution, if you however believe in a you should march in the streets of Ferguson, well, he get a meeting with the president of the United States.

The rule of law is essential. If I take away and I do anything to hurt the rule of law, that I upset the balance of, praise those who do good, prosecute when who do wrong, if I upset the balance of that or indeed, as we have done, reversed that, what happens to your laws? What happens to the self-governance where people start to feel like suckers? And they're like, you know what, I won't play by these rules because everyone else gets ahead so I'm a sucker for doing and playing by the law. By doing right, I lose. We have taken the fundamental building block of America's belief that the good guys indeed in the end win. That's what makes us different. We like the underdog because we know the good guy, the guy who has just been in there plugging and he has everything against him, but he will live a right and righteous life, we know that guy wins in the end. Do we? Do we?

If you reverse the scale and say, prosecute those who do right and praise those who do wrong, the good guy doesn't win in the end. And so what happens to the rule of law? It completely degrades to the point of chaos. And once there is chaos, anyone, anyone that promises you, I will solve your problem, is embraced.

America, this has nothing to do with illegal immigration. This has nothing to do with this president. This has everything to do with, what kind of world do you want to live in? Do you want one that makes sense, is predictable, that praises those people who do right and punishes those people who do wrong. This has nothing to do with 5 million people. This has to do with the billions that live on earth. Because once we officially extinguish the rule of law, something that we can all believe in, something that we can all understand, not the 80,000 pages that are added every single year, the simple documents that say all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Once we take that simple idea and wash it out, how many billions of people will suffer?

The rule of law is essential. Because when there is chaos, the people will cry out for a strong man. With that being said, the rule of love is essential as well.

We must love others. And our love cannot stop at this border. We must be charitable. We must be kind. We must be loving. We must be patient. We must be tolerant, but not tolerant of those who break the law, but we must love them.

We have to be completely filled with love and completely filled with law. Now, only God can really do this right. 100 percent love, 100 percent law. That's justice.

How you do that in an earthly stance, I don't know. We can only do our best. And what our best requires is for us to be charitable, for us to go down and love the people who are coming across our border. It doesn't mean that we accept them here as citizens. We love them. We love them. We care for them. We listen to their plight. We hold them. We feed them. We send them home. But we love them.

Those who are in danger, we protect. But you cannot love somebody without law. You can't. Tell me how it would work out. If you weren't filled as a spouse with 100 percent love and 100 percent law in your own home, tell me how that would work out.

Honey, I love you. Okay, that marriage contract. I wasn't paying attention to that with Susan. But Susan -- you don't understand how hurt Susan is. You don't understand what was happening in Susan's life. Honey, I was just giving her a little love.

No. There's a marriage contract. There is the rule of law in our marriage, and I have to be filled 100 percent with the rule of law in my marriage and 100 percent with love, no matter what's happening. No matter what's happening in my wife's life or my life, it doesn't matter. The law stands.

At the same time it doesn't happen what's happening in my life, I must love my wife 100 percent of my being. And if those two things -- if they fall, there is no justice in your marriage. There is no justice in your family. And if those two things -- if we're not filled 100 percent with love and 100 percent with law, then there is no justice, and there is no United States of America. There is no promise -- we have extinguished -- imprisoned lightning. That torch that the Lady Liberty holds, we have extinguished it. In a nutshell, that is what happened last night.

'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 dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

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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.

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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