Who do we choose to be?

December 09, 2014

Writer

There were two big stories in the news today that represent the choice facing all Americans. First, a postal worker who decided to steal money from over 2,000 cards out of boredom. Not greed, but boredom. And the other? A woman who donated her modest diamond ring and wedding band to the Salvation Army in hopes that they could use the money from the sales to give needy children a Merry Christmas. Which are we?

Below is a rough transcript of this segment:

GLENN: There's two other things I want to tell you about. And, America, it's time for us to decide who we are. Which one of these stories are we? I know which one I am. I know which one I want to strive for. I know which one I believe the average person is.

But I want you to decide.

Federal authorities say a Detroit area postal employee accused of stealing as many as 2,000 pieces of mail said she did so not out of greed.

Sharon Berrien is accused of pocketing any cash from the mail and dumping the leftovers along Interstate 94. Most of the items were greeting cards.

She was charged Monday with stealing mail while working in a Detroit mail processing center. Investigators said she told them the thefts began last spring. The probe started in October when mail was found along the interstate, Interstate 94.

On November 21st, 800 pieces of mail were found in her trash bin, behind her house. Three bags were found inside of her closet. She said she kept about 1,000 to $1,500.

Investigators said, when asked why she did it, she said, well, I don't have any financial problems. I, quote, was just bored.

Here's the thing, I think it's a problem with our kids too: They're bored. We don't have anything for them to do. They don't have to work hard. No one is milking the cow. No one is mending the fence. No one is doing the things that we used to have to do as a kid. And I can't speak for your kids. I can speak for my kids. And they get bored. Idle hands are the devil's workshop. That is one of the copybook headings. Idle hands are the devil's workshop.

PAT: You never hear that anymore. Heard that from our dads, our moms. But I don't think the kids of today hear that. When was the last time you said that to your kids? Idle hands are the devil's workshop, you ever said that to your kids?

GLENN: No. Because they're not idle. They're playing games. But that's an idle mind. That's an idle mind.

Okay. So now are we those people? Are we the people that we're just so bored, we don't care that those are greeting cards. There's nothing in us that says, you know what, Sally was writing something to her niece, it was her birthday. No one has a problem with that. Are we those people that we can see past that and say, yeah, you know what, I was bored. Whatever. It makes me happy. Or are we this person?

Salvation Army found an unusual surprise in one of its red donation kettles. A diamond engagement ring. When they found this engagement ring and the wedding band that someone had dropped in the kettle, at first they thought, oh, boy, somebody had lost their ring. Then they found the wedding band as well. Now, what would you think?

Maybe somebody got a divorce is, I'm getting rid of this ring.

PAT: That's what I would think. That's what I first thought.

GLENN: Now listen to this: The charity said Monday, somebody placed a diamond ring valued at $1,850. One was a diamond ring. One was a wedding band. They found it in a kettle right outside of Boston's North Station. In the kettle, they also found a note.

Woman said: Please sell these and use the money to buy toys for needy children.

In the note, she explained that her husband had a giving spirit. I've recently lost my husband, and to honor his memory, I donate this ring. I'm hoping there's somebody out there who made a lot of money this year and will buy this ring for ten times its worth. After all, there's no value on the love and sentimental value this ring has. The money will help children. May everyone have a Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

No word on whether they'll auction this ring. Salvation Army should auction it because I think there are a lot of people -- I offer my services. We should call the Salvation Army today. Have someone call up to the Salvation Army. We'll auction it off on the air nationally. I think you'll get a lot more than $1,800 for that. What a tremendous American story.

So the question is light or dark? Life or death? Good or evil? Which are we? Are we the county that will talk about digging up stuff from the George Bush administration just to hide what's going on today? Will we live in the past or live in the future? What will we do tomorrow? I'm not saying that I have any answers. And I'm not placing any blame on this president or the last president or the future president.

I'm asking: What are we going to do? ISIS is a part of our children's future now. What are we going to do? Live in the past or choose the future?

Jonathan Gruber -- which are we -- what are we going to accept? Are we going to be people that tell the truth and really make the case and let the people decide because we trust the people, because this is a nation of the people, by the people, for the people? And we really believe that. It's not just an old dusty document. It's an old speech that Abraham Lincoln gave. We really mean that. That we will abide by what the people say.

Are we going to treat them like morons and lie and cheat and steal just to get our point of view across and enacted? Or are we going to be better than that? Are we going to expect the people to be smart about that? I can talk to you all day about how stupid the American people. But I don't believe the American people are stupid. Some are.

And it's not that they're stupid. They're disengaged. They don't think it matters anymore. And why should they? They're not expected to do anything.

When George Bush said, hey, by the way, the stock market are cratering. Our towers have fallen. America was waiting for: Roll up your sleeves. We're going to work. What was his advice. Go shopping. Go shopping was our hard work. Idle hands, the devil's workshop. His advice to us was go spend money.

Is that who we are? Make a choice.

Had a meeting earlier this morning here in New York. Told the story -- I've been telling it for a while now. It's kind of part of a pivot point for me. I heard a story about a farmer in Ireland. And it's apparently an old Irish saying.

The farmer was out in his field and working and plowing the field. Working hard. He stops, he looks up, and he sees a man on the road walking all by himself. Carrying luggage. Apparently lost because there's nothing for miles around.

He traipses across the field and he comes up to the farmer. The farmer watches him for a while. He meets him there halfway in the field. How can I help you, he says?

He says, I'm lost.

The farmer says, well, that's clear. Where you headed?

The traveler looks at the farmer and says, well, I'm headed here. But I don't know -- have any idea how to get there.

The farmer said, where you headed?

Man told him again.

The farmer put his head in his hands. Rubbed his chin a bit, looked around. Looked down one side of the street then done the other. Turned around in the field. Looked down at his shoes. Then looked up at the traveler.

He said, well, I have to tell you, if that's where you're going, I wouldn't start here.

The point of that story is: Where are we headed? Do we even know anymore? Where are we headed? I can tell you, if we don't chart a course, we're all headed for the post office in Detroit. We'll all be bored. We won't see the difference between right and wrong. We'll just do what we want to see. Nothing else matters. It's me, me, me. The world owes it to us.

If we don't fix ourselves on some real points of principles in the sky, things that never move -- when was the last time you said, what are my principles? What are the things we really believe on? What are the things that I as a person -- forget about the dusty document -- what are the things that I hold to be self-evident, you don't even have to teach me or my children, we just know these things are right. And are you doing them? Where are we headed as a country? Yeah, I know we have a lot of debt. Yeah, I know Congress. Yeah, I know the president.

Well, you don't understand -- look how much money it costs to elect someone. I got it. Problems. Bigger than I could possibly imagine. Bigger than any man could possibly solve. I got it. Where are you headed? Stop telling, yeah, I certainly wouldn't start here. Yeah, I know, but this is where I'm at.

So I know it's going to be harder to get where I need to be, but this is where we're at. Choose. Life or death. Choose today. Look, if you're thinking about life isn't worth it, I'm telling you right now it is. I'm telling you right now it is.

But you have to make that decision. And may I suggest, make the decision. Make the decision.

I don't know what tomorrow brings. Make the decision. Stop worrying about the -- the sun will rise. And you're either going to find warmth or freak out that it's not going to come up over the hill. Find the warmth. Sun is rising. You have today. Don't waste another day. Choose today who you are.

EXPOSED: Your tax dollars FUND Marxist riots in LA

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

Protesters wore Che shirts, waved foreign flags, and chanted Marxist slogans — but corporate media still peddles the ‘spontaneous outrage’ narrative.

I sat in front of the television this weekend, watching the glittering spectacle of corporate media do what it does best: tell me not to believe my lying eyes.

According to the polished news anchors, what I was witnessing in Los Angeles was “mostly peaceful protests.” They said it with all the earnest gravitas of someone reading a bedtime story, while behind them the streets looked like a deleted scene from “Mad Max.” Federal agents dodged concrete slabs as if it were an Olympic sport. A man in a Che Guevara crop top tried to set a police car on fire. Dumpster fires lit the night sky like some sort of postapocalyptic luau.

If you suggest that violent criminals should be deported or imprisoned, you’re painted as the extremist.

But sure, it was peaceful. Tear gas clouds and Molotov cocktails are apparently the incense and candles of this new civic religion.

The media expects us to play along — to nod solemnly while cities burn and to call it “activism.”

Let’s call this what it is: delusion.

Another ‘peaceful’ riot

If the Titanic “mostly floated” and the Hindenburg “mostly flew,” then yes, the latest L.A. riots are “mostly peaceful.” But history tends to care about those tiny details at the end — like icebergs and explosions.

The coverage was full of phrases like “spontaneous,” “grassroots,” and “organic,” as if these protests materialized from thin air. But many of the signs and banners looked like they’d been run off at ComradesKinkos.com — crisp print jobs with slogans promoting socialism, communism, and various anti-American regimes. Palestinian flags waved beside banners from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and El Salvador. It was like someone looted a United Nations souvenir shop and turned it into a revolution starter pack.

And guess who funded it? You did.

According to at least one report, much of this so-called spontaneous rage fest was paid for with your tax dollars. Tens of millions of dollars from the Biden administration ensured your paycheck funded Trotsky cosplayers chucking firebombs at local coffee shops.

The same aging radicals from the 1970s — now armed with tenure, pensions, and book deals — are cheering from the sidelines, waxing poetic about how burning a squad car is “liberation.” These are the same folks who once wore tie-dye and flew to help guerrilla fighters and now applaud chaos under the banner of “progress.”

This is not progress. It is not protest. It’s certainly not justice or peace.

It’s an attempt to dismantle the American system — and if you dare say that out loud, you’re labeled a bigot, a fascist, or, worst of all, someone who notices reality.

And what sparked this taxpayer-funded riot? Enforcement against illegal immigrants — many of whom, according to official arrest records, are repeat violent offenders. These are not the “dreamers” or the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. These are criminals with long, violent rap sheets — allowed to remain free by a broken system that prioritizes ideology over public safety.

Photo by Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg | Getty Images

This is what people are rioting over — not the mistreatment of the innocent, but the arrest of the guilty. And in California, that’s apparently a cause for outrage.

The average American, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, is supposed to worry they’ll be next. But unless you’re in the habit of assaulting people, smuggling, or firing guns into people’s homes, you probably don’t have much to fear.

Still, if you suggest that violent criminals should be deported or imprisoned, you’re painted as the extremist.

The left has lost it

This is what happens when a culture loses its grip on reality. We begin to call arson “art,” lawlessness “liberation,” and criminals “community members.” We burn the good and excuse the evil — all while the media insists it’s just “vibes.”

But it’s not just vibes. It’s violence, paid for by you, endorsed by your elected officials, and whitewashed by newsrooms with more concern for hair and lighting than for truth.

This isn’t activism. This is anarchism. And Democratic politicians are fueling the flame.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck's 'No King but Christ' merch: Will faith STOP the chaos?

On Saturday, June 14, 2025 (President Trump's 79th birthday), the "No Kings" protest—a noisy spectacle orchestrated by progressive heavyweights like Randi Weingarten and her union cronies—will take place in Washington, D.C.

Thousands will chant "no thrones, no crowns, no king," claiming to fend off authoritarianism and corruption.

But let’s cut through the noise. The protesters' grievances—rigged courts, deported citizens, slashed services—are a house of cards. Zero Americans have been deported, Federal services are still bloated, and if anyone is rigging the courts, it's the Left. So why rally now, especially with riots already flaring in L.A.?

Chaos isn’t a side effect here—it’s the plan.

This is not about liberty; it's a power grab dressed up as resistance. The "No Kings" crowd wants you to buy their script: government’s the enemy—unless they’re the ones running it. It's the identical script from 2020: same groups, same tactics, same goal, different name.

But Glenn is flipping the script. He's dropping a new "No Kings but Christ" merch line, just in time for the protest. Merch that proclaims one truth: no earthly ruler owns us; only Christ does. It’s a bold, faith-rooted rejection of this secular circus.

Why should you care? Because this won’t just be a rally—it’ll be a symptom. Distrust in institutions is sky-high, and rightly so, but the "No Kings" answer is a hollow shout into the void. Glenn’s merch begs the question: if you’re ditching kings, who’s really in charge? Get yours and wear the answer proudly.

Truth unleashed: 95% say media’s excuses for anti-Semitism are a LIE

ELI IMADALI / Contributor | Getty Images

Glenn asked for YOUR take on the rising tide of anti-Semitism, and you delivered. After the Boulder attack, you made it clear: this isn’t just a news story—it’s a crisis the elites are dodging.

Your verdict is unmistakable: 96% of you see anti-Semitism as a growing threat in the U.S., brushing aside the establishment’s weak excuses. The spin does not fool you—95% say the media is deliberately downplaying the issue, hiding a cultural rot that’s all too real. And the government’s response? A whopping 95% of you call it a disgraceful failure, leaving communities exposed.

Your voices shatter the silence. Why should we trust narratives that dismiss your concerns? With 97% of you warning that anti-Semitism will surge in the years ahead, you’re demanding action and accountability. This is your stand for truth.

You spoke, and Glenn listened. Your bold response sends a message to those who’d rather ignore the problem. Keep raising your voice at Glennbeck.com—your input drives the fight for justice. Take part in the next poll and continue shaping the conversation.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

JPMorgan Chase CEO issues dire warning about America's prosperity

Win McNamee / Staff | Getty Images

Jamie Dimon has a grim forecast for America — and it’s not a recession. He sees a fragile nation drifting into crisis while its leaders fight over TikTok.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase — one of the most powerful financial institutions on earth — issued a warning the other day. But it wasn’t about interest rates, crypto, or monetary policy.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, Dimon pivoted from economic talking points to something far more urgent: the fragile state of America’s physical preparedness.

We are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

“We shouldn’t be stockpiling Bitcoin,” Dimon said. “We should be stockpiling guns, tanks, planes, drones, and rare earths. We know we need to do it. It’s not a mystery.”

He cited internal Pentagon assessments showing that if war were to break out in the South China Sea, the United States has only enough precision-guided missiles for seven days of sustained conflict.

Seven days — that’s the gap between deterrence and desperation.

This wasn’t a forecast about inflation or a hedge against market volatility. It was a blunt assessment from a man whose words typically move markets.

“America is the global hegemon,” Dimon continued, “and the free world wants us to be strong.” But he warned that Americans have been lulled into “a false sense of security,” made complacent by years of peacetime prosperity, outsourcing, and digital convenience:

We need to build a permanent, long-term, realistic strategy for the future of America — economic growth, fiscal policy, industrial policy, foreign policy. We need to educate our citizens. We need to take control of our economic destiny.

This isn’t a partisan appeal — it’s a sobering wake-up call. Because our economy and military readiness are not separate issues. They are deeply intertwined.

Dimon isn’t alone in raising concerns. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned that China has already overtaken the U.S. in key defense technologies — hypersonic missiles, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence to mention a few. Retired military leaders continue to highlight our shrinking shipyards and dwindling defense manufacturing base.

Even the dollar, once assumed untouchable, is under pressure as BRICS nations work to undermine its global dominance. Dimon, notably, has said this effort could succeed if the U.S. continues down its current path.

So what does this all mean?

Christopher Furlong / Staff | Getty Images

It means we are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

It means the future belongs to nations that understand something we’ve forgotten: Strength isn’t built on slogans or algorithms. It’s built on steel, energy, sovereignty, and trust.

And at the core of that trust is you, the citizen. Not the influencer. Not the bureaucrat. Not the lobbyist. At the core is the ordinary man or woman who understands that freedom, safety, and prosperity require more than passive consumption. They require courage, clarity, and conviction.

We need to stop assuming someone else will fix it. The next crisis — whether military, economic, or cyber — will not politely pause for our political dysfunction to sort itself out. It will demand leadership, unity, and grit.

And that begins with looking reality in the eye. We need to stop talking about things that don’t matter and cut to the chase: The U.S. is in a dangerously fragile position, and it’s time to rebuild and refortify — from the inside out.