Glenn: This time of year brings back the memories of the good and the bad

December 15, 2014

Writer

Below is a transcript of this radio segment:

This time of the year, I think is -- well, for me at least it's hard. It brings back the memories of the good and the bad. And that's all Christmas is, it's either really, really great or horrible. It's not neutral usually.

This weekend we were at the mall and Cheyenne wanted to see Santa. She's 8. Raphe is 10. Raphe did not want to see Santa in the biggest of ways. He finally gave in. And he even smiled for the picture after mom said, 'please, Raphe, just one more year for mom.' And he did.

As I was standing next to him, behind Santa, and I smiled at him knowingly and he smiled at me, it marked the end of an age. He is no longer my little boy.

Each of the children growing up has hurt in the past. But knowing that there aren't any little ones following behind these last two hurts perhaps even more.

This time of year is always tough. It reminds me of the good times. One memorable Christmas week growing up in Mount Vernon, Washington, my hometown. It was perfect in every way, and maybe only in my memory. I may have been 9. But that year because of all the work that we did, because I started working at the bakery when I was 8, I had my own money to buy gifts. I would walk from school to work. It was maybe four miles. And I would walk to the bakery and I would pass all the stores and this is in the days when Sears was still the big store in town. Sears and Penney's. This is before the mall. Santa would come on the back of a fire truck. We still shop downtown and I had done my gift shopping that year. And that was the year that it snowed. And I remember how quiet everything was. Growing up in Seattle, it doesn't snow very often. And when it does, even just three inches of snow will shut everything down. But this year, I bet we had five on the ground. And I remember walking down our street on Warren Avenue. In the silence, only hearing the breathing and the crunch of my father's footsteps. One of the few good memories around Christmas with my dad.

This time of year reminds me of my "Christmas Sweater," the last gift that I received from my mom. Guess I was 15. If you read the book, you know that gift is the gift that changed the course of my life - for better and for worse.

This time of year reminds me of the Christmas that I couldn't afford any presents for my children.

And the year after where Hannah found a sleigh bell and restored her faith in Santa and magic.

And eight years later, that I filled the Christmas tree almost halfway up with presents around the tree. When I had enough money, I thought, 'I'm going to buy everything I've ever wanted to. I'm going to live my childhood dream of Christmas and I'm going to buy everything that I ever wanted for everybody I know.' And it was the most empty Christmas I'd ever had.

This time of year reminds me how I spent Christmas alone for a few years after my divorce. And now how we split the children for the holiday. And how that has split our family forever.

This time of year can convince you that you're the best parent or the worst parent. But too many times, too many people fall through the cracks and they focus on the worst parent, the worst spouse, or the worst human alive. It can make you feel worthless and hopeless and powerfully alone.

As I jotted down some thoughts last night, I thought how many times I had been there, so deep in despair that I never thought it would end. And how strange it is that in the midst of that despair, death seems welcome and logical.

This time of the year reminds me of the Christmas where I decided to live instead of die. I wish I could tell you that it got better the next day, but it didn't. It took a while. But it didn't just get better. It got great.

I thought of this last night. That night I cried out in prayer. I just wanted somebody to trust me and to believe in me as I had lied to everybody, including myself, for years. No one would have crossed the street to even shake my hand or say hello. I had literally lost everything, including my good name, if I even had had one.

But that night, out of my desperation, I decided with God I can change that. I don't know if I even really believed in God that much, I just know that I was desperate.

Now look at my life. He has so greatly blessed me. Not only do my older children live next door to me, but my two younger children have graced my life as well. I have an amazing wife. And now more friends than I could possibly ever count.

It's strange. We don't know each other, yet I feel we do.

I've said before - how many friends I have on Facebook. 3.2 million. How many friends do really have on Facebook? None. But that's not entirely true.

You have me at a disadvantage. You know me. I don't know you. But I know we're not all that different.

If you are alone, if you are away from your children, if your mired in the muck of regret, if you're broke, with no hope in sight, if you're jobless, perhaps homeless soon, if you're sick, if you're in pain beyond your understanding and description, I know. I've seen some of those views.

But may I ask that you listen to your friend on the radio and make a different choice. Make a choice today to just make it to bed tonight without doing any more damage. Just make it to bed tonight to be able to get up tomorrow, get dressed, and do it again.

There are days especially this time of year that I still feel alone. But the darkness no longer can whisper its lies. I'm no longer willing to believe, at least for very long.

The truth is, I'm not alone and you're not alone. Your children, friends, and family would not be better off without you. You will find a job. You will find a friend. You will find a spouse. Your life does have meaning. You just may not have found it yet. You do matter. You impact people you meet. You make a difference. God does exist. God sees you, God hears you, and He cares. You were born for times such as this. Reach out to Him and then reach out to someone else, a friend, a loved one.

If things are really dark, a helpline. There's somebody there because you aren't alone.

Last night as I jot these things down, I thought, I don't even know who I'm writing this for. But I was compelled to write it.

But you are listening. So perhaps this message was meant for you.

'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 critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

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 America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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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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