Battlefield America and the growing police state

April 23, 2015

The Glenn Beck Program

There has been a dramatic shift in how police operate in America during the past 15 years. There has been a disturbing trend of increased militarization - just this month a student in Florida was pulled over by an armored vehicle for a traffic violation. More and more the government is training citizens to not only expect, but accept the fact that they will be policed by a battalion of soldiers rather than officers.

John Whitefield, author of Battlefield America, joined Glenn on radio this morning to discuss governement overreach. During his discussion with Glenn, Whitefield mentioned the case of Brandon Raub, a marine veteran who was taken into custody and then committed into a mental health institution from social media posts. Listen to this harrowing tale and hear Glenn's reaction below:

Rough Transcript Below:

JOHN: The government does not view us like they did 30 years ago. Which was, people with some amount of respect. I see most government officials dealing with today slamming veteran's face down, taking them out of their homes because of Facebook posts. We've had cases like that.

GLENN: Explain that one.

JOHN: Well, the case was a fellow named Brandon Raub. 26-year-old marine that served in Iraq, Afghanistan. What he did was, he saved people's lives. Troops lives. He took mines out of the ground. He was a mine diffuser. So he came back. And he was upset with President Obama. He's a 9/11 truther, as well, which will get you in a lot of trouble today. Because Janet Napolitano in a memo said that's an extremist that has to be watched. And so Brandon opposed Obama's executive orders. Bush's executive orders on a Saturday morning. He had just gotten through jogging. He heard a noise outside. Being astute, he walks to the front door without his shirt on. He just got through jogging. There were all these guys rushing towards his house in black outfits and plainclothes. Come to find out, it was the local police, working with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and the Secret Service.

And he opens the door and says, what's up, guys? They say, we're concerned about some of the things you're saying on Facebook. They asked him to step out. When he did, they handcuffed him behind his back. Brandon is saying, what did I do? What did I do? They take him and slam him against the fence and rip his back open. When he gets to the police station, he asked for a bandage. They put a prison shirt on him, which he said stuck in the cuts and hurt very, very badly. They put a prison cell. A psychiatrist gave him a five-minute interview and said because of his 9/11 views and because he paused -- this is a five-minute view -- he had a mental problem. They put him in a mental hospital for a week. We had to file a lawsuit to get him out. That's a veteran.

JEFFY: Oh, my gosh.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: There's more to this story, John. At least that you told me if I have the story straight. Unless it's another one. They were about to inject him with drugs.

JOHN: Yeah, he called me on the Thursday. We got him out that Saturday. He said, John, I'm really frightened. And this is a marine. This is a 6-4 marine. He's built like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I said, what's got you scared? He said, there's a psychiatrist here who says he'll brainwash me and force medications on me. And the psychiatrist is listening on the phone as he called. And I said, well, you tell that guy that, A, number one, you're violating the law. You can't force medications in most states without a court order. And number two, we're going to sue that guy when this case -- and we have. We filed a lawsuit. We're in in federal court with the case now.

PAT: Wow.

JOHN: By the way, Glenn, there's 1.5 million of these so-called civil commitments that happen each year in America.

GLENN: What does that mean?

JOHN: That means a board of social workers and psychologists, if someone is complaining about Facebook pages or neighbor is complaining about them, they meet and decide whether or not this individual may be a danger. And the police go get him and take him into a hearing.

GLENN: 1.5 million Americans every year?

JOHN: In Virginia alone is where this fellow resided, where I reside, there's over 20,000 a year, civil commitments. What was key here was his mother called us. And I talked to her. She was crying. I actually called the police station and asked what he had done. The police chief said to me, oh, he had done nothing wrong or illegal. But I said, you handcuffed the man behind his back. He goes, we're just concerned about his Facebook post. These are civil commitments decided by social workers and psychologists in Virginia. In other states, it's very similar.

GLENN: So, John, I feel the same way the same way I felt when I talked to you last.

JOHN: An NSA agent of 27 years met with me last year. He likes what we do. My work. And he said, I just want to tell you, we're following the Soviet model. I said, what do you mean by that? He says, well, you'll see more people detained in mental hospitals. That's what the Soviet did. Then he said, the word Homeland Security, by the way, is a Soviet term. I didn't know that until he told me that. And I researched it, and it's true.

GLENN: Okay. John, what does the average person do? How can we help? What do we do?

JOHN: Well, education precedes action. I mean, most Americans will have to study the issues. They'll have to read books by me and others who are talking about these issues. Get educated.

The federal government does not listen to us. There was a recent study by Princeton and Northwestern University that concluded unanimously basically that we live in an oligarchy now. There's a money class that runs the country. And the average voter has little impact on the federal level.

What I urge citizens to do is to get active locally. Get down to that city council that's sitting there. When somebody -- like what happened to this woman in Kansas. The city council should bring those policemen in and instruct them to never do that again unless they do it legally. Form civil liberties oversight committees. I'm telling people, get your neighbors together.

In fact, Brandon Raub's mother, I've talked to her, she has a phone thing she does every Saturday with about 20 people. And they're watching the community now. That's a good thing to do because then you don't have to travel. You can email back and forth. But if you email, I'm just warning people, the government reads all your emails now. They'll know what you're doing. So get active locally. Get your picket signs. You can make a -- a local government can say no to a federal government and say no to a state government. It's called nullification. In fact, Thomas Jefferson said, nullification is basically the basis of freedom. A local government governs.

'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 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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