Glenn's recap on the most humbling funeral he has ever attended

September 08, 2015

WRITER

Having attended the funeral for Deputy Darren Goforth in Houston Friday, Glenn shared with his radio audience some of the most memorable aspects of the what he said was "probably the most humbling funeral or anything like that I've been to."

Listen to the segment and see photos from the funeral below.

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors.

GLENN: Officer Goforth. Incredible funeral. Probably the most humbling funeral or anything like that I've been to. Really, truly remarkable. There were 11,000 people that attend. There was 6,000 in the actual church, and it was remarkable. When they dismissed the audience -- or, the congregation, they said if the VIPs, the judges, and the politicians, any VIP, if you will stay, and if the family will stay, we want to release everybody one by one.

Family members and fellow police officers gather at funeral for Deputy Darren Goforth. Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

So let's start with the honor guard. And this whole section got up, maybe about 5 percent of the audience got up. And that was police honor guard from Canada and all across the United States. Remarkable.

Police officers gather at funeral for Deputy Darren Goforth. Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

Then they said, if the police officers will stand up and be excused and head for the exits. And I would say 80 percent of the audience stood up. And those were uniformed police officers and then followed by the plainclothes police officers. The only ones left to excuse were the maybe 300 VIPs and then the family of about 30 people. The rest of that audience was police officers.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: And when they went out -- when we went outside and they brought the casket outside. I've never seen anything like this. It was so powerful.

Casket of Deputy Darren Goforth at funeral in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

Kathleen Goforth, his wife, when she walked in, there was an audible gasp when she walked in. She was held on each elbow by a police officer and brought in by the sheriff's department.

Wife of Deputy Darren Goforth at funeral in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

And we couldn't figure out. None of us in our group had ever seen anyone react this way. We had never seen anyone's expression. We couldn't place it. We looked at that and said, I've never seen that in a movie. I've never seen that in real life. I've never seen anyone's reaction this way. And she was almost a blank slate, as if -- as if she was in a total state of shock right then. And the way she was looking at the audience as she walked in, literally caused you see to gasp.

Wife of Deputy Darren Goforth at funeral in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

People immediately started to cry. When it was over and she walked out, the only thing I could compare it to, the only thing I could begin to get my arms around is that she was -- she was almost confused or she was blown away by how many people were there. Because what she was doing was, she was looking. As she walked by us, she was looking -- slowly walking by and slowly looking at each individual face, as if she was trying to imprint on us, as if she was trying to remember who was there and having us remember that she saw us and was thanking us for being there.

Wife of Deputy Darren Goforth at funeral in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

It was -- it was heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. The gas station where he was shot -- what, 15 times -- is just overwhelmed with flowers.

Flowers displayed at gas station where Deputy Darren Goforth was shot in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

And now we're starting to see great things happening around the country. People are starting to watch the backs of police officers. Not just here in Texas, but all across the country.

A woman holds a sign with the phrase "All Lives Matter" following the funeral services for Deputy Darren Goforth in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

And I will tell you that I am -- I think that we're at a turning point. I think we're at a disconnect. Let me say it this way. I really believe that history will go back in time and look at this particular period of time and they will say, this was the turning point.

Flag hangs from fire truck ladders during funeral services for Deputy Darren Goforth in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

This was the fork in the road. And because they chose this direction, they either destroyed themselves or they survived. But it was this season. It was this fall. This end of this summer. It was this time that the Americans chose who they would become.

Police officers walk outside following the funeral services for Deputy Darren Goforth in Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

And I don't know which one we're going to choose yet. I have hope that we are starting to wake up and we are starting to choose the right way.

Funeral for Deputy Darren Goforth. Houston, Texas, September 4, 2014. Photo by Sean Foster.

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

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In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

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

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'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

Glenn's Show Prep

Glenn's recap on the most humbling funeral he has ever attended

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Taking up the torch

Start small and local

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

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.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family