Silence in the Face of Evil Is Evil Itself

February 24, 2016

The Glenn Beck Program

Hello, America, from Las Vegas, Nevada.

I got up this morning, and I prayed about what I was going to say to you today. Because I have a lot on my mind. And I thought to myself, "Maybe I, maybe I don't say anything."

You know, it's really interesting. I've had an interesting 15 years. And for the life of me, I can't figure it out. I know my talent didn't get me here. I am quite possibly the worst talk show host on radio. My talent didn't get me here. My talent got me to where I was in the 1990s, and that was pretty much nowhere.

But I was on the air in WABC in New York. So the first talk show broadcast I ever did. Clinton had just bombed the aspirin factory, and Stu was my producer at the time. And I had spent the day reading the words of Osama Bin Laden because that was the target, according to Clinton. That was the target of that aspirin factory. Because he said, "Osama Bin Laden is a very dangerous man." And I didn't trust Clinton at all. And so I looked up this Osama bin Laden. I couldn't even pronounce his name. You know me with names.

I think I called him "Bean La Dean." I don't know how I even said it. It was embarrassing. But the point was, nobody was saying his name.

America really hadn't heard his name. And I spent the day reading his words. And I got on the air, and I said, "This guy is a danger. Clinton was right."

And I was accused by Republicans of trying to make the poll numbers of Bill Clinton go up by saying that. I said, "Look, you don't even know me. I'm not a fan of Bill Clinton at all. You don't know me. I want to talk to you about the facts of Osama Bin Laden." Nobody wanted to talk about the facts. They wanted to make it about politics. They just wanted that guy out.

And in frustration, after taking many phone calls, all of them accusing me of just trying to help Clinton, I snapped. And I said, "Mark my words, there will be blood, bodies and buildings in the streets of this city, New York City, within the next ten years. And the signature on those deaths will be Osama Bin Laden. Will you then care about terrorism?"

I forgot I even said that until I heard the name Osama Bin Laden about September 13th. And I looked at Stu and I said, "Oh, my gosh."

In 2004 --- late 2003 and 2004, I started talking internally and then started talking a little bit on the air because I wasn't sure, and I was afraid honestly. I was afraid of you.

I started saying on the air, "I don't, there's something wrong with the GOP. There's something wrong with the Bush administration. We're not going to be able to continue down this road. They're betraying all of the principles that we hold."

I was a big supporter of George Bush. I wasn't in 2000. But 2001 changed my mind. He got up there with a bullhorn, and all of a sudden I found myself "rah-rah. The Patriot Act. Rah-rah. Let's go kick some ass."

By 2004, the rah-rah had worn off, and I started to see what they were doing. By 2006, I saw what was happening on the border. And I had guest after guest after guest after guest on, all of them GOP, and I said, "Do you realize what's happening? Do you realize --- are you hearing, are you feeling the people out here? Because you have to change your ways because something is happening in America that I've never seen before. I can feel it." Very few understood what I was talking about.

2004, I start talking about a housing crisis, a banking crisis. By 2007, I'm ringing the bell so much, I'm losing radio stations. They're saying, "Glenn, you sound crazy." I'm on CNN. Just weeks before the crash, I have a guy on the air and he's talking about the Dow going to 33,000. In the middle of this interview, this expert that was on, beloved, everybody thought he was a genius, in the middle of the interview, I stopped and I looked right at the camera and I said, "Whatever you do, do not listen to this guy. We have a better chance in the next year of going to 5,000 than 33,000. Don't listen to this man." It didn't go well for the rest of the interview.

But more people listened to him than listened to me.

I'm putting together this crazy trip over to Israel. And I'm hearing in my prayers, "You have to announce this Monday." And I'm like, "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do."

"You have to announce it this Monday."

I fly over. Miracles happen. Open up --- we're the first Christians to ever speak at the Western Wall, ever, since Roman times. The mayor of Jerusalem is shocked. The rabbi of all of the holy places tells me he's shocked that the Lord told him, "Yes, let this Christians speak." It was a miracle. I didn't even know what was supposed to happen. I still don't know why we did it. I had to --- I had to announce it on Monday. I don't know why.

Friday, following after that Monday, Friday, Barack Obama comes out and asks for the Auschwitz lines to be reinstated, the 1968 borders. I get it.

I come back, and all I can think of was Restore Love. Restore Honor, that was in Washington, D.C. Then Restore Courage. That was in Israel. And as soon as that's done, Restore Love.

I didn't realize at the time all I was doing was faith, hope and charity. Where does honor come from? Where does courage come from? Where does love come from? How do you put them into practice? Honor, courage, love.

And nobody wants to hear me talk about Martin Luther King. Not a damn person. Nobody wants to hear me talk about Gandhi. Not a damn person.

Every time I talk about Gandhi, I hear from Christians, "Why don't you talk about Jesus." Every time I talk about Jesus, "Why are you talking about Jesus?" Every time I talk about Martin Luther King, "Why are you talking about that communist?"

Nobody wants to hear that. Nobody.

But I do as I'm told. (See, I told you he had Zionist masters.) Well, if you consider the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob my master, you'd be right. And I say we must not allow hatred to conquer our hearts.

At the time, internally, I'm telling people, "I don't even know why we're saying this. We're not Martin Luther King. We're not Gandhi. We're a million miles away from that kind of anger. There's no real oppression happening."

You most likely were saying the same thing. The same time . . . I read the words of the people in the Middle East. And the people in Washington were all saying this is a wonderful revolution in the Middle East. The Arab Spring. It's a new era. It's Jeffersonian. I read the words of the people in the Middle East. It felt an awful lot like 1999.

And I say the Muslim Brotherhood is not a peaceful organization. The people in Washington like Grover Norquist that have brought the Muslim Brotherhood into our society, have brought some of the worst people into our government, into the highest levels, into the Oval Office. They should not be held up on a pedestal. They should be shunned. They shouldn't be on the board of directors of CPAC. Grover Norquist should not be at CPAC. Grover Norquist should not be on the board of directors of the NRA. We'll find out if anybody listens to that. They're trying to pull him off the board of directors of the NRA now with a recall vote. Do you belong to the NRA? You have until this weekend to vote. Your ballot is in the magazine. It's already come out. You have to have it in by March 1st. That's Tuesday.

I talk about the caliphate. Nobody wants to listen to the caliphate. I'm mocked by the right. I'm mocked by the left. I'm mocked by the media. Nobody wants to hear it.

I didn't get here by my talent. I know what I'm capable of. Why does God give you a voice if you can't do anything about it? Why does God tell you what is coming when you can't do anything about it?

I got up this morning, and I thought, "What am I going to say to people?" Tuesday is your last chance, America. Super Tuesday is your last chance. Everybody is making this about politics. Everybody thinks I'm sitting here talking about Ted Cruz because, I don't know, I get money from Ted Cruz, and I just don't like Donald Trump because I was in his office asking him for money, or whatever the hell his excuse his.

I'm not standing for Ted Cruz. I'm standing for the Constitution of the United States of America. I'm standing for the principles we all swore to each other, to our families, and to ourselves on September 11th, we would never forget.

There is a storm coming of biblical proportions, a storm coming beyond your recognition. When the economy collapses, when our currency is worth toilet paper, who do you want, who do you want handling our nation? You want somebody who has divide us, who is grooming Brownshirts? I was at the caucus last night. I had never seen anything like it. These Trump supporters were beyond recognition as anything I've ever seen --- rude, vile, nasty.

I don't want to say all of them. But there's enough of them. And the ones that I met that were nice, I don't how you can stand in the same room with them. I don't know if you look --- how do you look at those people and say, "Wait a minute. That's what my guy is encouraging." I have some audio to play for you from yesterday. "That's what my guy is encouraging." Everybody said the same thing, "I want change." Boy, America, you are going to get change.

Don't you even hear yourself when you say that? Because you were the ones that stood up and said, "Change to what? Hope and change, Mr. Barack Obama. Mr. Barack Obama supporters, change to what?" I just want change. Oh, dear God.

Why is a man given a voice? Why is a man given the vision of what is to come if he can't do a damn thing about it?

As I wondered what to say to you this morning, and I still don't know, all that went through my head over and over again --- and I know what this means for my business, and I know what this means for my friends, and I know what this means for my family. Because Dana Loesch is going to the FBI because she's getting death threats. I know another very famous media reporter that is also on the highest level of security because of the death threats that's coming in on them.

I know what all of this means. Just in your business, I know what it means. In your popularity, I know what it means. But all I heard this morning was, "Silence in the face of evil is evil itself."

'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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