Dear Media, You Have a Golden Opportunity to Do the Right Thing

Following the arrest of four people who allegedly kidnapped and tortured a special needs man for being a Trump supporter, the media are reporting that, according to Chicago police, the alleged crime was not racially or politically motivated.

"Jeff, despite all of that racial and hateful rhetoric that you heard in those videos, the Chicago police superintendent says he does not believe these videos were politically motivated," said Sylvia Perez, a local reporter in the Chicago area.

CNN anchor Don Lemon downplayed the actions of the four people shown in the video, saying I don't think it was evil...just bad home training.

Given the media's current concern with lies and fake news, Glenn issued a challenge.

"Media, you have a golden opportunity right now to reset things and to show that you have learned something. Please, take this opportunity," Glenn said.

Read below or listen to the full segment from Hour 2 for answers to these questions:

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

GLENN: How dare they do that.

PAT: How dare they say that!

GLENN: How dare they say that.

PAT: How dare you.

GLENN: You will not believe what is being said about Dolce & Gabbana now and what they're being told, "You better fall in line."

JEFFY: Oh, my gosh.

GLENN: I want to continue our conversation with the left and just point out some things that, please, stop doing this. It's not going to make things better. I have not heard -- I keep hearing, you know, the different reasons why Hillary Clinton lost. Hillary Clinton lost because nobody even on your side actually believed her. Nobody believed her. That's why she lost.

It wasn't Russia. It wasn't racism. It's because she was a dishonest individual. Period.

I don't know how you missed that one. And now the left and the media is accusing the right of-haired and vitriol. But we're missing a pretty big trend. We're missing Black Lives Matter. And where was that anger and vitriol? And where were you coming out against that? And what does that influence?

A story in Chicago that will chill you to the bone. We begin there, right now.

(music)

GLENN: I contend that we are -- we're not as bad as everyone is saying we are, including those on the right. We are not as bad. We're just seeing -- I think these -- these people like the three I'm going to introduce you to, I think these kinds of people have been here forever. We just didn't see them because they didn't have a camera in their possession. They didn't have a network in their shirt pocket. Now they do. It's called Facebook.

Four people are under arrest. They're four black apparently teens. Under arrest. In Chicago. For taking, apparently, a handicapped man, a man who has some mental deficiencies, kidnapping him, bringing them to their house, taping his mouth, torturing him, and beating him, all live on Facebook.

PAT: And all because he was a supporter apparently of Donald Trump.

GLENN: Whether that is even true or not, we don't know. Here's some of the video.

VOICE: What (bleep).

VOICE: Donald Trump.

VOICE: What (bleep). (bleep) (bleep)

VOICE: Goof. My sister --

VOICE: Yeah, nigger.

VOICE: My sister said this is not funny, y'all.

VOICE: It's funny to me.

PAT: So they're --

GLENN: So somebody on my thread -- who was it? My mother?

PAT: My sister said, "This isn't funny."

GLENN: My sister said, "This isn't funny, y'all." This isn't funny? You've taken a handicapped individual and you're beating him and torturing him in the name of Donald Trump. But not in the way the media is always spinning this. Violence and-haired.

Now, where does this come from? I read a story last night -- and I have to say, "Jeffy, did you check and find the story that had this?"

JEFFY: Well, your story that you tweeted last night.

GLENN: Yes.

JEFFY: You didn't even mention -- you said, if this story is true, this must stop. I mean, it doesn't --

GLENN: That's all I said?

JEFFY: "Please, media, you're blindly encouraging -- more on the radio tomorrow." There's nothing about Black Lives Matter.

GLENN: Nothing about it. What's the story that I tweeted?

JEFFY: No.

You tweeted TheBlaze's story.

GLENN: Okay. And what does TheBlaze's story say?

JEFFY: It doesn't mention Black Lives Matter.

GLENN: What?

JEFFY: It doesn't. And then I saw -- I found other stories where they're raging about you --

GLENN: Claiming that --

JEFFY: -- claiming it was Black Lives Matter.

GLENN: Right. I'm pretty sure I wrote something about --

JEFFY: I didn't look at Facebook yet. So...

GLENN: I don't think I did anything on Facebook. But look in that story because somewhere I think I did say --

PAT: Here's what they say in the -- this is amazing. Here's what it says in this story.

GLENN: Okay. Wait. Wait. Wait. So people know, the topic of conversation apparently on CNN this morning was, how dare Glenn Beck say this is about Black Lives Matter.

Well, I was -- and I don't even remember where I said it or -- I thought it was on my tweet. But I said, "If this story is true, if this story is true," I didn't even know if this was true. I saw it on video, but I don't want to spread false news.

If it is true -- and the story that I read had tied in Black Lives Matter -- if it's true, it's got to stop.

Well, we know now that it is true. But we don't know what their motivation was. But I will tell you that it was all about anti-white and Donald Trump.

Well, Black Lives Matter cannot be held innocent. If I am to blame for every coarse word said in society against Barack Obama, well, then we have to assign some blame to the leadership of Black Lives Matter, who are saying these things, who are saying, "Death to whitey," who are talking about all of this. You have to assign something to the bleed over in culture, if you're going to do that to the Tea Party or me. You have to.

PAT: Well, look what the Hollywood lefties in that video assigned to Donald Trump because of his rhetoric during the campaign.

GLENN: Correct.

PAT: They're holding him responsible for supposed atrocities that are happening in the country.

GLENN: That we can find no evidence of.

JEFFY: That we can find no evidence of.

GLENN: Right. So they're saying that Donald Trump is responsible. But then how dare Glenn Beck say this about Black Lives Matter. Well, wait a minute. Hang on just a second. Just a few months ago, you were wrongly and giving fake news saying that I support Black Lives Matter. No.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: I support listening to the people, not the organization, because the organization itself has put a manifesto out. And anyone who would read that manifesto would see the hatred and the vitriol in it. I want nothing to do with that.

But the people who are just following, saying, "My community is not being listened to," boy, can I relate to that. I can relate to that.

And here's the one piece that the left cannot relate to: You had the day after election, you had psychiatrists on. You had family therapists on television, telling America how they should deal with their grief. That's what you woke up to on The Today Show or Good Morning America or something on CNN. You woke up the next day to a friendly counselor saying, "I know how you feel, and it's not unusual to feel this way. And it's valid to feel this way." We woke up to, "These people are crazy. They just hate the president."

So you're still getting a plush life.

(chuckling)

And I at least am coming out and saying, "I understand you. And I understand how frightened you are. I've been there. And I also understand how angry you are." But this will never work, unless -- I mean, thank God for people like Samantha Bee. I mean, we were so skeptical of Samantha Bee because we watch her show. We know what she does. We know her history. And she is an outspoken -- I don't even know if she would call herself a progressive. But she's an outspoken liberal and does not like, generally speaking, people like me, or didn't think she did.

She came down. I don't know if anybody see it -- Pat saw it yesterday for the first time. Did you see it, Jeffy?

JEFFY: Yeah. That was really good.

GLENN: That was unbelievable. That was the most honorable interview I've ever been a part of.

PAT: Because all of these -- all of these progressives who want to interview you say, "Oh, I'm not out to get you in any way. This is not going to be a hit piece. Don't worry about that. I've got nothing but good intentions. I just want to find out who you really are. I just -- I've been watching you lately, and I want to find out who you really are." Like Rolling Stone did, and then they turn around and stab you in the back when the story comes out. Like Rolling Stone did.

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: And so it was amazing to us that Samantha Bee did what she said she was going to do.

JEFFY: Yeah, she did.

GLENN: Yeah, she did.

PAT: Because that never happens!

JEFFY: She did do exactly what she said.

GLENN: And the way it was edited was very interesting to me. Because that was an hour and a half interview compiled into seven minutes. She could have made that look any way she wanted.

PAT: Yeah, that's hard to do. She could have made it look really bad.

JEFFY: Oh, yeah.

GLENN: And they didn't. And halfway through -- or, the first third of the interview, I say to her: Let me turn this around to you, why did you invite me here?

Well, that happened about halfway through the interview.

And I said to her, "Samantha, you've got a show face on." And said, "No, I don't have a show face." I said, "You do. You have the snarky little -- I'm holier than thou." I said, "I get it. I watch you." That's your shtick.

JEFFY: That's her deal.

GLENN: And she said, "Well, then what are we doing? What would work?"

And I said, "Well, let me turn this around: Why would you have me on?" And that's when she really got real, and she said, "Because I think we're in trouble. I think we're in trouble. And we all need to stand against Trumpism."

Now, I know -- I think -- what she means by that. She is interpreting this poison vitriolic atmosphere that we're living where facts don't matter as Trumpism. I gave her that. But that's not Trumpism. That's not how I would describe what she's talking about. It's not Trumpism. It's lies. It's deceit. It's vitriol. It's anger. It's vengeance.

That's not Trumpism. That's humanism. That's humanism. We all feel that way. I felt that way eight years ago. I don't want to feel that way anymore.

And I think there's millions of Americans on both sides of the aisle that don't want to feel this way anymore.

PAT: And we're trying to extend our experience to them on the left a little bit by saying, "You know, as worried as we were about the country when Obama took over, we made it." We got through.

GLENN: We made it.

PAT: We didn't think we would. Quite honestly, we didn't think we would.

GLENN: No.

I said to her -- and I think they left this in the interview. I said, "You know, you're starting to sound like me."

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: Do you think that the president might become a dictator?

Yes.

Well, I did too.

Do you think that he could make a wrong move and we could go into economic destruction?

Yes.

Well, you're me. You're me.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: Eight years ago, you're me.

PAT: And who is more likely to turn into the dictator? The guy who is a capitalist who grew up and became successful in America, or the guy whose mentor was a hard-core communist?

GLENN: Right.

PAT: A card-carrying communist.

GLENN: Now --

PAT: I don't know. Let's see.

GLENN: So -- you know, you could make a case either way. And neither of them are insane. Hopefully, they don't happen. But neither of those came out of nowhere. It's not like we had Abraham Lincoln.

And, by the way, people claim, still today, that Abraham Lincoln was a dictator.

PAT: Oh, I got to show you the emails I get every time his name comes up.

GLENN: I know. Every time his name comes up. "I can't believe you love that dictator, Abraham Lincoln," Oh, stop it.

PAT: Oh, jeez.

(laughter)

I'm going to get another one in about two minutes.

GLENN: All right. Oh, I know. They're already piling into my email box. I know.

So here's the thing: This won't work. This won't work. If CNN goes on the day and makes this about me saying, "How dare Glenn Beck make this about Black Lives Matter" -- first of all, if it's true -- if it's true that they were involved and that's who they were -- that's why I put "if" in this -- it was reported. Was it fake? "If it's true." I don't know.

But, you know, jumping to conclusions -- "how dare you jump to conclusions" -- I don't know. The guy who was stabbing people recently that you immediately started calling for gun control. Please don't call me somebody who jumps to conclusions, when you jump to conclusions too.

It's what we do. We're commentators. And I think any commentator -- I can say to you, "I see why you thought somebody with a knife might have gone in and shot a bunch of people." That's logical. You say, "Okay. What are we going to do about guns? Because here we have another one."

I can see why you jump to that. I also can understand your agenda. I don't have an agenda. My agenda is call them as I see them. My agenda is Black Lives Matter, the manifesto is poison. Black Lives Matter, generally the people who are following in the streets, the ones that I have met, are not poison. They're frustrated. That nobody is listening to them.

And there is a third of the country that now feels disenfranchised, that nobody is listening to them, because their person didn't win. Another third that is saying, "I'm not going to listen to you because you didn't listen to me."

I'm hoping that there is a third of Americans that say, "Oh, my gosh, are we all four years old? Aren't we better than this? Can't we rise above this?" Yes. We can.

Calling all people that want to live in a world of common sense. Don't go over the cliff with everyone else. We're going to disagree on policies. Major policies. But principles. Principles. You're talking about fake news right now. Why?

Because you don't want to face the facts that your candidate, Hillary Clinton, was corrupt. That's what the average person saw that didn't vote for Hillary Clinton: She's corrupt. It's not a conspiracy. It's corruption.

Why your side voted for Barack Obama, because they wanted transparency. People are tired of corruption in Washington.

But I fear the fake news talk has another agenda: to shut dissenting voices up. Now, you're currently worried about a dictator. Well, I was worried about a dictator with your guy. What do you say we restore the constitutional powers and principles to our nation? Once we do that, neither one of us will be afraid of being silenced by a dictator.

If someone stands to silence you, I will stand with you. If someone comes to silence me, will you stand with me?

We are one, even though we come from many.

Brand-new year. Time to start things off and -- and give a fresh start. Right now, one thing you can check off really easy -- it's easier than losing weight or anything else. Family security. With SimpliSafe. Family home security with SimpliSafe, they've extended their massive holiday sale one last time. You can get $200 off their best-selling defender security package. Now, this is a 17-piece system of pure protection.

I don't know for sure what it all entails. But 17 pieces, you know, it's got to be the windows, the doors, motion sensors. It will come with an alarm that is a siren that, you know, blares everybody awake and the control panels that, you know, you have there by the front door that automatically call police. You'll have everything. You can add more, but it's 17 pieces. And with a 200-dollar discount. I think it's like three or $400. That's insane. I've never heard of anything like that. I mean, you think of a home security system, wired up your house and everything. How expensive that is. That ain't 400 bucks. This is state-of-the-art. And the reason why it's 400 bucks is they cut out the middleman. They don't have a scam to tie you into a long-term contract, where you're paying $50 a month, you know, for the monitoring. You're paying 14.95. And there's no contract. You want it one month, you don't want it the next month. You just tell them. SimpliSafe. It is the new way to keep your family safe. Simplisafebeck.com. Go there now. Get $200 off the award-winning security system. $200 off, only if you go to simplisafebeck.com. That's simplisafebeck.com.

[break]

GLENN: We have some amazing audio out of Boston. And a cry out for common sense and some decency here. Let me just give you an update. CNN made a story about how dare Glenn Beck blame what happened in Chicago on Black Lives Matter. I wrote that in an answer to a tweet. I knew I had tweeted --

JEFFY: Yeah, you answered -- you replied to a tweet. And your tweet was, you're right. You are right. Stand up with me and demand justice in Chicago for the beating of a disabled Trump supporter by BLM. That was about ten hours ago.

GLENN: Yeah, what did they say? What did I retweet?

JEFFY: It was a thread under Dinesh D'souza. And it was -- it's not about seeing him fail. It's about the hate he promotes. Racism is not kind of, sort of okay, even if it benefits you.

GLENN: Right. So my point on that -- that was, what? Ten hours ago?

JEFFY: So that was ten hours ago. And in that time frame of 16 to 10 hours ago, there were headlines and stories claiming that this group was Black Lives Matter.

GLENN: I know that I read it that it was a possible connection to BLM. But it doesn't even have to be that. There were five police officers that were killed at a BLM rally here in Dallas. They have a history of promoting death to the police. That's what I was saying to this person. Stand up. You're right. But it's not just Donald Trump, if that's what you believe. It's the other side too. We have to call it evenly.

[break]

GLENN: By the way, happy anniversary to anybody here at the Mercury studios that was with us on the first day of broadcast for radio.

PAT: Thank you.

GLENN: Five years ago today, we started in a little teeny closet room that now has been blown out. And we just -- we transferred all master control for radio operations into that area.

PAT: Took five years to do that. Wow.

GLENN: Took five years to do that. No, actually it took about six weeks --

PAT: Once it actually happened.

GLENN: Yeah. But they've been working so hard.

PAT: Can you believe it's been five years that we've moved to Texas?

GLENN: Five years.

JEFFY: I know.

PAT: Five years.

GLENN: Crazy.

PAT: So we've been here -- well, certainly longer than I was in New York. I was only in New York for three. Were you there for five? So I think we were in Dallas for as long as you were in New York.

GLENN: Pretty amazing.

PAT: It's incredible.

JEFFY: Wow.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: New York took ten years off my life. I'm convinced of it.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: I think it took ten years off my life.

JEFFY: It does that.

GLENN: It does.

JEFFY: The city does want to wear you down.

GLENN: It does. It just -- it wears you out.

The only thing that does -- there's no other city that's like it for this one reason: You walk everywhere, and that keeps you healthy.

JEFFY: Yeah, it does. But I just remember it felt nice -- because we lived in Pennsylvania. So I took the train in and out of Manhattan, and it felt nice to be out of the city. But that one summer I spent right across the river, so I never left the city.

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

JEFFY: And it's like -- just --

GLENN: Oh, I didn't leave the island of Manhattan for a year, and I went --

JEFFY: It just drains you.

PAT: When you had your apartment?

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: When you live in Connecticut, it's not as bad, although the commute kills you. The commute sucks.

GLENN: I will tell you that I went on a tour where I was doing radio in the morning, television in the afternoon, and a stage show at night --

PAT: Oh, my gosh. Those were brutal days.

GLENN: With book stops. Remember? With book stops.

PAT: Right. Yes.

JEFFY: Yeah.

GLENN: And I remember thinking, "I am going to die." Four days into it, I thought to myself and said to the staff, "I am more relaxed now than I am when I'm in the city."

The city just makes you -- like, we're awake! We're awake! You're awake! And it's like, oh, my gosh. You just don't understand the grind of 16 million people living on top of each other. It's pretty intense.

JEFFY: Right.

PAT: Yeah, it is.

GLENN: It's pretty intense. A little Blade Runner-ish, but nice at the right times of the year.

Let me go to Rob in Indiana. Hello, Rob.

CALLER: Good morning, Glenn.

GLENN: How are you, sir?

CALLER: Very good. Working last night, there was the National News Network, I believe the one that's celebrating 25 years. And as disgusting with what has happened with this, if this turns out to be true, this victim in this video, I thought it's obvious, a left-wing production of this -- of this -- beginning of the video shows a Chicago police detective badge like, you know, enlarged right next to a still shot with that victim's face blurred out. And right underneath, it says "torture video." So the actual words on the screen are Chicago, police, detective, torture video.

And it just -- the image of it when I saw -- and they didn't play it every cycle. It repeated several times during the night. But I'm in law enforcement. And just, to me, it's like, here's another attack tied to law enforcement, just to put it out there.

GLENN: So wait. Wait. Wait. So they were -- they were playing the same thing, but the -- what's called a chyron. The script down at the bottom of the screen, they had superimposed a Chicago police badge so it looked like this was a torture -- instead of saying, "Here's a torture video that was released by police, they said, "Chicago police, colon, torture video?"

CALLER: The badge is blown up enough to see Chicago police, detective -- not just the police, but Chicago police detective. Then one of those still shots with their face blurred out. And underneath that video was torture video.

And I'm looking -- I'm like, this is -- if somebody just glances at that --

PAT: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

CALLER: -- it's spreading a false narrative. And people are going to see that and just tie it to it. And it's like, "No, the Chicago police are not the ones involved in it. They're the ones investigating it." It was on a major network news. I believe it's the one that's celebrating 25 years.

GLENN: Was it MSNBC? I don't know which one.

Which one is that? Fox? NBC? I don't know.

CALLER: I think it's ABC. ABC. It's through the South Bend area. I think it's Channel 57.

GLENN: Okay.

JEFFY: Oh, that's Chicago.

GLENN: Oh, Chicago.

CALLER: And they didn't play that same image every time. Because it was like whoever the local reporter was, they show his image, but you can't hear what he's saying. And then they have still shot, and then they go in to talk about. But every time I saw that, they did put it up there. I said, "This is just disgusting." They're taking advantage just to turn it and spin it their own way.

GLENN: Rob, thank you very much.

I will tell you this: On both the good and the bad, we're no different than any other media source on this. We'll get blamed for things we never did. And we'll get praised for things we never thought of. You know what I mean?

People are like, "I know what you were saying during that." We're like, "Yeah. Yeah, that was pretty brilliant of us."

That was not our intent. So when you look at that, it may not have even occurred to the person who was doing it, but we look at that, because it's on television -- you don't understand the grind. People just think that television and radio and everything else, it's just on and -- no, we're -- this is just glorified Facebook. You know, the -- the media -- we've gone into this unbelievably great revolutionary period.

And here's the revolution that I don't think any of our Founders could have ever seen coming. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, in some of the worst parts of the world and the deepest darkest jungles or the jungle of the city.

You have the power of ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, in your hand, in your pocket. If you have something to say and can say it in such a way that people want to watch it, your voice, your face, your message can be heard all around the world. That is an amazing power. We've never had that as human beings before. Now, there are going to be those that are going to claim that we need to somehow or another curtail that, to license that, to monitor that, to gatekeeper that.

No. No. The question is: Do people realize the power that they have? Or do they just see what everybody else is doing? This is why everybody hates -- Glenn, stop apologizing.

It's important. It's important. It's important that we say, "You know what, I played a role in this. I don't even know to what degree."

But everyone needs to look at what they do on Facebook, on Twitter, and say, "Have I played a role?"

Well, no, not me because I don't really have a voice.

Yeah, you do. You do.

For the first time in my history of doing any kind of media, I would have to meet you or get you on the phone to be able to have a conversation with you.

I can respond to you now on Facebook. I can read your words on Facebook and on Twitter. And I can respond directly to you. Meaning, you are parallel to me.

We have a voice here, but you have a voice that just reached my voice. Your voice is just as loud as mine is.

Now, can we handle that power? Progressives and people who don't believe in the people will always say no. But we've always -- could we handle the power of the Bible?

There were people who said, "You can't give them the power. You can't read that." When the printing press -- you can't just give people an education.

Yeah, it caused upheaval. But in the long-run, it was good for society. In the long-run, it meant that the feudal system went away. In the long-run, this will set us free, should we choose, because this is massively exciting and revolutionary in its tone.

Somebody asked me yesterday in an interview what role did -- who role did the media -- did social media play in this election?

I said the -- the only role that really mattered. I honestly think if it wasn't for CNN and MSNBC and ABC, NBC, and CBS, I think Hillary might have had a better chance. Because the traditional media was so dismissed and so in the bag for Hillary Clinton, that they were like -- they were dismissed. Completely dismissed. And it added to the claim, "I'm not running against Hillary, I'm running against the corrupt media." Your voice -- this is the first election where social media actually, I think, called the election.

This is the one that made the president the president.

PAT: Probably safe to say.

JEFFY: Yeah.

GLENN: I think it is. I think it is.

PAT: Made me realize how much I had missed the feudal system too.

GLENN: Sorry for that.

PAT: Boy, those days.

GLENN: They don't come back.

PAT: They don't come back.

GLENN: They don't come back.

PAT: The feudal system just doesn't come back.

GLENN: Now let me tell you about our sponsor this half-hour, it's American Financing.

JEFFY: American Financing.

PAT: Ugh.

GLENN: Thank you, Pat.

PAT: That wasn't me.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

GLENN: American Financing, what?

PAT: Go ahead, Jeffy. Finish.

GLENN: Finish, Jeffy. He doesn't have it.

JEFFY: I don't have it front of me.

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh. He is -- wow, he really is (sound effect).

PAT: (sound effect)

JEFFY: I don't have it in front of me.

PAT: We talked about it. You wonder why. Well, there you go.

JEFFY: I know we did. I know we talked about it.

American Financing, NMLS 18334 (sic). Www.NMLSconsumeraccess.org.

GLENN: Wow.

PAT: And there you have it. That's why.

GLENN: This is how good he is after the resolutions to be a better man and a better broadcaster.

JEFFY: Thank you.

Oh, not once did I ever resolve to be a better man.

PAT: Oh, please.

I believe that.

GLENN: In 2017, are you ready to buy your first home?

You want to refinance your mortgage loan. American Financing will make your mortgage experience straightforward and effortless. American Financing's mortgage consultants are salary-based, and they specialize on solutions and not counting commissions. This is really important. Because how banks work -- when you go in, they're trying to sell you -- they call them the instrument. They're trying to sell you an instrument from the financial house or the bank that they work for. They're trying to get you into this particular kind of mortgage because it's what the bank wants to sell. Because that's what they can sell to other banks. That's not the way American Financing works. They are not on commissions. So when -- they're actually listening to you. And they're like, "Okay. What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to accomplish that? What do you want to pay?" You know, this bank over here has this one, but I think this bank over here has a better loan program that fits you better. Nobody does that.

And it's why American Financing because they actually listened and were not counting commissions, it's why in 2008, they were fine. Nobody had a problem with American Financing. They were fine. And I know because I wouldn't take them as a sponsor because I didn't trust anybody selling mortgages. After it happened, they called back and said, "You want to see how much trouble we had? None." Because they listened, American Financing. Go there. You want to buy a new home. Your first home. You want to refinance and save a buttload of money. American Financing at 866-750-6551. 866-750-6551. AmericanFinancing.net. 866-750-6551.

[break]

GLENN: So we just got a new report out. Is this from Chicago?

JEFFY: Yeah, this was from last night. It was just a report from one of the stations, yes.

GLENN: Oh, I thought it was this morning. Because in this report they're now saying that the Chicago incident was not racially motivated.

JEFFY: Yeah, they were quoting the police department.

GLENN: How is that possible? They were talking about white people, weren't they?

PAT: Yes.

JEFFY: Yeah, the end of her report was that the police said that -- they believe it wasn't --

GLENN: Listen how bad this is -- listen how bad this is.

VOICE: Yeah. Smack --

VOICE: No. I don't want to send this (bleep) over my connection, man.

VOICE: It is a story we first broke here on Fox 32 News. And tonight, there is breaking information on the victim of a torture case broadcast live on Facebook.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Sylvia Perez in for Don Hansboro (phonetic).

VOICE: And I'm Jeff Herdin (phonetic). We've learned tonight that the victim in this case was mentally disabled and knew at least one of his captors. Lisa Chavaria (phonetic) is live now with breaking details. Lisa.

GLENN: Horrible.

VOICE: Well, Jeff, tonight, Chicago police have all four suspects in custody.

PAT: Good.

VOICE: Detectives are speaking with the victim who they say is special needs. Now, police believe he was held captive and tortured for almost up to 48 hours.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh.

JEFFY: I know.

VOICE: And all of it was posted to Facebook Live. We want to warn you that the video you're about to see is considered very disturbing.

VOICE: (bleep) Donald Trump.

VOICE: (bleep) white people, boy.

PAT: F white people. But that's not racial?

VOICE: Police say he has a mental disability. Investigators say he was a classmate of one of the suspects.

PAT: Oh, my gosh.

VOICE: Apparently, they met out in the suburbs. The subjects then stole a van out in the suburbs and brought him into Chicago.

VOICE: Police believe he went willingly initially, but that is clearly not the case based on three videos posted to social media. What you are about to see is disturbing. At one point, the victim is held at knife point and told to curse President-elect Donald Trump. The men can be heard saying they want this to go viral.

Another video shows the group forcing the victim to drink water from a toilet.

PAT: Hmm.

VOICE: Throughout these videos, the victim is kicked, hit, and cut. Police believe he was released after being held anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.

Officers found him walking along Lexington and Homan on the west side. They linked a separate call to the scene featured in these videos and were able to find the two women and two men allegedly involved. Many people took to Facebook, outraged, wondering whether this will be considered a hate crime.

VOICE: I think some of it is just stupidity. You know, people just ranting about something that they think might make a headline.

PAT: Oh, my gosh.

VOICE: I don't think that -- at this point --

GLENN: I can't believe it. I mean, I can't --

VOICE: -- we don't have anything concrete to really point us in that direction. But we'll keep investigating.

PAT: Are you serious!

GLENN: They said they hate white guys. They said F white people.

PAT: And then at the end she says...

VOICE: The Cook County state's attorneys office is now looking at this case. Officials say that they expect charges in the next 24 hours.

And, Jeff, despite all of that racial and hateful rhetoric that you heard in those videos, the Chicago police superintendent says he does not believe these videos were politically motivated.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh. Are politically motivated. Are --

PAT: What?

GLENN: Denounce Donald Trump.

PAT: Oh, man.

GLENN: Media --

PAT: Not political. Not a hate crime.

GLENN: Media, you have a golden opportunity right now to reset things and to show that you have learned something. Please, take this opportunity.

 

'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 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?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?