Three Things You Need to Know - November 3, 2017

Sorry Media, Shouting "Allahu Akbar" Is Significant.

God is great.

That’s all that “Allah Akbar” means.

It’s actually a rather nice sentiment. I tend to agree, God is great!

It’s a phrase that is said by Muslims everywhere at least five times a day during their daily prayers.

They say it when their football team turns the game around.

Or when they see a newborn baby.

They literally say it all the time.

In fact, the expression is so commonplace that it is considered rather unnoteworthy.

Except when a radical Muslim uses it before they commit unimaginable atrocities. That was the case earlier this week when an Islamic extremist attacked and killed 8 people in New York City.

It’s not an isolated case.

The men who carried out the attack on the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo in 2015 shouted it during their slaughter.

And the phrase cut through the air as a British soldier was run down near military barracks in 2013 and then hacked to death.

It’s a shame that a handful of terrorists have hijacked such a profound, yet simple prayer and conditioned us to fear those two words.

The Muslim community has come out and condemned the New York City attack. But they have to make their voice louder.

The God that Sayfullo Saipov praised before running over 20 people is not the God they pray to.

It’s not the God I pray to.

Allahu Akbar. God is great. But any violence done in God’s name is a twisted lie.

The Coming Democratic Civil War.

Civil War has come to the Democratic Party. Former interim DNC chair Donna Brazille dropped a bombshell yesterday when she revealed that the Clinton Campaign, through internal corruption and unethical finances, wielded near complete control over the DNC. She went on to describe how the Obama campaign had left the party bankrupt and in shambles. The Hillary campaign stepped in and began to pay off the millions in debt, but for a price. Brazille alleges that Hillary had quote:

“the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff. The DNC also was required to consult with the campaign about all other staffing, budgeting, data, analytics, and mailings.”

Keep in mind, Hillary and her campaign were wielding this power over the DNC long BEFORE she got the nomination. So Brazille is saying that both Trump and Bernie Sanders were right. The system was rigged in Hillary’s favor.

Let’s forget the fact that HIllary Clinton beat Sanders by nearly four million votes. That’s about 55% of the vote with a 12-percentage point gap. If that were to happen in a general election we’d be calling it a landslide. But forget all that for a second. Here we have Donna Brazille, who tried to rig a debate FOR HILLARY, is NOW saying Hillary rigged the primary against Bernie. Not only did she blast Hillary, she also made critical remarks regarding Obama, claiming his campaign basically destroyed the party. What are the Democrats doing?

The New Yorker ran an article a day before all this came out, saying there was a big divide within the Party on how to move forward. There are new leaders stepping forward amongst the Democrats and they’re beginning to push back against the establishment. Were Brazille’s remarks part of an opening salvo aimed at overturning the current leadership?

There’s a new Democratic base growing and this information is going to severely piss them off. This new base is listening to people like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. They want free healthcare, free college and high minimum wage. They’re sick of the middle and want a hard turn to the far left. A recent poll found that nearly half of the millennials in the country prefer to live in a Socialist state over a capitalist.

This quiet Civil War just went public, and the winners may take the words “fundamental transformation” to a whole new level.

Is This Tax Plan a Game Changer?

Will we ever see a truly innovative tax plan in America?

We’re ten months into a year in which Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House. Remind me, which legislative goals have they accomplished again?

There was the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Then there was basically nothing except the botched effort to overhaul health care.

President Trump and Republicans in Congress are desperate for something they can hang their hats on because the clock is ticking on 2017 and they need a win. Tax reform! Surely that’s the ticket. They’ve been talking about fixing our overcomplicated tax code for years. This is their big chance.

First, they need a catchy title for the bill. “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act.” Okay. Low score for originality, but it’s the substance that counts, right? How about the subtitle? MORE jobs, FAIRER taxes, BIGGER paychecks. Now we’re onto something. But how are they going to do those things exactly?

The House Republican tax plan came out yesterday and it is mostly like everything else Congress has slapped together this year – underwhelming. Your eyes glaze over as you read the plan, waiting to get to the really good stuff until you realize, that’s it? That’s the best you could come up with?

In the press conference announcing the plan, Paul Ryan called it, “Real relief for people in the middle.” I guess there is some relief. Maybe. The new family credit expands the tax credit from $1,000 to $1,600 per child. Overall, it does look like most Americans will pay a little less in taxes with this plan, but it really depends on several factors.

So far, the only thing that jumps off the page as a potential game-changer is reducing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20%. That one could actually help American companies compete better on the world stage. It could create more jobs. It might even attract more foreign companies to set up shop in the U.S.

Other than that, the “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act” is about as uninspired as its title. It’s a slight improvement, just nothing innovative.

Then again, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi don’t like the plan, so it can’t be that bad.

MORE 3 THINGS

This article provided courtesy of TheBlaze.

Without civic action, America faces collapse

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

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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.