This little-known American hero inspired BlazeTV

Bettmann / Contributor | Getty Images

I was thinking this weekend, about the power of the individual. We have been trained by very powerful people and organizations to forget this. It used to be that we could be trained by organizations to better empower ourselves, but now corporations are aligning themselves with the government, making us feel small and powerless.

But don't.

I want to tell you about a story that takes you from the early 20th century, starting with a guy, alone in a field, all the way to where we are today.

Back in the early 20th century, one American found himself alone on a battlefield—not one of bullets and bombs, but a battle of wits and innovation and stamina. The battle would determine the fate of an industry, and all of our lives individually.

Bettmann / Contributor | Getty Images

Our protagonist, born to humble beginnings in a log cabin, was a genius. As a teenager, he had a really uncanny ability to envision the future beyond the limits of his time. His favorite subjects were science and mathematics. He would dream with his science teacher, who first thought that he was a little nuts. Most geniuses are perceived that way in the beginning.

Our hero faced all kinds of obstacles that would have broken the will of many, but he was driven by an unshakable belief that tomorrow could be better than today. He had an unwavering hope in the power of the individual and the incredible things he could accomplish in our country through hard work and determination.

In our country, he believed, you could stand up to the man.

And he did.

He was driven by an unshakable belief that tomorrow can be better than today.

Bettmann / Contributor | Getty Images

When he started to get going, everyone stood against him: the giants of industry, the titans of commerce, the lords of finance. He had one main opponent that tried to discredit his ideas. This opponent sabotaged his work. He sent spies into this little guy's workshop. But no matter how much this guy spent, no matter how much power this man had, no matter how much he would expend in resources, our little hero just kept working at night.

One day, our hero was plowing the field on his family's farm. As he was turning the plow to start a new row, he saw all of the rows lined up next to each other. It gave him an idea, and that moment changed the entire world. He envisioned a series of dots lined up just like the rows on his family's farm that could transmit an image onto a screen.

When he brought it up, he received ridicule, skepticism, and betrayal from those he trusted. He set up a little lab in San Francisco, but he couldn't get anybody to invest. He was making the equipment himself, but it kept failing because he didn't know how to make it. He started making his own little components, and improvised solutions with an unwavering faith in his vision.

He received ridicule, skepticism, and betrayal from those he trusted.

On September 7th, 1927, he transmitted the very first electronic television image, a straight line. He used a single beam of electrons, creating the first fully functional, all-electronic television system. As the years passed, the fruits of his labor began to take shape. One day, to the astonishment of the world, he unveiled his creation—a groundbreaking innovation that would change the way we work, the way we live, the way we communicate.

The invention, a marvel of modern engineering and design, captivated the public. It sent shock waves through the industries that once sought to destroy him. The giants that scoffed at him now found themselves scrambling to catch up as their empires began to crumble. Through a series of lengthy battles with these giants in court, our hero defended his patents and secured his place in history.

The giants that scoffed at him now found themselves scrambling to catch up.

That little man who faced the insurmountable odds and emerged victorious was none other than Philo Farnsworth.

He was the inventor of the fully functional, all-electronic television system, the device that brought families together, shaped culture, and connected us to the world and to space. We saw a man who walked on the moon made possible through the brainchild of a man who fought a lonely battle against the giants of his time, and it's all but forgotten.

But it all started with a guy who was working out in a field. When he turned his plow and saw those lines, he thought, "If I put dots of color, into lines, several lines, I'll be able to transmit a picture." Those dots we now know as pixels, the building block of every image we see today. In 1927, his invention changed the world, making all his hard work in the face of adversity worth it.

Bettmann / Contributor | Getty Images

Farnsworth has been a pivotal source of inspiration for me. In 2011, we launched BlazeTV. At the time, traditional cable networks were still the dominant force in news and entertainment. I remember sitting in my office, looking at my news team, when Stu, my executive producer, and I said, "This is all going to come collapsing down around them." We decided to embrace the power of the internet and embrace the power of an audience. Like Farnsworth, the "establishment" didn't like us. They laughed and said it would NEVER work.

We bypassed the gatekeepers of television, and we made BlazeTV an independent place for the voice to be heard. It was a place to connect and hear the truth, engage in thoughtful discussions about the issues that matter most. And because of our success, OTHERS followed in our footsteps while our mainstream critics are struggling to keep afloat. A new wave of independent media organizations emerged and leveraged the power of the internet, to create alternative sources of information and entertainment.

We bypassed the gatekeepers of television, and we made the BlazeTV an independent place for the voice to be heard.

All of us in the independent media have thrived on the principles of honesty, integrity, and intellectual curiosity—something that is all, but dead in the mainstream media. Today's mainstream media is tragically clinging to the past and has exposed themselves in their desperation to survive.

They have no desire to be useful and relevant—the fact that they are willing to call a woman a man, and a man a woman is a cry of desperation, not of relevancy. In reality, the only way to survive is to remain loyal only to the truth. We're not battling people. We're battling desperation. We're battling evil—a relentless barrage of falsehoods and manipulations.

But the truth will always weather the storm.

Most people don't know, I named BlazeTV after two things. One of them was the burning bush of Moses. It was a fire of truth that burned but was never consumed. As long as we're truthful, that fire will burn and will never consume.

The truth will always weather the storm.

I just want to remind you that things always change, but individuals make all of the difference. Our country is a testament to the power of innovation, resilience, and the unwavering belief of the individual, the importance of free speech, open discourse, and the rule of law. Let that be your beacon of hope this week. No matter what is collapsing around us, there's somebody thinking of something much better. And it's growing.

Right now, as we see the collapse of truth, just know you have helped build something that will replace those lies. A positive change is possible, if we believe in the truth and ourselves.

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

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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.

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

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