THIS is why Martin Luther King, Jr. won in the end

April 23, 2010

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What was the civil rights movement about with Martin Luther King? It was about honor. It was about people who stood and they knew, they knew that it was going to be tough for them. They knew. They knew that they would be thrown in jail. Not for anything that they had done but just for standing up.

There are tough times coming. I hope nobody's thrown in jail, but I could see a time. But we have to be people who are nonviolent. We have to be those people because that's who we are. But they are painting us into something that we're not. So we need to go the extra step, and I don't think the extra step is to convince anybody because the media is going to do whatever they want.

This is for us.

As I read what Martin Luther King had people take, the pledge of nonviolence and the five principles of nonviolence, what he was doing was not sending a statement to the press that we're not violent. That wasn't the only goal there. The bigger goal, I believe, was to ingrain these thoughts and these principles into people because when it gets hard, you have to have a rock-solid foundation, something that you really, truly understand in your gut. Something that you know. It's like Ben Sherwood says, you know, those who survive are the ones who have looked out at the plane and said if this thing did catch on fire, how the heck would I get out of here?

You've made a plan. You've already war-gamed it in your head. That's what I think the pledge of nonviolence and the five principles of nonviolence was. So I've put them up temporarily now on my website, but I want you to read them and I want you to ponder them. And I'm going to ask you to do what Martin Luther King did with his people and that was sign your name to it. Sign your name to it.

Here it is. The Pledge of Nonviolence. As you prepare to march, meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus. If it's Buddha, it's Buddha. If it's Moses, it's Moses. But meditate. Understand the peace that these people brought. Understand. Jesus, he's my guy. Your guy might be different.

Remember the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation, not victory. What does that mean? I don't need to be right. Quite honestly I don't want to be right. I want justice. What I want is I want Timothy Geithner to pay his damn taxes because I have to. I want Charlie Rangel to pay his taxes because I have to. I want Goldman Sachs to stand on their own two feet because I have to. I want to help people because I want to. Because it's the right thing to do. I want the government to stop enslaving people. I want the government to stop spreading justice because their justice is never equal. That's not victory. That's justice.

Remember the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation, not victory.

Number three is walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love. This one's going to be hard. It is going to be hard, but we have to discipline ourself. That doesn't mean we stop talking truth. We just make sure that we don't become bitter or angry. Bitter and angry. Think of Darth Vader: Yes, yes, feed your anger. No, don't. Walk and talk in the manner of love.

Number four is pray daily to be used by God that all men and women might be free. Pray. You're here for a reason, I know it. We all are. And we are a special group of people. We were not only born at this time think of the millions of years that you could have been born. Think of all of the time on this planet that you could have come here at this, and you come now at this time. You could have been born in the Dark Ages. You could have been born you could have been born quite honestly in 1900. But you were born now, at this time, to be alive for this purpose. What is it? You were here to stand, that others may be free.

Number five, sacrifice personal wishes that all may be free. So in other words, I want to be left alone. I want to go back and just have fun again. I want to do fun shows and funny shows and I want to live my life. I want to raise my kids. I want a nice car. I want a nice vacation. It's not about that now. It can't be. We have to change. We have to be willing to sacrifice personally. It means that you may lose your house. It may mean that whatever it is that you don't first entrap yourself into the slavery of this government. You don't take the handouts. Don't enslave yourself.

Number six, observe with friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy. This is what they are trying to do. They are trying to push you. They are trying to. Don't. Now, why was that one important? Why was that one important for Martin Luther King and why is that important now? Why did the march to Selma happen? Why did they march to Birmingham? Capital, yes, but it's a 57 mile trek. They marched to Birmingham. They knew that there would be losers on the way. They knew that something would happen.

See, Martin Luther King, his whole point was "I trust the American people. If they see racism, they will reject it." I still believe that and so do those in power. That's why they play that racism card. But you have to show it to them. You have to be that person. If you are always quiet and silent, if you are the crowd that we've had each time at the American Revival, 8,000 people somebody is hurt, we break out spontaneously into "Amazing Grace"? There's no way to paint that any other way. If they cover it, it would be covered as an amazing thing and people would say, wow, I want to be a part of that.

The protestors outside are the ugly ones and those are the ones that America says, I don't want anything to do with those people. It's ugly and dark. It's evil that is going on. Americans are not like that. Why do you think they keep saying this is a civil rights movement?

They need dogs and fire hoses. They need violence. They need racists.

They need dogs and fire hoses. They need violence. They need racists. That's why they keep saying you're a racist. It's akin to the civil rights movement. These are civil rights, and they're using all of the images of the civil rights movement, except they don't have they are not on the wrong they are not on the right side. They are not right on the right side.

Why do you think Nancy Pelosi went into that crowd? That was Selma! That was the march to Birmingham. They just didn't want to walk 57 miles. They go into what they think are a bunch of hating racists. They stir the pot, they anger them, they get them going and then all of the old leaders of the civil rights movement that were in that march, they lock arm in arm just the way Martin Luther King did and they recreate that march through the sea of haters, racists. When you didn't respond that way, they didn't know what to do. They just had to make it up, look at the racists. You are not. The louder they get, the quieter you must become.

Number seven, perform regular service for others in the world.

Number eight, refrain from violence of fist, tongue and heart.

Number nine, strive and be good spiritual and bodily health. My wife loves that one.

Number ten, follow the directions of the movement leaders and the captains on the demonstrations. That one doesn't make any sense because there are no leaders at this point.

Listen. I want you to accept the challenge to take the pledge today. You should also review the five principles of nonviolence. Please print them out, live these things, become those people. We already are those people. Cement yourself in those things, those teachings, those ideas and sign the pledge today.

'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 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?

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THIS is why Martin Luther King, Jr. won in the end

Remember the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation, not victory.

They need dogs and fire hoses. They need violence. They need racists.

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

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

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

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

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

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

From Muhammad to Marx

Gifts from God, not the state

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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?