Perhaps because of his stones, Dave Rubin has a million YouTube followers

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Yesterday, Dave's YouTube channel hit the one million mark. One million subscribers. There are dozens of countries that don't have that many citizens. (Rubin laps Iceland three times, if we're going by that metric.) This is encouraging for many reasons, perhaps most of all, because it proves the mainstream media has collapsed, or that it's on its last leg. The David and Goliath fight is nearly over. And Dave has been instrumental in giving a voice to the millions of people who feel lost, voiceless, cornered.

The Rubin Report has become a cultural refuge for some of the most insightful thinkers of our time, who all too often find themselves embattled and alone for the mere act of standing by their convictions, and Dave's growing audience is proof that people are desperate for change.

RELATED: Glenn covers midterm predictions and social media censorship with Dave Rubin

It's infectious. Everyone around Dave can feel it.

David Janet, Executive Producer of the Rubin Report and Dave's husband, said via e-mail, “I'm thrilled to be part of a show that has helped shift the conversation and that has brought civil discourse to people all over the world."

It hasn't been easy. Not one bit. YouTube has habitually demonetized episodes of the Rubin Report. It's a running joke: Any time he has a guest who's a smidgeon to the right of Bernie Sanders, YouTube flags the episode. Meanwhile, there are no repercussions for hateful, far-left ideologues like Linda Sarsour and Louis Farrakhan, or violent extremist groups like AntiFa.

So it came as no surprise yesterday when Dave's subscriber count dropped by 100 in an instant. It turns out that YouTube has been systematically shredding his legitimate subscribers and labeling them bots — which makes Dave's one million subscriber count all the more impressive.

Dave's growing audience is proof that people are desperate for change.

For independent, provocative thinkers like Dave, it is a constant battle. Dave's Twitter bio says it all: “Twitter is not real life." I'm sure he would agree with me when I take his statement a step further and add that social media is not real life. Nor is the mainstream news media, for that matter.

A recent Pew Research poll found there is a disproportionate number of progressive activists on social media:

“Liberal Democrats are especially likely to use social media to mobilize others or find like-minded groups."

Even CNN has acknowledged it. As Harry Enten put it, "Want to understand the 2020 Democratic primary? Stay off Twitter."

The percentage of progressives in the overall population — in the real world — is much lower. But progressives on the whole tend to be radical in their approach and extremely vocal, giving the appearance that America is on the cusp of a socialist revolution because that's what most Americans want.

RELATED: Dave Rubin: YouTube is pushing me to the 'libertarian side'

It's not, and they don't.

Last October, the Atlantic ran a great article charting the percentage of Americans who dislike political correctness. The poll found that, contrary to what the messages we receive through social media and mainstream news, most Americans cannot stand political correctness. Overwhelmingly. Except for one group of people. Care to guess which one?

“Progressive activists are the only group that strongly backs political correctness: Only 30 percent see it as a problem."

Also interesting, the study found that progressive activists — despite their obsession with socialism and their hatred of the patriarchy and their disdain for rich, white, men — are overwhelmingly rich, white, over-educated men.

Compared with the rest of the (nationally representative) polling sample, progressive activists are much more likely to be rich, highly educated — and white. They are nearly twice as likely as the average to make more than $100,000 a year. They are nearly three times as likely to have a postgraduate degree. And while 12 percent of the overall sample in the study is African American, only 3 percent of progressive activists are.

For a group that uses Twitter to lambast the lack of diversity in, well, everything, it's surprising that, “With the exception of the small tribe of devoted conservatives, progressive activists are the most racially homogeneous group in the country."

The reason Twitter has so much power, and such a leftist bias, is that journalists have become masterful at using it as a feedback loop. It provides journalists with a “source," a representation of public opinion. And Twitter users, who are overwhelmingly and disproportionately progressive activists, can enjoy a sense of power they've clearly always dreamed of. A single complaint from a random person on Twitter can easily become an international news story about some new social epidemic.

Free-thinkers have banded together in defiance of this broken and poisonous system.

Luckily, free-thinkers have banded together in defiance of this broken and poisonous system. It's something we here at Blaze Media are reminded of every day: The first thing you see when you walk into Mercury Studios, home of BlazeTV, is a mural of David and Goliath. It's a battle scene, two stories tall. The Goliath figure is made up from inflammatory words right out of the New York Times, and he's poised to stomp down on David, who has TheBlaze's red logo for a head. David has his slingshot aimed up at the giant.

Next to the mural scrawl the words “David slew Goliath with five smooth stones."

Photo courtesy of Blaze Media

Blaze Media is not alone in its effort to challenge mainstream media. A crop of dissenters has formed into an unlikely group. And Dave Rubin is right there at the front, ready for whatever comes next.

“We've proven that people don't want their intelligence insulted and that there is room for long-form, nuanced conversation," Rubin wrote via e-mail. “I think that's the only way back from the brink of the intellectual collapse we seem to be heading for and I'll keep fighting to get good ideas out into the public space."

This David has stones.

'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 dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

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

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

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

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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?