In the wake of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and the media’s turning on President Biden, Glenn extends a hand to those who think differently from him. Have you noticed the media’s narratives turn on a dime? Do you want the madness to end? Well, you’re not alone. But in order to become a truly united country once again, we need to define a few things first: Everyone is claiming the other side is fascist and wants to destroy America. So, what is fascism? Is Trump a fascist? Is America a democracy? Glenn answers these questions and more …

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: I want to welcome you.

Especially, if you think differently. Welcome to you. Perhaps, perhaps you have been somebody who has been following the mainstream media. Or has tuned it all out, until recently. Because it's just all bad news.

It's all the same.

Well, it's not.

I mean, yes. I know. Crazy stuff is happening in our world. But I'm glad you're here.

Thank you. It's hard to step out. Isn't it?

It's hard to step out of the crowd, and think differently. Especially in today's world. To risk thinking anew, is really, really difficult.

Or to question with boldness, as Thomas Jefferson said. Question with boldness. Even the very existence of God. For if there be a God, he must surely honest questioning over blindfolded fear.

It's essential.

But honest questioning is not really done in today's world.

Honest questioning is replaced with good questioning even in our own lives. We don't really talk to one another. We don't listen to one another. We're trying to get to our point. We're trying to win. And that's not honest questioning.

Honest questioning, means the kind of questions, that if the answers lead your feet. Your head. Or your heart into a different direction, you'll have the courage to follow that direction.

Nobody is looking to do that. Nobody is really looking to learn anything new. I am.

If you're here, I think you are too. It's hard. Especially in today's society.

But you're here for a reason. You're listening today for a reason. And we have a lot to share with one another.

You may disagree if you're a new listener to much of what I'm about to say.

But that's all right.

We're taught not to listen. We're taught that, you know, you can't disagree. Yes, you can.

Yes, you can.

In fact, it's essential. It's essential. Opposition in all things. But if you're listening for the first time today, I would like you to do something that you're not encouraged to do on either side. And that is, give me, as I give you, the benefit of the doubt. Assume that you and I have something really basic in common. That we just want madness to end.

We want to be able to feed our family. We want good jobs. We want other people to be successful. We want people to pay their fair share. If you will.

We want justice to be served. We want bad guys, no matter which side they're on, to go to jail. We want our children to have a good life, and a better life than us. We want good education for our kids. And what's good for my kids, isn't necessarily good for your kids.

But I want good stuff for your kids as well.

That we want strong families, and a strong country.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and please give me the benefit of the doubt. That we love our country. That we recognize that we've made a ton of mistakes.

But we basically want the same things for our family. And if that's the way you are, and you have found that there's just nobody you can trust. I agree with you.

And I don't ask for your trust. I don't want your trust. I don't ask for it. And I don't want it.

I'm a human. And I make mistakes all the time. I try to lead with my mistakes. If I make one, I try to let you know.

Right up front. You know what I said yesterday, was wrong. Or I thought this through. Or somebody said something to me. And I think differently on it.

And I'll lead with my mistakes.
Because I don't want you to trust me. I want you to do the same. I want you to question everything that I say.

And then look it up for yourself.

But that takes a lot of work. But you're among friends if you're listening.

I'm glad you're here. If we're going to start a new relationship, however, we need to talk about definitions. Of things.

We need to be able to discuss certain things, and know what we mean. And right now, the world is concerned with fascism.

Donald Trump -- somebody tried to kill him over the weekend, because that person has been convinced that he's a fascist.

So let's start with the definition of fascism. Shall we?

I -- look this up for your benefit today.

And it seems as though, some of the definitions have changed, recently in the dictionaries.

But let me just read what they now say fascism is.

Because I -- in reading them, I can see why you might think Donald Trump say fascist.

Here's the encyclopedia Britannica. Fascism is a political ideology and a mass movement, dominated by many parts of Central, Southern, Eastern Europe between 1919, 1945. Although, fascist parties and movement differed significantly from one another.

They had many characteristics in common. Including extreme militaristic nationalism.

Now, this is an easy way for people to say, oh, well. Donald Trump is a fascist. Because he wants a strong military.

Yes. But it's also another thing to say, you're -- you're only left alone, if two things happen.

One, you have the strength and nobody wants to hit you.

Because they know you'll hit back. And probably hit back harder. So you have to be the tough guy on the playground.

However, tough guys are the -- become fascistic. We don't want to be the tough guy anymore. And that's what makes Donald Trump different than most conservatives. Donald Trump hates war. And hates the conflict of war.

He always has. In fact, that's why he separated from so many people on the -- on the right for so long. But luckily, many of us have woken up. And realized, these war never end. They're ridiculous to fight.

We always seem to lose in the end, one way or another. Because it's not our responsibility to go in and tell other people how to live.

That's not fascistic. I just think that's right. They also -- fascists, according to encyclopedia Britannica, they have contempt for the electoral democracy. Contempt for the electoral democracy. Well, I know we've been having a discussion recently about what a democracy is. Are we a democracy, or are we a republic?

And you can do your own homework on this. The Founders were very clear. In fact, Ben Franklin was walked down the street after the constitutional convention, and some woman said to him, well, Mr. Franklin, what have you given us?

And he said, a republic, if you can keep it.

Now, this has been something that we all understood, up until Woodrow Wilson started changing things.

Democracies last revery -- a short period of time. But our Constitution is coming up on its 250th anniversary. The average Constitution lasts 17 years.

That's the average in the world. Seventeen years.

We're coming up on 250 years.

Why? Because we have balanced democracy, with a republic. So you have the one man, one vote. And you vote in a representative. Once you are done voting. Then they begin to vote, on your behalf.

That's where it's gotten screwed up. Because we're not electing good people.

And honest people, and people with our own values. And also, it's screwed up, because we can't trust our vote.

And if you can't trust your vote, well, you don't have any. You don't have a democracy. You don't have a republic. You have nothing.

This is why the Republicans have been saying, that we need paper ballots, we need to have ID. And this is not something that fascists do.

This is something that they do at your 7-Eleven, if you try to buy a beer. This is something you have to have, if you're driving a car. This is something you have to have, if you're going to college. Or you're going to work in many places.

You need to have an ID. That's not racist. This isn't 1841. The government wants you to some sort of vaccine ID. Well, isn't that racist, then?

How could you be for a vaccine, to let you into buildings, if you have had the vaccine, and keep you out of buildings, if you haven't had the vaccine.

How could you have something so personal to you, be a requirement, is what the Biden administration wanted, to be in a requirement.

But you don't want people to have any form of ID, to show that they're a citizen, and they're a registered voter?

Really?

That's not fascism. And that is not a democracy.

That's just corruption. The other thing they have, in -- in the encyclopedia Britannica. It's a belief. Fascism is a belief in a natural, social hierarchy. And the rule of elites.

Now, this is something that I used to disagree with. On -- vehemently for a long time.

With -- with liberals.

They used to say, oh, well. These corporations. They're going to take over the world. And they're so powerful.

You know what, you're right.

I never thought a corporation, in my lifetime. I'm 60.

But in my lifetime, I never thought a corporation could be as powerful as the government.

Or could be so corrupt and so controlling, before AI. Before Google. They didn't have that power.

But they have that power now.

So it's a ruling of elites, if you didn't go to the right college. You're not an elite. If you didn't go to the right -- if you don't hold the right opinion, you're not an elite. You're an idiot. And we only listen to the elites.

So there's a belief if fascism, on a natural, social hierarchy. And the rule of elites. And the desire to create the people's community.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. Because this is where Donald Trump and his nationalism, as they would call it. I would call it love of country.

Always gets in trouble, from the left. They think that that is -- he wants to have the people's community. He's trying to be like Germany. And we're the best.

And we're the best race and everything petroleums we're not. We're not.

What makes us different is our heritage, for the most part. And this is changing.

And unfortunately, changing far too rapidly, to be able to pass these good characteristics on.

This society came here, from all over the world. So how could we possibly be anti-immigrant?

We came here from all over the world.

But those who self-selected to come here, they conquered. Have you watched a Western?

Have you watched a cowboy movie? Have you watched 1892? Have you watched the Magnificent Seven, even the new one? Have you watched any of these things? Have you seen Horizon, the new Kevin Costner film?

These people were insane. I have a grandmother who lost an eye, crossing the mountains. She just like yanked it out, and was like, keep moving. I mean, these people were nuts.

That's what made us. That's what makes us the different. Is that our heritage is one of explorers, of risk takers. That's why we're good entrepreneurs.

But in Germany, with fascism, and in Italy, it meant that the individual interest would be subordinated to the good of the nation. So the individual didn't matter. It was the collective, that mattered.

That's a key sign of fascism. I have more on this. But I also want to get to the news of the day. Because yesterday was an amazing thing, with Donald Trump.

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All right. Welcome back to the program. You know, before we move on. I just -- I want to emphasize two things on fascism. Because we are having this argument, each side is looking at the other side, going. You're going to destroy the rights of people.

And it's important that we really understand, before we start throwing terms around, that we understand what those terms mean.

Fascism prioritizes the nation over the individual. And that's what spooks people, even me.

When people start to get nationalistic. If there are conservatives. And there are. That say, you know, we need a -- we need a prince of Christ to think in, and be our -- be our leader.

No. No. We really don't. We really don't. We don't need a religious leader.

We need somebody of good, moral standing. That would be nice. Have you found one lately?

But we don't need a vicar of Christ. What we need is somebody who reflects the best of us. I used to say, reflect us.

But that's not really good. Because there's -- moral sentiments actually matter. And you don't prioritize the nation over the people. However, the nation is important. Without a nation to protect your family, you can't have a family.

So we need to make sure that we have a strong family. And I'm sorry. A strong nation. With strong currency. Because if the currency goes down, you don't really have a job where you can make any money. You might have plenty of money. But nothing your money could buy. Because it's worthless.

So prioritize the nation. Not over the individual rights.

But to make sure that the nation is strong and healthy. And safe.

And we're doing none of that.