The Glenn Beck Program
Episode: How Leftist NGOs Quietly Destroyed American Streets
Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck
Guests/Contributors: Stu Burguiere (executive producer), Jason Butrow (chief researcher)
Network: Blaze Podcast Network
Episode Overview
This episode centers on recent urban violence and the decline of public safety, emphasizing the role played by leftist NGOs, progressive prosecutors, and unaccountable officials in enabling societal breakdown. Glenn Beck dissects the Charlotte train killing and broadens the conversation to how organizations like the Ren Collective, George Soros-backed NGOs, and entities like the MacArthur Foundation exert influence over legal and cultural institutions. The show also explores media complicity, America's response to rising violence, and the moral, legal, and civic responsibilities of both citizens and government.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Charlotte Train Killing: A Case Study in Indifference
[05:02 – 13:00]
- Glenn recounts the killing of Irina Zarutska, a Ukrainian immigrant who was murdered on a Charlotte train by a repeat violent offender.
- Notable segment: Glenn describes security video showing bystanders failing to intervene, stating,
"She wasn't killed by a knife. She was killed by indifference on multiple fronts: from the criminal system, the prosecutor, and then everyone on that train." — Glenn Beck [10:19]
- Glenn questions the moral decline that leads people to inaction in moments of crisis and draws parallels to other incidents where intervention led to prosecution, such as the Daniel Penny case in New York.
2. Who is Responsible? Legal and Societal Accountability
[13:00 – 17:00]
- Glenn argues that prosecutors who repeatedly release dangerous offenders should be legally liable for negligence when tragedy results.
- He references the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that, in some circumstances, the state can be held responsible when due process is denied.
- Glenn highlights the double standard:
"Why are we not going after prosecutors? Why aren’t we going after them for sheer negligence?" — Glenn Beck [12:40]
3. The Role of NGOs: The Ren Collective, Soros, and More
[14:31 – 17:57, 41:28 – 43:56]
- Jason Butrow details the Ren Collective, a shadowy organization offering services to progressive prosecutors and pushing for reforms like cashless bail—often without public knowledge or consent.
- Glenn connects groups like Ren, George Soros’ NGOs, and the MacArthur Foundation to a broader strategy of infiltrating local legal systems and undermining accountability.
-
"This is a shadow organization that has infiltrated Prosecutor's offices in 40 different cities." — Glenn Beck [15:57]
"It is time to go after George Soros and his NGOs. ... Ban all his NGOs from any kind of activity in the United States." — Glenn Beck [16:58]
4. Media Complicity and Narrative Control
[17:58 – 26:45]
- Glenn criticizes mainstream media for its silence or distortion when stories don't fit its preferred narrative, arguing that selective coverage can incite division and violence.
-
"The goal’s never the truth, it’s control." — Glenn Beck [22:32]
- He posits that non-coverage is sometimes meant to stoke anger among certain demographics, challenging listeners:
"How do you feel when you hear that the media failed to cover this story—do you feel angry? That’s what they want." — Glenn Beck [22:51]
5. A Call for Citizen Duty: Documentation and Standing Firm
[46:30 – 54:30]
- Glenn shares a personal “Principles of Truth and Duty” document, urging both his staff and audience to:
- Document abuses
- Expose wrongdoing
- Name bad actors
- Inspire individual moral courage
-
"There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal. ... This is a call to accounting, to record, to expose, to resist the machinery of falsehood with commitment to the truth." — Glenn Beck [47:30]
- He laments the societal and “spiritual” cost of inaction:
"Every truth left unsaid becomes a lie the next generation must live under." — Glenn Beck [50:00]
6. Global Parallels: Nepal, Poland, and the Collapse of Legitimacy
[71:48 – 74:00, 65:53 – 67:16]
- Glenn recounts recent events in Nepal where government attempts to silence dissent by censoring media led to mass protest and deadly violence.
- He draws warnings about western democracies flirting with similar authoritarian impulses:
"All what happened in Nepal rhymes with stuff that is happening in the West." — Glenn Beck [73:08]
- Update from Jason on rising tensions in Poland and NATO's activation of Article 4.
7. The Bystander Debate: Moral Courage vs. Self-Preservation
[93:13 – 101:48]
- The team debates the expectations of bystanders in emergencies, acknowledging the tension between heroism and rational fear for personal safety:
"What would I want myself to do? ... But what would I advise my wife or daughter? Not to jump in." — Stu Burguiere [93:49]
- Jason argues Western societies are losing “sheepdogs”—people willing to intervene.
"The proportion of sheepdogs in society is disappearing." — Jason Butrow [101:25]
- Reference to Daniel Penny, the Marine facing prosecution in New York for subduing a threatening passenger.
8. Legal Avenues for Restoring Order: The Insurrection Act Debate
[114:08 – 123:28]
- Deep dive into whether or not the President can/should deploy the National Guard to Democratic-run cities to restore order.
- Discussion about constitutional provisions (Sections 251, 252, and 253 of the Insurrection Act) and the risk of setting dangerous precedents.
"I'm just as concerned as you are... I want what the Constitution says." — Glenn Beck [117:50]
"My goal here is to avoid these new openings in the Constitution." — Stu Burguiere [122:42]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On societal decline:
"When fear, apathy, or self-preservation outweigh the moral duty to act—what happens to a civilization?" — Glenn Beck [11:19]
-
On leftist strategy:
"They changed their strategy to go after basically cheap elections—DAs, Secretaries of State—elections where people weren’t paying attention." — Stu Burguiere [42:54]
-
On the power of documentation:
"Tyranny rarely kicks down the front door—it seeps through cracks: rewritten textbooks, judicial overreach, and a media more loyal to narratives than fact." — Glenn Beck [48:00]
-
On the preservation of liberty:
“History is not written by those who whisper safety—history is written by those who stood when standing cost them dearly.” — Glenn Beck [51:40]
-
On public accountability:
"Justice is holding the guilty accountable, whether they have a knife in the shadows or a prosecutor's pen in the courthouse." — Glenn Beck [55:13]
Important Timestamps
- [05:02] — Glenn introduces the Charlotte case and its broader implications
- [10:19] — "She was killed by indifference..." (video description)
- [14:31] — Jason Butrow explains the Ren Collective and its Soviet-linked origins
- [15:57] — The mechanics of NGO influence on prosecutors
- [22:32] — Glenn on media control and narrative distortion
- [26:50] — Glenn draws parallels between media misunderstanding today and the misunderstanding by King George in the Declaration of Independence
- [46:30 – 54:30] — Glenn’s “Principles of Truth and Duty” internal manifesto
- [71:48] — Glenn explains the significance of the Nepal uprising and censorship
- [93:13] — Bystander debate about the Charlotte stabbing
- [114:08 – 123:28] — Legal discussion of the Insurrection Act and constitutional limits on the use of federal force
Closing Reflections
Glenn Beck closes with a warning about the collapse of order if officials and citizens remain unaccountable, and reiterates the importance of truth, lawful resistance, and constitutional processes for the survival of American liberty.
For the full in-depth exploration of America’s current state and where it might be headed, tune in to The Glenn Beck Program on Blaze TV and follow at glennbeck.com.