The Glenn Beck Program

Episode: Is the Right Embracing Cancel Culture After Charlie Kirk's Murder?
Guests: Bill O'Reilly & Liz Wheeler
Air Date: September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program grapples with the murder of Charlie Kirk and examines the cultural and political shockwaves reverberating through America and beyond. Host Glenn Beck, joined by co-host Stu Burguiere and guests Bill O’Reilly and Liz Wheeler, explores the collective response within the conservative movement, the role of faith and martyrdom, the question of “cancel culture” on the right, and the urgent re-examination of parental responsibility. The episode is framed as a pivotal moment for American civil discourse, with passionate calls for virtue, debate, and spiritual renewal.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. The Martyrdom of Charlie Kirk and Its Aftermath

• Spontaneous Grassroots Response

  • Glenn recounts a vigil at his ranch, describing gatherings of youth for prayer, history lessons, and the raising of the flag.
  • He links these actions to similar outpourings of determination across the US, highlighting “America has changed. It was a turning point.”
  • (10:28) Beck: “America has changed. It was a turning point. It was a turning point.”

• The Power of Martyrdom & Faith

  • Beck draws parallels between Kirk and historic martyrs such as Abraham Lincoln, reading from the Gettysburg Address to emphasize the gravity of Kirk’s sacrifice.
  • He notes a surge of religious revival and spiritual commitment following Kirk’s death:
    • (12:59) Beck: “How many people on earth this last week became a Christian on the killing field?... This may be the moment of Gettysburg in our generation.”
    • Reports of “36,000 new TP USA charters for colleges” swelling to “the 70,000 range.” (14:50)

• Immediate Security & Investigation Developments

  • Details emerge about the rapid identification of the suspect, Tyler Robinson, attributed to public tips after the FBI released his image, breaking with usual protocol.
  • (22:02) Burguiere on releasing the image: “It makes sense to release these photos the second that you have them in a situation like that. Remember, this is, what, 33 hours?”

2. The Role of Virtue, Free Speech, and “Cancel Culture”

• Debate vs. Celebrating Violence: Where Is the Line?

  • The hosts confront accusations that “the right” is embracing cancel culture by supporting the firing of teachers or professionals who celebrated Kirk’s murder.
  • Beck makes a distinction:
    • Speech in pursuit of truth (e.g., “children shouldn't have surgeries before 18”) is protected debate.
    • Speech celebrating murder (“Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a good thing...rejoicing in violence”) is moral failure, not merely an unpopular opinion.
  • (53:39) Beck: “To say Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a good thing. That’s not debate. That’s not even an idea. That’s rejoicing in violence. It’s glorifying death. There’s no place in a civil society for that kind of stuff.”

• Firing Teachers & Consequence vs. “Mob-Driven Cancellation”

  • The necessity of removing educators who openly celebrate violence is affirmed (“every single teacher should be fired” — 73:36), while distinguishing this from firing over policy disagreement.
  • (69:22) Beck: “If anybody on my staff would have said, oh my gosh, this is so great...I would have fired them on the spot.”

• Mob Cancellation vs. Community Standards

  • Discussion about the origins of cancel culture, noting its spread from the political left and pointing to past examples (e.g., mask/vaccine debates).
  • Beck contrasts “mob-driven” cancellation over minor or distant personal failings with current actions to remove those who glorify actual violence:
    • (71:02) Beck: “If I didn’t want to take the vaccine because I said, 'Yeah, I just want to kill a whole bunch of people,' it would be cancel culture. It would be common sense and decency to remove me.”

3. International & Societal Reverberations

• Global Solidarity and Impact

  • Protests and vigils for Kirk erupt around the world, notably in London and South Korea.
  • Italian PM Meloni delivers a powerful eulogy, lamenting political incitement and the devaluation of dissenting lives.
    • (49:00) Liz Wheeler (translating Meloni): “He did it with respect. He was frightening for this, because when you have no arguments, those who have them...are left only with the weapon of criminalization...violence that always starts as verbal violence, but sometimes also becomes physical violence.”

• Surge in Political Engagement

  • Massive increases in Turning Point USA’s reach and chapters, as well as online declarations of renewed or new Christian faith.

• The Left’s Rhetoric & Influence

  • Beck and Burguiere examine how left-wing rhetoric about “fascists” and national conflict can become a permissive environment for dehumanization and ultimately violence.
    • (64:20) Various voices: “We are at war. So you have to be willing to do whatever is necessary in order to save the country.”

4. Parenting, Social Decay, and the Root of Evil

• Liz Wheeler on Parenting & Culture

  • Wheeler argues that parental abdication—including excessive screen time, moral disengagement, and fear of discipline—creates an environment where evil flourishes.
    • (114:08) Wheeler: “We have a parenting crisis in our country because parents think their children are boss. ...Parents, especially my generation, are godless themselves. And then they wonder why their children turn out captured by the demonic.”

• Glenn Beck’s Pushback: Compassion and Context

  • Beck urges caution about parental blame, noting his own struggles as a parent and generational cultural shifts that have made raising virtuous children uniquely challenging.
  • (117:52) Beck: “I have done my best, and I have fallen so short. I think there’s a lot of people like that...You might still lose your kid.”

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On National and Personal Renewal After Tragedy
  • Beck (10:28): “America has changed. It was a turning point. It was a turning point.”
  • Beck (12:59): “How many people on earth this last week became a Christian on the killing field?... This may be the moment of Gettysburg in our generation.”
• On the Limits of Free Speech and Civil Society
  • Beck (53:39): “To say Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a good thing. That’s not debate. That’s not even an idea. That’s rejoicing in violence. There’s no place in a civil society for that kind of stuff.”
  • Beck (69:22): “If anybody on my staff would have said, oh my gosh, this is so great...I would have fired them on the spot.”
• On Cancel Culture and Consistency
  • Stu (71:02): “That has nothing to do with making an off color joke in 1998. That is the type of stuff that was Cancel Culture. This really is different.”
• On Parenting Crisis
  • Wheeler (114:08): “We have a parenting crisis in our country...Parents, especially my generation...are godless themselves. And then they wonder why their children turn out captured by the demonic.”
  • Beck (117:52): “I have done my best, and I have fallen so short...You might still lose your kid.”
• International Perspective
  • Meloni via Wheeler (49:00): “He did it with respect. He was frightening for this, because when you have no arguments...left only with the weapon of criminalization...[which] sometimes also becomes physical violence.”

Key Segments & Timestamps

• [07:33–14:00] – Glenn Beck recounts his fireside with youth, the national response, and reads from the Gettysburg Address.
• [21:43–23:43] – Forensics of the Robinson case: the role of public tips and FBI strategy.
• [40:22–43:34] – Deep dive into social media pre-crime indicators; discussion of “Armed Queers SLC” and possible conspirators.
• [48:57–51:47] – International reaction; Prime Minister Meloni’s speech; the global meaning of Kirk’s death.
• [53:39–61:00] – Are firings for celebrating murder ‘cancel culture’? Beck’s framework for distinguishing debate from moral disqualification.
• [73:36–79:04] – Should all teachers who celebrated the murder be fired? A debate over standards, forgiveness, and the future.
• [89:46–102:27] – Bill O’Reilly segment: The historical nature of evil, Kirk’s assassination as a “victory” for evil but catalyst for renewal, changing media landscape.
• [110:47-124:47] – Liz Wheeler: Parenting crisis, generational disconnect, and the risk of losing children to cultural darkness.

Memorable Moments

• Viral Clip of Charlie Kirk with Adult Entertainers

  • (29:17–31:29): Stu and Glenn spotlight a viral podcast episode, showing Kirk’s compassion and evangelical spirit.
    • Kirk: “If you’re engaged in the creation of that content, I think God has a better plan for you...Jesus loves all of you, and He can transform your life. He transformed my life."
    • Stu: “That’s fantastic. That’s exactly how I want to remember him. That clip.”

• Public Solidarity Across the Globe

  • (48:57): Chanting of “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie” in London and similar spontaneous demonstrations in Korea and Europe.

Conclusion: A Movement at a Crossroads

This episode presents Charlie Kirk’s murder as an epochal event, triggering a collective soul-searching on political violence, the true meaning of free speech, and the responsibilities of parents, educators, and civil society. The hosts reject claims of “right-wing cancel culture,” arguing that celebrating murder disqualifies individuals from positions of public trust. The episode concludes with renewed calls to virtue, faith, and courage, framing this era as one of both danger and unprecedented opportunity for American renewal.

For further support:

• Donate to Charlie Kirk’s family and TPUSA: GiveSendGo.com/912Project
• Watch or listen: Charlie Kirk Show and The Glenn Beck Program on BlazeTV and Rumble.