9/11 Memories, Charlie Kirk’s Legacy, and the Awakening of Gen Z

Summary

The Rob Carson Show – September 11, 2025

Episode: 9/11 Memories, Charlie Kirk’s Legacy, and the Awakening of Gen Z

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Brief Overview

On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, Rob Carson hosts a poignant and fiery episode reflecting on the national tragedy and the shocking recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Combining personal recollection, generational reflection, and pointed political commentary, the episode explores how these pivotal events shape generations, with special attention to Gen Z and the legacy of Charlie Kirk. The episode also features in-depth interviews with Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano and includes memories, analysis, and calls to action for the conservative movement. The tone throughout is emotional, urgent, and combative—a mixture of mourning, tribute, and provocative political commentary.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Intersection of Tragedies: 9/11 and Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

(00:35 – 05:56)

• Rob Carson draws a powerful parallel between the impact of 9/11 and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, emphasizing how both events are transformative for their respective generations.
• Personalizes 9/11 by recounting friends and listeners who joined the military post-9/11, many sacrificing much (PTSD, injury, death).
• Asserts that Kirk’s death will have a generational impact similar to (or even greater than) the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr., especially among Gen Z and college students.
• Suggests Kirk’s murder is the result of ideological threats perceived by the left on college campuses.
• Quote:

  “Charlie Kirk’s assassination is not a turning point. It's the turning point.”
  – Rob Carson (04:58)

2. Charlie Kirk: His Legacy and Personal Touch

(06:29 – 07:56)

• Audio clip of young Charlie Kirk describing his first Fox News appearance after skipping school: a rebellious act that was the genesis of his movement.
• Charlie’s early activism, founding organizations before Turning Point USA, and articulating conservative youth issues during the Obama era.
• Rob details Kirk’s warmth and supportiveness, referencing anecdotes of Charlie offering personal help to others, such as inviting Benny Johnson’s family to stay with him after a tragedy.
• Quote:

  “He was a nuclear explosion. We very rarely see anyone like this...He is a once in a generation personality for change.”
  – Rob Carson (07:41)

3. Anger, Blame, and Media Rhetoric

(09:52 – 17:34)

• Commentary from various pundits, including Clay Travis, Doug Mastriano, and unnamed commentators, focusing on who is to blame for escalating political violence.

• Strong accusation that progressive rhetoric (“calling Trump Hitler”) is directly responsible for Kirk’s assassination.

• Rob refuses olive branches from liberal commentators, blaming “the left” for fueling violence and movement division.

• Segment mocking MSNBC’s Matthew Dowd, condemning media narratives that frame conservative speech as hate speech or Kirk as a divisive figure.

• Heavy criticism of what the show terms as Democrat and media moral relativism.

• Quote:

  “There is no coming together when you have caused this violence...Your rhetoric caused it. It was not conservative rhetoric that caused it. Charlie Kirk was a peaceful man...”
  – Rob Carson (10:23)

• Quote:

  “When you tell people that someone is Hitler, you are telling crazy people, go kill them. And I am sick of pretending that that is anything other than what they're doing.”
  – Political Commentator 2 (11:06)

• Explicit montage (with examples) of calls for violence or incendiary rhetoric by media and political figures, flipping criticism back on Democrats.

4. Reflections on 9/11 and Two Decades of War

(20:11 – 24:00)

• Interview with Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvania State Senator and retired military officer.
• Personal recollections: Doug recalls his experience as an Army officer the morning of 9/11 and his subsequent role in planning the Iraq invasion.
• Frank discussion of U.S. military interventions post-9/11, Mastriano concludes Iraq and Afghanistan were ultimately not worth the cost, referencing policy failures that echoed Vietnam.
• Both Carson and Mastriano express anger at the manner in which the Afghanistan withdrawal was handled.
• Quote:

  “Twice in our lifetime, Rob, we watched us fail by deciding to go to war, sundering young men and women's lives for nothing.”
  – Doug Mastriano (23:33)

5. Donald Trump’s Role & Conservative Resurgence

(24:00 – 27:49)

• Praise for Donald Trump as a “unique” president who cares deeply for servicemen and peace.
• Mastriano credits Trump with pushing back against “social experimentation” in the military.
• Suggestion that the political left has overreached, and Kirk’s death marks the moment a “sleeping giant” has awoken within conservatism, especially among younger generations.
• Both hosts position Kirk in a lineage of lost leaders (assembling him with RFK, MLK) for Gen Z.

6. Spiritual Awakening and the ‘Day of the Bible’

(29:36 – 33:12)

• Doug Mastriano details a historically significant event in Philadelphia: the anniversary of Congress endorsing the Robert Aitken Bible during the Revolution (1782).
• Discussion of faith traditions in America and personal family patriotic backgrounds, connecting religious and national identity.

7. A Generation Marked for Change

(29:00 – 29:36 & 30:36 – 31:38)

• Mastriano and Carson discuss polling data that show Gen Z as more conservative, religious, and pro-life than previous generations.
• Prediction that the next generation will “save our country” and be the catalyst for a conservative and spiritual revival.
• Quote:

  “We are seeing, Rob, that the next generation, they're more conservative. I saw the poll. They're going to church more than our generation is...”
  – Doug Mastriano (29:22)

8. Call to Action and Righteous Defiance

(36:26 – End)

• Rob Carson calls for the conservative movement to be emboldened, to refuse compromise, and to see Kirk’s assassination as the ultimate call for transformation and renewed activism.
• Asserts that the left’s push for radical change has “awoken a sleeping giant” and predicts the formal end of the “class of 1968” leftward march.
• Outlines a vision of a new, assertive conservative era where groups like Antifa are officially condemned and where past wrongs are redressed.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is not a turning point. It's the turning point.”
  – Rob Carson [04:58]
• “He was a nuclear explosion. We very rarely see anyone like this...He is a once in a generation personality for change.”
  – Rob Carson [07:41]
• “There is no coming together when you have caused this violence...Your rhetoric caused it. It was not conservative rhetoric that caused it.”
  – Rob Carson [10:23]
• “When you tell people that someone is Hitler, you are telling crazy people, go kill them.”
  – Political Commentator 2 [11:06]
• “Twice in our lifetime...we watched us fail by deciding to go to war, sundering young men and women's lives for nothing.”
  – Doug Mastriano [23:33]
• “We are seeing...the next generation...are more conservative...This is going to be the catalyst...that probably saves our country.”
  – Doug Mastriano [29:22]
• “Those days are over, Doug. And we can, as Christians...be reflective and prayerful...But...I'm not going to extend my hand...we have beyond awoken a sleeping giant.”
  – Rob Carson [27:49]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:35 – Rob Carson opens with the theme: tying 9/11 grief and Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
• 04:58 – Carson reads his Substack essay: "This is the turning point."
• 05:28 – The President’s official statement on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
• 06:29 – 07:56 – Charlie Kirk recounts his “day off” that launched his movement.
• 09:52 – 14:28 – Intense debate on blame, media rhetoric, and the roots of political violence; refusal of “olive branches” from the left.
• 20:11 – 24:00 – Doug Mastriano's memories of 9/11 and commentary on Iraq/Afghanistan wars.
• 29:00 – 29:36 – Discussion of Gen Z’s political and religious awakening post-Kirk.
• 29:36 – 34:03 – Mastriano explains the Robert Aitken Bible ceremony and family patriotism.
• 36:26 – End – Carson’s closing: declaration of a new conservative epoch and call to action.

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Closing Thoughts

This episode is highly charged—uniting profound grief, nostalgia, tribute, and unmistakable combativeness. Rob Carson positions the assassination of Charlie Kirk as a historic moment, predicting a sea change among younger conservatives while casting the political left as both cause and antagonist. The show concludes by calling for the end of the left’s influence, the awakening of the conservative base, and the honoring of Kirk through unyielding activism—a battle cry for Carson’s audience as the culture wars continue.

Transcript

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[Political Commentator 1]

Hold it now.

[Rob Carson]

You are about to hear the most interesting, informative, thought provoking and funny show in America on air and on the World Wide Web. This is the Rob Carson Show. This is the Rob Carson Show. It is Thursday 9112020524 years after 9 11. I don't want a slight nine at all. With the news of Charlie Kirk's assassination yesterday. Maybe there's a reason why these two events have happened and both of them are going to be as impactual on a generation for, for those who are, for instance, millennials, even even gen X. When 911 happened, I was a young parent. A lot of young millennials were in their 20s, maybe even in college and they gave up everything and they entered the milit did after Pearl harbor just like so many generations had done before volunteering. After 9 11. I had a friend of mine who was my age and literally about four years after 9 11, he signed up for the military. He was 40 years old and he signed up and he became a medic and he went over to Iraq and he experienced some concussive brain injury. But he was 40 years old when he did that. And many of you did it in your 20s and many of you came back with PTSD and many of you came back profoundly injured and many of you didn't come back at all. Thousands died away from their loved ones in another land. And right now many of you, particularly millennials soldiers, are now leaders in your community, leaders in politics and, and, and 911 started that movement. I believe Charlie Kirk had already started a massive movement on campus with Generation Z and his death will be as impactful as 911 was to ours. I really believe that. I also believe that it is more profound to people, particularly Gen Z, particularly for people in college, than Bobby Kennedy's assassination. I don't remember it. I was a toddler. But it was gigantic. It was the the end of a violent year. The same year Martin Luther King Jr. Was assassinated. It was a violent and turbulent and terrifying time. I wasn't old enough to remember any of it, but here we are again. I wrote a piece last night on Substack. You know, I had so many thoughts swimming through my head and I wrote this. I'm just going to read it real quick to you, if you don't mind. And suddenly, it's 1968 all over again. Charlie Kirk's assassination is me more, even more impactful than that of Bobby Kennedy to two generations. The old man arrested at the Charlie Kirk rally immediately began saying, I have the right to remain silent. This was a distraction for the shooter to escape. I believe this. I have no doubt there were operatives in the crowd. This was like a group of hyenas surrounding their prey. His assassination is more impactful than of Bobby Kennedy. Bobby was an office holder in Canada. Charlie Kirk created a movement on campus that the leftists had dominated entirely with their Marxist ideology. He was a threat to the left's previously unchecked indoctrination on campus. He was a Rush baby. This also goes to the gigantic and unfathomable influence of Rush. Conservative speakers used to be picketed. Ann Coulter was chased off campus. Riley Gaines had to hide from violent protesters. Charlie Kirk was the first to bring thousands of young people to the center of the most liberal campuses in America. For the first time in three generations, conservatives did not have to hide in their dorm rooms and speak in hushed tones. This was a professional hit. The left is invested in America's universities. The world's despots send billions to assure ideas, ideological uniformity. Charlie Kirk's murder is the last straw on the camel that has been crippled by thousands of violent leftist rallies. It's the end of a decade of burning, looting and marching. It's the final line cross for those of us who have been censored, investigated, even imprisoned. It is the moment when the petulant, destructive child gets the punishment. The brat is the Marxist left. The child is about to get the spanking of a lifetime. It is a moment when the petulant, destructive child gets his punishment. Charlie Kirk's assassination is not a turning point. It's the turning point. Here is our president.

[President of the United States]

To my great fellow Americans, I am filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah. Charlie inspired millions, and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror. Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loves so Much the United States of America.

[Rob Carson]

He will be remembered for decades. For decades, he will. I wanted to play this. It's a little more upbeat. This is Charlie Kirk talking about how he was discovered. He decided to take a day off. Now, he was going to refer Ferris Bueller's day off because he's a Chicago kid. And he decided to take the day off from school. And you know what he did? He went to Fox TV studios and he got on camera and started a movement.

[Political Commentator 2]

Your first appearance on Fox News was when you skipped school.

[Rob Carson]

What grade were you in?

[Charlie Kirk]

I was a senior in high school. So it was Charlie Kirk's day off instead of Ferris Bueller's day off. We're both from Chicago. You know, I had a little different. I went at 4:30 in the morning, local Chicago time, right into the Fox News bureau. I also start an organization before Turning Point, you say, like a local thing to speak at Tea Party rallies and meetings. And so we started kind of pitching around different media bookers saying, hey, you know, we're a bunch of high school rebels. And they said, hey, can you talk more broadly about, like, Obama and how you're not behind Obama? Because remember, Obama was the president at the time. And all the rage was that Obama had total unanimous youth support. And here was a kid from the suburbs of Chicago who was kind of saying something different. We graduate from high school this coming June. We're handed a diploma that's also an invoice for hundreds of thousands of dollars that my generation is going to have to pay off through interest, high taxes and a stagnant economy. I'm having trouble finding a summer job, as is Mike in a lot of different regards. A lot of kids are feeling the effects of what we like to call, you know, with the Washington economy with a lot of debt plummeting, small business with higher regulation and high taxes. We're just trying to reinstitute the founding principles, free market, fiscal responsibility. It's just been an incredible journey. And everyone at Fox has been so supportive. I think I tallied it up. I mean, it's been over almost, I think a thousand appearances last 13 years. And, you know, Turning Point USA is almost a household name. And it all started right there. Me skipping class. Charlie Kirk's day off, now as a guest host.

[Rob Carson]

Wow. And, and you know, the thing that I noticed yesterday from everyone, even the president and Lara Trump and Eric Trump and everyone, every host on Fox, Greg Kelly last night on Newsmax. Charlie Kirk was a friend to so many. Charlie Kirk was a personal friend with so many. He touched people. He reached out to them, he texted them, he encouraged them. He encouraged them not only for a political movement, but also for faith. And he offered advice. And Benny Johnson is home. Burned down Benny Johnson's home. Charlie Kirk invited him to stay with his family at his home in Florida. Allowed him. He was so amazing. He not only impacted people massively with these rallies, he did it massively by reaching, constantly talking to people, texting them, calling them, encouraging them, inspiring them. I mean, what a volume of influence in such a short life. He was a. He was a nuclear explosion. We very rarely see anyone like this. Very rarely. He is a once in a generation personality for change. He is. He is. He is as much as Rush Limbaugh, for sure. Maybe even more. Maybe even more. And so we will never forget Charlie Kirk. And this will. In his honor, we will make it bigger. We will finally put those who've been running roughshod over our country out of our misery. To be quite honest, this is Clay Travis. Last night, Clay knew Charlie. And this is where I am right now. I know we need to get through the morning and we need to be reflective and we need to pray, but we also need to look ahead.

[Political Commentator 2]

But let me hammer something home here. I am sick and I am tired of hearing people say, like Barack Obama did, like Hillary Clinton did, oh, we condemn this violence.

[Doug Mastriano]

Crap.

[Political Commentator 2]

Guess what? You can't call the President of the United States for 10 years, Adolf Hitler. And you can't say that he's a fascist dictator. And you can't say that anyone who voted for Trump or advocated for him, like you, me, Riley, and Charlie Kirk.

[Rob Carson]

Are Nazis, by the way. For those attempting to reach their hand out in peace, like Adam Schiff, I will smack it away. You had your chance. You had your chance. We're done. There is no coming together when you have caused this violence, when you have caused this. Your rhetoric caused it. It was not conservative rhetoric that caused it. Charlie Kirk was a peaceful man who debated people using faith, using intellect, using knowledge. The left does none of that. So I do not accept your olive branch. You're done. Your movement is done. What has caused this death? This man's death is on your hands.

[Political Commentator 2]

And then when someone tries to kill us, you can't suddenly say, oh, we condemn this violence. You caused it. Look at me right now. You caused this. When you tell people that someone is Hitler, you are telling crazy people, go kill them. And I am sick of pretending that that is anything other than what they're doing. That guy in West Palm Beach. What did he say? He was killing Trump because he believed Trump was Hitler. This is what they do, all right, this left wing violence, it's out of control. And Charlie Kirk bore the brunt of that left wing violence. And guess what? But for the twist of his head at the last minute, Donald Trump's head would have been blown off on live television.

[Rob Carson]

Yes.

[Political Commentator 2]

And that is intentional. They are lighting fires and then claiming, oh, what do you know, there's a fire there. They're doing it on purpose. Msnbc, Sean, you watch this. They were live on the air saying one of their guys said they put out a PR statement. He said, well, Charlie Kirk was riddled basically with hate. And when you put hate out into the world, this kind of thing happens. Oh, tough break. You get shot and killed, even though you're completely innocent and all you're doing is making arguments for the betterment of the country. Tough break for your young daughter, Tough break for your son, for your lovely wife that will never get the opportunity to see you grow old, old with them. I am so angry, and I understand everybody out there says, well, we have to tamp down the anger. I'm not willing to do that right now because I get angrier the more they I think about this, Sean. They put the wheels of motion for this in order. They did it, Sean.

[Rob Carson]

I want to take a break and come back. This is the Rob Carson show.

[Matthew Dowd]

But following up what was just said, he's been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.

[Rob Carson]

That is Matthew Dowd on msnbc. He no longer has a job today because of that. But MSNBC officially not only shovel the last shovel of dirt on their grave, they tamped it down yesterday in which.

[Charlie Kirk]

A shooting like this happens.

[Matthew Dowd]

Yeah, again, I emphasize what you just emphasized. We don't know any full details of this, that we don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration or so we have no idea.

[Rob Carson]

But this is the profound ignorance and honestly insulting ignorance of the left on, on display there to say such an absurd thing. Anyone who is a lawful gun owner and has a respect for the Second Amendment would never fire their weapon into the air in celebration. You ass. You complete and utter ass from hell. Honestly, so sickening. How ignorant, how ignorant are your viewers that you would say such a thing. That you would say such a bloody thing. It is ridiculous. This is why it happened. This is why these things have happened. This is why the left has been burning down America and. And assaulting America for the last decade.

[Political Commentator 1]

Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic. MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They're MAGA Republicans. Extreme MAGA Republicans. Maga Republicans. Extreme MAGA ideology. MAGA Republicans. Maga Republicans are. MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. The MAGA Republicans believe that for them to succeed, everyone else has to fail. Maga Republicans look at America and see carnage and darkness in this.

[Rob Carson]

This. I have a montage of nine years of Democrat violence. I won't play the entire thing. But if you say this is both ways. If you try to do use moral relativism for this, I'll punch you in the face. Okay? And I'm gonna tell. I'm just done with it. There is no moral relativism. We are the people who do thoughts and prayers. You are the people who burn things down.

[Political Commentator 2]

That man cannot see public office again. He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy. And he has to be. He has to be eliminated.

[Rob Carson]

The donor class can't just sit back on the sidelines and say, oh, well, don't worry. This will all work itself out. They're still going to have to go out and put a bullet in Donald Trump. And that's a fact.

[Doug Mastriano]

Yes, I have thought an awful lot.

[Rob Carson]

About blowing up the White House. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? I want to clarify. I'm not an actor. I lie for a living. Just like Donald. However, my. It's been a while and maybe it's time. How dare he say the things he does.

[Political Commentator 1]

Of course I want to punch him in the face. Press always ask me, don't I wish I were debating him? No, I wish you were in high school. I could take him behind the gym. That's what I wish.

[Rob Carson]

And with this kind of inspiration, I will go and take Trump out tonight. You had a combination of passive aggressive shiving of the conservative movement yesterday with. With Democrats saying, now we need gun control. They. They don't mean it in this case. They only do it because they know how hurtful it is to us to say that after everything to say what we really need is gun control. They did that on purpose. And if you think that they're extending an olive branch to us with Charlie Kirk's death, they are not. They are not extending an olive branch at all. They're covering their asses because they know something very big is happening and they just threw gasoline on it because this is what they thought of Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk is a divisive figure. Polarizing lightning, Rob. Whatever term you want to use.

[Matthew Dowd]

We don't know any of the full details of this. We don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration or so we have no idea about this. He's been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech.

[Rob Carson]

Yeah, no, he doesn't. Actually. He doesn't. If you listen to him speak, it's not hate speech. You only call it hate speech because you disagree with that. That's what you do. You label our speech hate speech so you can censor it, you jackasses. Well, this is just a week ago. This is just a week ago when, When a leftist. When someone I should say was inspired by the. By the. The rantings of the left, those who would say that white supremacy is the most dangerous thing in America and are privileged. And after culminating a decade of that, a black man, mentally unhinged, slaughters a 23 year old woman on a train in Charlotte. I agree with the mayor. I'm not the thoughts and prayers. I'm so beyond, so beyond that nonsense, the lie of that. Because what we have are people who continue to stand in the way of actually doing something to stop the violence against their own kids. Forget about thoughts and prayers. These kids were literally praying when they were murdered through a church window. Yeah, the. The Democrat party is it. It has to be taken down and reinvented or disappear. That's just it. If you're part of the Democrat party, you are bedded down with evil. You really are. I mean, honestly, be. For for your sake, for maybe the sake of your salvation, realize what you have become, what your party has become, what your movement has become. By the way, I do want to mention Birch Gold as a sponsor. I have to tell you about Birch Gold. And. And we just. They've been with us for a while and I'm so grateful to have them on. And. And they even convinced me to convert some of my savings. And they weren't much, by the way. They weren't much. I got 401k from selling cars. Well, right now until the 30th of this month. If you're a first time gold buyer. Text Gold. Birch gold today at 989-898. Text my name, Rob, to 989898 and you could be qualifying for a rebate up to $10,000 in free metals on qualifying purchases. Gold is on a record run, 35% up this year. If you would please text my name, Rob, to Birchgold at 989-898 and you'll be eligible for up to $10,000 in in gold or other precious metals. Rob to 989-898. Coming up, Doug Mastriano, senator from the state of Pennsylvania. Hopefully one day the governor to talk about 911 and Charlie Kirk at a special event in Philadelphia. I'm attending tomorrow. This is the Rob Carson Show.

[Doug Mastriano]

So we gather in remembrance of September 11, 2000, a day seared into our nation's soul. That morning, a clear blue sky was darkened by terror. In a space of just a few hours, thousands of innocent lives were taken and America was changed forever.

[Rob Carson]

That is Doug Mastriano today at a 911911 remembrance ceremony. He joins us on the Newsmax hotline. He is a state senator from the great state of Pennsylvania. Hopefully bigger and better things. He did run for governor. I'd love to see him in that governor's mansion. And he joins us now. Doug, welcome to the show, sir. How are you today?

[Doug Mastriano]

Thank you, Rob, for having me back on, brother. It's great to hear from you.

[Rob Carson]

You know, we're Gen Xers and the 911 was our pearl Harbor. Doug, I remember when and millennials Pearl harbor, by the way, I remember my father's World War II veteran. He would look off in the distance when he talked about Pearl Harbor. And then my English teacher in eighth grade, Mr. Ballantyne, I pound him about, well, you were in World War II. And he had to admit to me that he was at Pearl Harbor. And that same feeling, I could still get that feeling that was that busybody kid who could not, you know, unquenchable thirst and they, you know, bug the hell out of him. But, but now I understand. I understand why they signed up, Doug. And I know you were already in the military when that happened. But when 911 happened, what did it do to you as a soldier and as a human being?

[Doug Mastriano]

I mean, like so many other Americans, I was just shocked. It was just unthinkable that such a tragedy could happen. And you know, the first plane, when it went to the first tower maybe was an accident because, you know, we had a B25 crash into the Empire State Building in World War II. Completely different. It was a foggy day, not beautiful like it was in 9-11-2001. But when the second plane went in the building, it's like, wow, we are at war. And ironically, Rob, I was at Maxwell Air Force Base. I was one of two army officers, officers selected to be part of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Basically super planners, you know, how to take down countries or what have you, you know, through the Department of Defense. And, and I knew that, that our lives and our world had been turned upside down and we would be at war before you know it. And then fast forward my next assignment where I graduate from that School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. And now I'm going to be planning on the invasion of Iraq from the north. That was my plan.

[Rob Carson]

Wow, Doug. You know, I remember looking back, you know, obviously supporting what we did and the decisions that were made, wondering, you know, what they would result in. I don't want to spend too much time on it, but do you suppose that going into Iraq and beginning a 20 year occupation of, of Afghanistan was something we needed to do? And looking back, was it worth it?

[Doug Mastriano]

I'm going to speak frankly. No, it wasn't. What do we have to show Rob for Iraq and Afghanistan? And I'm watching as the, as Rumsfeld, sorry, his name slipped my mind there. Our Secretary of Defense was repeating all of the eras that he lived through during the Vietnam War. Incrementalism, piecemealing, impossible objectives. Beth Casing. And I watched. I could not have believed. I was like, we're doing the same thing we did in the 60s and 70s in Vietnam. So twice in our lifetime, Rob, we watched us fail by deciding to go to war, sundering young men and women's lives for nothing. And you look at Iraq now, is Iraq better off after our invasion, 2003? Absolutely not. How about Afghanistan? The same guys we drove out of power, back in charge again. What a waste.

[Rob Carson]

It really was. And the worst part about it was it was an indignity suffered and served upon those who served there when Joe Biden decided to pull us out of Afghanistan, leaving all of that equipment, putting the Taliban back in charge, sentencing another generation of little girls and young women to slavery for their entire lives. I really have no words for Joe Biden and for the people who did this to us. But now we pick up the pieces with Donald Trump in office. Now, I got to tell you, I've never heard a president talk like him, Doug. And as you as a lifetime, lifelong military member, it has to be something else for a president of the United States to not only care about putting our troops in harm's way, but also thinking about young men who are being murdered and killed in war in other parts of the world. We've never seen a world leader who not only cared about us being in war war, but also cared about bringing peace to other countries so mothers and fathers in those countries wouldn't have to bury their sons.

[Doug Mastriano]

He's an amazing man and you just look at works of his hands, you know what he says he means. And when he says he's going to push for peace between Russia and Ukraine, he's done more than Biden could ever dreamt. And I believe that had he been president during the invasion in 22, it never would have happened. You know, Putin would not have taken the risk. And so we do have a great man. I'm so thankful that he and Secretary Hogseth are putting the Department of Defense back into a war fighting mode rather than all this squishy social experimentation that does nothing disrupt our force and put our soldiers lives at risk. And so I'm thankful that we do have a new birth of freedom of sorts, thanks to the common sense that has come back into the presidency.

[Rob Carson]

We're talking to Doug Mastriano, a friend of mine, I can say a friend of mine. I've known him now for going on six years. It's pretty remarkable. And Doug, the first time I met you, I told you I believe that there was serendipity in our paths crossing in these five and a half years later. I believe that more than anything. And I believe that for instance, 9 11, it is strange and terrible that Charlie Kirk should be assassinated the day before 9 11. And I have a feeling for the generation after me and the next, the millennials and gen zers, this is a bellwether moment. They will not forget the rest of their lives. It is as powerful as the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. And I would venture to say MLK junior to a generation of people. What do you think?

[Doug Mastriano]

I agree. I mean this is a call to action. You know, Charlie Kirk was fearless in proclaiming his faith, fearless in debate and dialogue. I mean this is what our Democrats say democracy is all about. A republic's all about is debate and dialogue. He would go on a college, college campuses without a college degree and, and with his intellect and stamina he would shame professors, you know, PhDs underdeveloped just by using reason and logic. And so I think the best way for the generation, especially those under 30 who really, really look up to him, hey look, he's a 31 year old guy and I Look up to him. He's.

[Rob Carson]

Yeah, man.

[Doug Mastriano]

Great man.

[Rob Carson]

Yes.

[Doug Mastriano]

But we need to honor his, his life by carrying forward the principles he stood for. You know, free speech, open debate, love the country. And we need to clearly say that, of course, that his ideas won't be forgotten and that we, although there are horrible people on the left that do this kind of stuff here, that we need to be bold in our proclamations and not cower in the corner and continue Legacy of Courage.

[Rob Carson]

Doug, I'm going to tell you, I moved here to Old Town Alexandria and I told my audience in the six weeks that I've been here, I have talked to, I've talked to conservatives generally. It's a conversation, it segues into, you know, political ideology periodically. And they speak in hushed tones, Doug. They speak like it's 1939 Germany. I'm not kidding. I was hanging at a restaurant, a couple who work in government. We're conservative. And then I was over in another place. Yes, we're conservative. And I gotta tell you, those days are over, Doug. Those days are over, Doug. And we can, we can, as Christians, as Christians, we are reflective and we are prayerful and we are, we are merciful in all of this. But I'm telling you, Doug, I have no, I'm not going to extend my hand to those offering an olive branch. After a decade of calling us Nazis and a decade of calling us maga fascists, enemies of democracy and white supremacists, I'm in no mood to do that, Doug. And so on the other side of this assassination, their movement is going to end. They have beyond awoken a sleeping giant. And I believe this is going to end the class of 1968 leftward march. What do you think?

[Doug Mastriano]

Yeah, I think there's some merits of that. They've gone too far. And they took out a reasonable, beautiful young man with a beautiful wife in Erica, two young kids, somebody who was transparent and who was eager to engage with the debate and dialogue with people that opposed or differed with his ideas. And they went too far. And we're already seeing, Rob, that the next generation, they're more conservative. I saw the poll. They're going to church more than our generation is. They're more pro life than our generation is. And this is going to be the catalyst here to steal the deal that they're going to be the generation that probably saves our country.

[Rob Carson]

Now, Doug, I want to talk about the spiritual awakening in America that is happening in this special event we have going on in Philadelphia tomorrow night. Can you hold on A second, my friend.

[Doug Mastriano]

Yes, sir.

[Rob Carson]

All right, Doug Mastriano, state senator from Pennsylvania. And we'll be back on the Rob Carson Show.

[Eric Trump]

It's hard to fathom. We, we've seen enough death, we've seen enough senseless killings. And Sean, let me leave it with this. I'm sick and tired of seeing the bullets. They're only going one way again. First it was my father. Then you saw what they tried to do to Kavanaugh. Then you saw what they did to Steve Scalise. Now they just killed Charlie Kirk. I've gotten more envelopes of white powder, as has Don, as has everybody in our entire family. When does the senseless nonsense stop? And when is there accountability from MSNBC and NBC and everybody else who just fosters this hate every single day, including today, right after that incredible man right there was killed, that is Eric Trump.

[Rob Carson]

Last night, generation Z. This is 1968 all over again, except for maybe even bigger because the on campus movement is peaceful, it is well informed. And the left is even more dangerous than it was in 1968, causing billions of dollars in damage, untold injuries not only to police officers, but also civilians and burning and looting its way across America. This is the moment we turn back the horde. Doug Mastriano, state senator from the great state of Pennsylvania, which would be even greater if there weren't so many Democrats in charge, joins us on the Newsmax hotline. Doug, you invited me to something special and I will tell you honestly, I'm beyond honored. The day of the Bible tomorrow night at Congress Hall. I'm going to be shar this to my best ability with with my listeners. Tell us what's going on tomorrow night in Philadelphia.

[Doug Mastriano]

Tomorrow in Philadelphia, we we've been blessed with the honor to go into the historic buildings there and to commemorate what happened on the 12th of September, 243 years ago in 1782 when the US Congress, brand new Congress coming together in the midst of the war, looked like we're going to lose the war still. And this, you know, we're so shy of peace there. The French were going to come in and make the difference. And in the midst of this, the Congress decided to endorse a Bible published by the congressional publisher. His name was Robert Akin. So they endorsed the Robert Akin Bible, declared it the Bible of the revolution, Bible of the nation, and encouraged people to read it. And the reason for this, Rob, is interesting because the copyright, the printing Bibles were held by the English, by the British. And obviously with the war going on and the British embargo of our ports here. Bibles are running short, so Robert Aiken took a huge business risk and published his own Bible in King James Version. And these books, these. The Aiken Bible today, if you have a copy, they're worth millions of dollars. I mean, they're such an important part of American history. So we're going to celebrate that on the actual day tomorrow, Patriots Day, ironically.

[Rob Carson]

Yes. And. And also you mentioned that only 86 people are going to be there. Why is that, sir?

[Doug Mastriano]

The building is small. It was built for a small Congress, so it's an exclusive invitation here. And we're just thankful that we could really, in effect, rock, kick off America's 250th, which is next year. This is going to be the unofficial kickoff of the 250th commemoration.

[Rob Carson]

And this is. There were only 86 people, the same number that sat in Congress at the time. That's what makes it even more special. Doug, you are a historian. And also, I want to mention, I was able to speak a couple of years ago for a big seminar that you put together, a big rally that you put together. I was about a year sober and had many things change in my life. And the one thing I noticed about you is your unbending patriotism. I've never seen anything like it. You still wear your dress blues and those shoes to a high polish. And obviously faith and patriotism mean a great deal to you in your life. Why don't you tell us about how. How deep it is in your soul?

[Doug Mastriano]

My son, my dad was a career Navy man, Rob. And two of my brothers joined the Marine Corps, two of my older brothers. And I was dropped on my head as a baby, obviously enjoying the Army. But I, I kid myself, it's a Navy family. But, you know, my dad loved the country, and in the 70s, it was not cool to salute the flag. And you mocked the flag. They gave the flag a finger. And my dad would be the only one in parade in our town standing up and, you know, saluting the flag, and everyone else kind of look at us funny. And my dad is probably the greatest patriot I knew. He. He and my mom got married on the fourth of July. And, I mean, you can't make this stuff up. And so my dad is a great example. I was heavily influenced by my dad and my, My uncle Joe, this big Hungarian uncle of mine, and he was in patent third army. And usually World War II veterans didn't talk about their service, but I was, I was a geek. I love, I loved World War II history. So he could not say no to this little boy, Doug.

[Rob Carson]

Just like me.

[Doug Mastriano]

Yeah, exactly. He talked like John Wayne, you know? You know what I mean, Doug? And he would tell me, oh, yeah. Oh, brother, the army, as a result of my Uncle Joe and spent my life for me because of Uncle Joe.

[Rob Carson]

My bus driver was named Harold Delaney. And. And I remember I. When I started working the truck stop, he'd come out and have coffee and nobody talked to him like I did. And I found out he was 19 years old, first wave of Omaha Beach. And he told me about being in that foxhole and wondering if he was going to live to see the next day. Doug, there is a godly movement happening in this country. There is a reason why, you know, this confluence of events are happening. And tomorrow. This is by no means, you know, this is a part of it. Tomorrow. I think that a great spiritual and political and patriotic awakening is happening in the country. I think you and I have waited our entire lives for it, but it has arrived and we've got to continue to fight. For one other thing. We are working on, hopefully getting you to Gettysburg, bringing some of my listeners for you to do a historic tour. We're going to work on that in the spring, brother. I want to do that so badly. Oh, my goodness. Will you commit to that, my friend?

[Doug Mastriano]

I will, but I want to do a preview with you maybe this fall, maybe September, October, while the weather, you and I kicking around out there.

[Rob Carson]

I love it, brother. All right, Doug. God bless you, sir. I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow with God bless America and of course, the soul of Charlie Co. Kirk. We'll talk tomorrow, bro.

[Doug Mastriano]

Love you, man. Thank you, brother.

[Rob Carson]

You too, man. You too. Let's take a break and come back. This is the Rob Carson show. It is a Rob Carson Show. Rage against the Machine. And we will. And we will. After the remembrances, after the prayers and whatnot. This is a. This is a moment we've waited our lives for. I really do believe it. The left threw everything they could at us. The class of 1968 threw everything they could at us. They did. They stole an election, they put a dummy in office and they pulled the strings. And they Class of 1968 ushered in the things that they had always dreamed up to destroy our country. They did. They did. They used the tenets of Mao and Stalin. I told you this. Stalin with disinformatia. And they made the opposing opinion into a lie. They called it a lie. And they made the thoughts of the state and the positions of the state. They made them mandatory and they censored our speech. And then they went after us for protesting some of the bat guano crazy nonsense in schools, whether it be CRT or whether it be dei. And they went after parents and they set up a Reichstag moment on January 6th where peaceful people came to Washington D.C. to protest an obviously unfair election. And they led them into the Capitol and then they weaponized the DOJ to destroy their lives and put them into jail. Many for years without a trial. Many for years without a trial. And they've marched and they burned and they marched and they burned and they've screamed and they punched and we're done. Yesterday was the beginning of the end for this. We are. A good share of us are Christian, we are Jewish, we are people of faith and we are benevolent and kind. And there is a moment where we have to, and we are going to this time say enough is enough. We are not going to just let you claim the life of Charlie Kirk and. And back away and say that we are peaceful and we are this. I'm not. I'm not advocating for violence, but I'm telling you we are going to keep him at the fore of a new movement in this country that will end the leftward march of this country and will put those who've committed so many acts of violence and destruct in our country in their bloody places. That's it. This is what you did. You killed our leader, one of our leaders. You are going to reap what you sow and your pathetic movement is going to end. It's going to start with Antifa being named a terrorist organization and then it's going to go from there. The last hour of the Rob Carson show coming up.