Glenn Beck Program, March 18, 2011

News of the Day

• Secretary of State Clinton was in Europe today, meeting with the G8 leaders about Libya.
• One of the European diplomats remarked…
• “Frankly, we are just completely puzzled.  We are wondering if this is a priority for the United States.”
• A Clinton insider reports…
• “Obama’s indecision on Libya …has pushed Clinton over the edge…”
• The socialists have taken to the streets of New York at an immigration rally.  They proclaim they are ready for a revolution.  Glenn showed video of some of the protestors being interviewed on camera.
• In Detroit, a branch of the Socialist Equality Party is demonstrating for utilities to be included as a basic human right.
• The President, the Vice President and the Labor Secretary are reaching out to labor unions.
• A judge issued a restraining order to prevent the implementation of Wisconsin’s new law restricting the collective bargaining rights of government union workers.
• Oil prices are up over $103/bbl.
• The U.N. approved a no-fly zone over Libya.
• Germany is signaling that they want to get out of nuclear power completely.
• Here in the U.S., the EPA is cracking down on oil and coal fired power plants.
• Oil workers are striking in Oman for higher wages.
• Glenn showed an article in the Wall Street Journal “Chinese Find Admiration for Longtime Rival (Japan)”.
• Auto and electronic plants in Japan are closing.  Also, plants here are closing due to the lack of component parts.

There is an audience today.

How the Tragedy in Japan Will Impact Americans

• Glenn feels that the Japanese are reacting the way we did the day after 9/11.
• In Japan, they have a spirit of Ganbatte, meaning perseverance to overcome all obstacles.  They have a rich history of overcoming.
• We are allowing ourselves to turn against ourselves.
• There are people who want to fundamentally transform America.  Glenn feels he is one of them.  He wants America to restore the ideas of the Founders.

Do You Recognize America Now?

• Glenn asked the audience if they have felt they have seen something that triggered the feeling that they do not recognize America as they once knew it.  About 60% of the audience raised their hands.
• Glenn asks if two years ago you would have believed it if he told you…

·        France would be leading in calling for action in Libya.

·        The Federal Reserve is buying our own debt (80%) when they testified before Congress they would never do that.

·        America would be involved in a 3^rd front (in a 3rd Muslim country).

·        America turns against Israel.

Glenn Asks

• Who are we?
• What in Life Can We Control?  (Ans - Choices we make and our reaction to events.)
• What are the Signs of the Times?
• Wars, rumors of wars, famines, etc – from the Book of Revelations

Tragedy in Japan

Guests

• Michael Auslin, AEI Director of Japan Studies, Author of “Pacific Cosmopolitans”, (http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Cosmopolitans-Cultural-U-S--Japan-Relations/dp/0674045971/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300503271&sr=8-1 )
• Norio Nishi, a Japanese national living in America for about twenty years.

• Glenn notes that Americans have contributed about $64 million to Japan in the first 6 days after the earthquake.

• In the first 6 days after the earthquake in Haiti, Americans donated $210 million. 
• He was curious as to way the difference.  There was a discussion about Japan being a first world country and is perceived as being rich.

Glenn asks Norio to discuss the Japanese concept of Nintai.

• It means endurance, perseverance.
• It comes from the time that Japan was ruled by Samurais.
• When you confront danger or a calamity, you don’t shout, yell or lose your head, you just take the pain and go forward. 
• This attitude affects all aspects of Japanese society.

Glenn recounts the story of Lt Col Allen West, now a Representative (R ) from Florida.

• As a Lt Col in the Army in Iraq, Col West was interrogating a suspect that Col West had information about an ambush aimed at some of his soldiers.
• He discharged his gun near the head of the suspect, scaring him.
• The suspect divulged the information about the ambush and soldier’s lives were saved.
• Col West turned himself in to his immediate superior because he knew he was wrong in his treatment of the suspect.
• He said that he would do it again if that would again save the lives of his soldiers.

Glenn feels that we have changed.  Yesterday, he saw behavior in the streets by some 18 and 19 year olds that were so very much different from that he had seen in watching the way the Japanese reacted to their troubles, e.g., no looting, etc.

Michael Auslin notes that Japan is about the size of Montana.  The people all live in about 20% of that space, due to mountains and other factors that make the remainder of the land uninhabitable.

Norio commented that reports show that America has about 30 times the number of lawyers on a per capita basis than in Japan.  He went on to discuss another concept, omauri that says you must give the utmost respect to your neighbor or the other person.  This attitude helps explain why the legal system is not used when there are disagreements between Japanese.

Update on Israeli Family Killed by Terrorists

• Glenn showed some photos of the Jewish and Palestinian reaction to the murders.
• The Jewish were sorrowful, the Palestinians were jubilant.
• The family was shown being buried.
• Glenn does not understand why this tragedy is not getting more coverage by the press.

Guest: Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, VP of New York Board of Rabbis

Glenn and the Rabbi discuss the Jewish tradition of lighting a candle when someone dies. 

• The soul is like a candle. 
• One candle can light a large number of other candles without diminishing the intensity of it’s own light.
• Glenn recommends that his viewers light a candle with their families this evening and discuss its significance.  If there are young children, you don’t have to get very graphic on the details, but perhaps you should with older children.
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