Beck Delivers Epic ‘Restoring Love’ Speech: ‘History Breathes. It Doesn’t Belong Behind Glass. It Belongs to You’
- Posted on July 28, 2012 at 11:16pm by Billy Hallowell
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On Saturday evening, Glenn Beck delivered what is, arguably, his most moving and impactful address to date. His “Restoring Love” speech, accompanied by symphonic music, touched upon service, worship and the elements needed to move America forward.
(Read the entire speech transcript)
Beck opened by addressing the hard work and dedication that thousands of “Restoring Love” volunteers engaged in when they helped those in need at locations across Dallas, Texas, on Thursday (for more on the Day of Service, click here).
“With all the problems in the world and with politicians giving all those speeches, doesn’t it feel good to do the work?,” Beck said in the speech’s opening. “One million meals have just left the stadium. We’re feeding the hungry in 11 cities.There are churches that can worship again when it rains because we — you –put a roof up.”
Beck went on to praise the audience for serving the poor, elderly and others in great need, claiming that these caring individuals served as a “shelter from the storm” for the downtrodden. The popular commentator also encouraged the audience to make service more than a one-time occurrence.
After addressing service, Beck stressed the importance of history, saying that it “is always alive.”
(Related: ‘Let’s Not Be America in Name Only’: Beck Rallies Tens of Thousands to ‘Make America Better’ by Restoring Love)
The nation that allows for such wonderful liberties to be enjoyed was inherited by this generation from those who came before us, he said. Beck went on to say that the current generation cannot be blamed for the mistakes of the past, nor can it be credited for the successes that came before.
The powerful address continued, urging the audience to fight for America’s future.
“We must not become America in name only. We must always strive to be a great country. We don’t have to spend our inheritance,” Beck said. “We can build on it. Invest it. Improve it. Make it bigger and better. That’s your choice. It’s our choice. Our inheritance is America.”
The popular radio and television host had a challenge for those watching: Rather than taking a back seat, he pushed everyone to “act,” “commit” and “shape the future.” The end goal? The make the nation better than it is today.
“I think there are two kinds of Americans,” he continued. “Those who like to be pushed and those who push themselves. Those who see our problems and refuse to see our blessings, and those who see our problems as our blessings.”
He asked the audience to consider which camp they fall into – the one that likes to be pushed or the one that is consistently pushing itself forward.
Beck then went on to discuss past movements and the generations that fought for racial justice. He praised Martin Luther King and his “dream” and said that the civil rights leader “did not wait for the arc of history to bend towards justice.”
Here’s an excerpt from this powerful portion of the speech:
“He and millions like him pushed…they pushed and they pushed uphill.Beck went on to further stress the importance of history, telling the crowd that it “isn’t about a bunch of dead guys staring at us sternly from the textbooks and the paintings.” Instead, he said everyone is building history with all of the choices we make.
They pushed and they were pushed back by water cannons. They pushed and they were pushed back by billy clubs and tear gas.
They pushed and they were pushed back on the bridge at Selma. They pushed and they were pushed off the bus in Montgomery.
They pushed and they were pushed into jail. They pushed and some gave their lives…but they never stopped pushing. And in the end…
They bent history towards justice. That was their inheritance to us.”
The importance of the decision to act compassionately – to restore love – was at the center of much of his speech. From feeding the poor to helping someone who is hurting, Beck said that Americans are “builders” and “helpers.” The government, he contended, shouldn’t be in the business of stopping people from serving those in need.
He continued:
“We will have a great country again. And a great legacy for our children!Beck told the audience to remember that history is a “guide” and “not a guarantee.” He spoke about a “new birth of freedom” and stressed the importance for all Americans to be a part of the process.
We will not give up. We will not give up our inheritance. We will not give up the right to feed the hungry…the right to care for the sick…the right to run a bake sale!
We will not give someone else…the work of our hearts…the work that we must do. We will do it…because we are already doing it.
I will not let go. I will not sit down. I will not comply. I will not comply. Because I know…I know this: America is not done.”
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