Posted on 06/30/2008 6:09:36 PM PDT by Utah Girl
PROVO — The answers to America's problems aren't found in Washington; they're found in the people of America.
That's what radio and TV personality Glenn Beck told a vocal crowd of nearly 17,000 gathered at BYU's Marriott Center Sunday evening for America's Freedom Festival's annual Patriotic Service.
"In a time when America is begging for a leader; in a time when America is shouting out, 'Where is the leader, when will he step forward?' I am here to tell you: You are the leader — the leader we seek. The leader we need is you; it always has been.
"We are the United States of America," he said. "We can solve any problem."
Beck said the signers of the Declaration of Independence, in "hot, humid, not-yet-riddled-with-gangs Philadelphia," put "we the people" at the very top of the document in big, bold letters for a reason — to remind the people of America who would shape the nation's destiny, even with all of its problems.
"Hope is the recognition of who we truly are," Beck said. "Not in who we've allowed ourselves to become — all we have to do is remember."
Beck repeatedly told the crowd it is vital for Americans to remember how important God is in America's past and future. He said the pilgrims humbly came to the American continent according to God's will. Like those pioneers, he said, America needs pioneers now.
"We are this country's next great dispensation's pioneers," he said. "We are the ones that are going to take us into a new place, beyond your wildest imagination. It will be hard, it will be rough, but, oh, how we will have this tale to tell."
Throughout the service, Beck repeatedly returned to the words of the LDS hymn "Come, Come Ye Saints." Struggling with words and speaking with visible emotion, Beck said that immediately following the events of Sept. 11, he was supposed to do a radio broadcast after visiting the area of ground zero in lower Manhattan. As he tried to tell the story that day, he said he was comforted by the the words from the hymn, which say, "All is well, all is well."
Even with all the talk of disasters and tough times Americans are facing, Beck said, he has a different message for the American people.
"It's not about the floods or the fires or the twisters in Kansas," he said. "It's not about the stock market being down, it's not about the gas, it's not about oil being up 700 percent — it's none of those. It is that all is well — that we will make it — as long as we look at ourselves and ask ourselves, 'Who are we?"'
Beck said he was wearing a pin on his suit Sunday that had the letters WTC on it. He said a New York City police officer gave it to him. The pin's purpose is to say the wearer was working, or on duty on Sept. 11. He said he'd never worn it before, and will probably never wear it again, but decided to put it on for the service.
"I hadn't realized that I was on duty that day," he said. "You were on duty that day, and we're all on duty today."
The service got started with the Freedom Festival Concert Band playing each of the five anthems of the branches of the military. Members of the different branches stood when their anthem was played, and members of each branch were represented.
Freedom Festival National Advisory Board member Stephen R. Covey introduced Beck, calling him a "modern-day Paul" and a "true patriot."
"He is armed with quick wit, an informed opinion and a unique ability to inspire others to rise to their full potential with an open heart," Covey said.
Prior to Beck's remarks, those gathered listened to vocalist Michael Ballam, who sang "God Bless America" and "My County 'Tis of Thee," in addition to singing the national anthem.
The Freedom Festival's speech contest winner, Kyler Ludwig of Mountain View High School, compared America to a city with a light on a hill, of biblical origin, while he spoke on the festival's celebration of family, freedom, God and country.
Ping for Glenn Beck
Ummm, that was the Constitution, not the Declaration.
Stopped reading there.
You should have kept reading. It was worthwhile.
It sounds like they had a huge crowd of young folks, and that it was a very patriotic event. I love it when young people show up at these things.
“Ummm, that was the Constitution, not the Declaration.”
The Declaration was signed by the members of the Second Continental Congress which met in Philadelphia.
This patriotic service is wonderful. It is non-denominational and features nationally known speakers each year. It honors the military, honors volunteers, and sponsors an essay contest. I’ve been to several over the years and was disappointed to miss last night.
Oh, this will be something I’ll hear the whines of my lib friends in SL County about...
That reminds me, is Beck an LDS convert? I can’t quite remember.
Conservative host Beck: We should all be leaders
PROVO - Times may be bad, but America will pull through if its citizens do their part, Glenn Beck said Sunday.
Beck, the conservative radio and cable television talk-show host, said Americans have beaten themselves up to the point of forgetting who they are.
"At a time when everyone is begging for a leader, people are shouting out, 'Where is the leader, when will he step forward?' I am here to say, 'You are the leader,' " Beck told an audience of 17,000 at America's Freedom Festival at Provo's Community Patriotic Service. "The leader we need has always been you."
Beck, whose voice broke with emotion several times during his speech, acknowledged that America is going through a rough time with flooding, high oil prices, war and an uncertain economy. But he also noted that America has been a land of achievement and freedom, and many people around the world still recognize it as such. If it weren't, he said, undocumented immigrants wouldn't be risking their lives to cross deserts to get a piece of the American dream.
"We cannot buy into the belief that this country is not a special place, that we are not a special people," Beck said. He said the Pilgrims and the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who knew they faced execution as traitors if the American Revolution failed, succeeded because they were humble and understood the special nature of this country. And, he said, today's Americans need to make a similar commitment of their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to help the country over its current problems.
He stressed that people should look within, not to Washington, for help. He pointed out that the first three words of the U.S. Constitution are "We The People."
Carol Walker, Freedom Festival spokeswoman, said Sunday's turnout was a record for the patriotic service. Beck will also serve as master of ceremonies at Friday's Stadium of Fire, which also features tween pop sensation Miley Cyrus and The Blue Man Group.
It looks like the reporter at the Deseret News got it wrong. In the SL Tribune article, it said the US Constitution. Hmmm.
Yes, he is a convert. I didn’t realize Beck was going to be the host and announcer at the Stadium of Fire. Sean Hannity was the host a couple of years in a row, and the libs got their knickers in a twist over that. I’ve heard nothing about Glenn Beck and his conservatism.
Yea newspaper got it wrong, not Beck. Beck has been using this line for months.
How many of them got up and left when they realized it wasn't an Obama concert?
< /sarc barely off>
Well, there’s a certain section of libs in the state that do nothing but complain about what a “right-wing theocracy” the place is. I mean, how guys like Jim Matheson and Rocky Anderson aren’t “liberal” enough for some people is beyond me.
Good catch — looks as though it is the reporter for the Deseret News who screwed up, not Glenn Beck.
Wouldn’t expect too many reporters to know the difference, considering the abysmal state of education nowadays....
I live on Provo, Utah and grew up there. Each Independence Day we hold one of America’s largest celebrations. We’re very patriotic here.
Thanks for the clarification.
Especially Rocky Anderson. However, the city proper of Salt Lake City is very liberal and Democrat. They’re the ones with the money. If everyone in the suburbs was able to vote, Rocky Anderson would never have been elected.
Plus, the Republican party has shot itself in the foot several times when selecting candidates to run for SLC mayor.
Beck an LDS convert
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Yes, so I can’t believe someone that is so smart can buy into the book of Mormon.
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