Rubio's speech and Erika Kirk's example of forgiveness (09-22-2025--Hour2)

What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to dpeakclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for your support. In the last hour, we played a bunch of clips from the first roughly two hours of the Charlie Kirk memorial held in Arizona at a football stadium. They had an overflow facility as well, so they filled that stadium and then they had an overflow facility as well with thousands of people watching there. They were lining up at like three or four in the morning, just a massive turnout. And this is why I said in the last hour, I'm not sure people who who haven't been moved or who don't understand, you know, why the why the outpouring of emotion and grief in the wake of Kirk's assassination and the people who are, you know, trying to find some rationalization or justification for why Kirk was assassinated. To the people who are celebrating, I don't think you understand what has changed. Because if you watched that memorial yesterday, and I was. I watched it, you know, in my home studio. I just had the had the live feed up and I was recording it, making notes the whole time. And I mean you could feel it. You could feel the divine, you could feel the presents. I could, and uh, that stadium was overwhelmed with it. And here's the thing. In my adult life covering politics, I don't remember seeing so many public officials speaking like they did yesterday about God and about Christ. I have nothing else to compare this to. I remember after nine to eleven when George W. Bush made a speech and he said the word crusade, and the left went and the media, but I repeat myself, they went nuts. They went nuts over it. And then Bush was like, Okay, probably shouldn't have used that word whatever, whatever I mean. And George W. Bush was a man that frequently would cite you know, scriptural passage, and he would uh, he would work in you know, stories and references as a sort of an acknowledgment to the quote unquote religious right, but to hear the kind of overt Well, here, I'll tell you what. Let's just start with this, because I thought the best eulogy from a political figure came from Marco Rubio, who said, Charlie took his message with his Christian faith, his love of country. He took that message to the people that he knew needed to hear it the most. Understand where we were at that time in our history, understand where we are still today. In many places where young Americans are actively told that everything that they were taught, that all the foundations that made our society and our civilization so grand, they were all wrong, they were all evil, That marriage is oppressive, that children are a burden, that America as a source of evil, not of good in the world. And here was this voice that inspired a movement in which young Americans were. Told that is not true. The highest calling we are called to is to be in a successful marriage and to raise productive children. And a movement that taught them that ours was not a great country, but the greatest, most exceptional nation that has ever existed in the history of all of mankind, and that it's worth fighting for, it's worth defending it's worth preserving and it's worth passing on to the next generation. This was the mission and the work of Charlie. Kirk, and a couple things that stound out about him. He led this movement, but he did so with incredible knowledge. It's unbelievable how much he knew. He came to me very recently. He said some he said, I said, who said that? He said, Marcus Aurelius. I said, what district does he represent? I kind of knew it was, but he said back, no, it's a Roman, you know, philosopher, king or emperor. His incredible knowledge. And let me tell you that. One of the last messages I had with him was just a few days before his passing, where he wrote me from overseas, I'm in South Korea. I have many concerns I want to share with you when I get back. He was constantly expanding his horizons, but he just didn't have knowledge. He had wisdom, an uncanny amount of wisdom for a man as young as he was, wisdom that sometimes it takes a lifetime to accumulate. He had it in just thirty one years. He was also bold, it is so easy and listen I've been guilty of it. I think many of us have been guilty of this. You hide behind the walls and you surround yourself with people that agree with you. We do it as a society all the time. Increasingly, people are moving into neighborhoods with other people that agree with them politically and isolate themselves from people that. Do not agree with them. But Charlie Kirk was bold. He actively sought out to engage peacefully, respectfully those who he disagreed with. As recently as two days ago, we learned of one of the hosts on CNN who said that one of the messages he had gotten just a few days before Charlie's passing was from him inviting him to dialogue. And he did this on campuses, He did this on podcasts, He did this on radio shows, He did this on television shows. Time and again. He sought to engage those he disagreed with, because he understood that we were not created to isolate ourselves from one another, but to engage. The irony in all this is that what our nation needs, one of the many things that needs, is the ability to discuss our differences openly, honestly, peacefully, respectfully. And Charlie Kirk did that more than anyone alive in America today is doing. And Charlie Kirk was impactful, impactful. Because of all the things I've said. But look around this place. There's one hundred and something thousand people here. The President of the United States is here, his entire cabinet is here. Television, audio outlets, and media outlets. From all over the world they're covering this. I just came from overseas and every country I stopped they gave us their condolences for his passing. Impactful and just thirty one years of life. He made a difference. He mattered, and he will matter now more than he ever has before. And let me close with this, how do you remember? This is a memorial service, it's to honor him. How do you best remember it? I'll take the liberty of saying what I think we can best do. Look, I think he had an. A tremendous impact on young Americans in general. I think he had a very special and direct impact on young men in this country. That's one of the greatest developments I've seen. It's been very positive. I think we remember him for that. I think we. Remember him for constantly saying you want to live a productive life, get married, start a family, love your country. These are powerful messages. But I hope many who are watching. I imagine there are people watching here tonight that didn't know much about Charlie Kirk. Until eleven days ago. Maybe they were disengaged from politics, maybe they were partially engaged. I hope one of the things they take from this is that the movement Charlie Kirk led and started and gave fuel to was about politics, but not only about politics. It was deeper, It. Was broader, and I would say that taking the liberty, but I'm confident he would agree. One of the things he wants. Us to take away from this from all of this is the following his deep belief that we were all created, every single one of us, before the beginning of time, by the hands of the God of the universe and all powerful God, who loved us and created us for the purpose of living with him in eternity. But then sin entered the world and separated us from our creator. And so God took on the form of a man and came down and lived among us, and he suffered like men, and he died like a man. But on the third day he rose unlike any mortal man. And then, and to prove any doubters wrong, he ate with his disciples so they could see and they touched his wounds. He didn't rise as a ghost or as a spirit, but his flesh. And then he rose to the heaven. But he promised he would return, and he will. And when he returns, because he took on that death, because he carried that cross, we were freed from the sin that separated us from him. And when he returns, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and we will all be together and we are going to have a great reunion there again with Charlie and all the people we love. Thank you and God bless you. When is the last time you heard a politician, an elected official speak like that. I don't know if I've ever heard that kind of alter call, if you will, from a politician, from an elected leader like that. That's why I think this is different. It's one of the reasons. Also people keep talking about the impact Charlie Kirk made in thirty one years, but the work that he did was only thirteen. He started at age eighteen. He died at thirty one. He only had thirteen years of this work, and this is the impact he had. Game on Week one starts now, and every touchdown brings you closer to a payout. With Draft Kings sports book and official sports betting partner of the NFL, this isn't just football, it's first touchdown fireworks anytime TD rushes live bets that ride every momentum shift. At DraftKings, every play is your next shot to win. Will the Panthers win? Will we even get a touchdown? New customers, bet just five dollars and get three hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly, plus get over two hundred dollars off NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. So your season starts now. Download the Draft Kings sportsbook app and use code Pete to get three hundred dollars in bonus bets instantly when you place your first bet of five dollars or more plus over two hundred dollars off NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. But you got to use promo code pete. In partnership with Draft Kings, the Crown is yours gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight hope and why, or text hope and why four six seven, three six nine. In Connecticut, help is available for a problem gambling Call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Play Responsibly on behalf of Boothill, casino and Resort Kansas. Fees may apply in Illinois twenty one plus. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Bonus bets expire seven days after issue. Wins C Sportsbook dot DraftKings dot Com, Slash Promos NFL Sunday Ticket offer for new subscribers only and auto renews until canceled. Digital games and commercial use excluded. Restrictions apply additional NFL Sunday Ticket terms or at YouTube dot com slash go Slash NFL Sunday Tickets Slash Terms Limited time offer. All right, let's sad over to the phones. We'll talk with Ray. Hello Ray, Welcome to the show. Hello Bete. I'll try to be quick. I heard somewhere this morning. Eric Kirk was talking to her daughter, and her daughter asked her why this happened, or why it happened this way or something, and she tried to explain it to her, and I just wanted to say that in the early eighties, my grandmother and my aunt were killed in an auto accident and my grandfather in the car almost was and I just wanted to say my brother had a pretty close walk with God back then. And I asked my brother, I said, I said, why did Grandma and and Alice have to go in this manner? And he told me, he said, well, Ray, when we get to heaven, we'll ask God why it happened this way, and He'll look at us and tell us, and then we'll say to ourselves, Yep, that was the best way it could happen. That's my comment. Thet Yeah, no, it is, you know, the searching for answers. This is the why do bad things happen to good people and kind of question. And we struggled to find those answers because we don't know. And what Erica Kirk said in her eulogy last night or yes, you know, last evening was she said she doesn't understand the plan, but God does. That's what faith is, is you put that faith in God that he that he does know, and that's all we can do because we can't know, So Ray, I appreciate the call sorry for your loss too as well. I mean loss like that, especially sudden loss. It is part of the human experience, you know, and it is very human of us to try to make sense, to try to find some order, some reason why something happened. And there are a lot of people today that believe that this happened for a larger reason, and we are seeing some of that larger reason. That's faith, you know. And it's hard for me to disagree with that because the amount of people that tuned in to watch that service and to hear Christ's message, the amount of people that have been going back to church that sort of had their eyes open to mention the line that caller Chris made earlier, right, I mean, that's that's some good that may come of this, is that the quote plan I don't know. I have no idea. I'm just a human too. Mark wants to know he did not watch the service Where there are any protesters outside. I think there were a couple. There was like ten to twenty. I think not enough that made any kind of an impact or difference. And I think I think that's a good sign that there were very few people that were willing to show up to protest a funeral and behave Remember the Westboro Baptist Church. Remember those people and how just grotesque they were to the body, politic and to society. They were shunned. I mean, just nobody supported what they were doing. And that's where too many on the left have now arrived, as they trash memorial services and vigils and paint over rocks and such. So when I was a kid, my grandpa died with Alzheimer's, and before he died, my mom and my dad took care of him as he got worse. Forty years ago, there were no treatments and not much support for caregivers and family. But things are different today because of the work of so many people, including the Alzheimer's Association of Western Carolina. It's a great organization with awesome people with huge hearts. I've been a supporter for twenty five years. This cause means a lot to me. I participate in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's and I'm leading a Charlotte team again this year, and it's called once Again Pete's Pack. You can sign up and you can join the team and walk with us. It's on October eighteenth that truest field. Sign up at alz dot org slash walk and then you could search for my team name Pete's Pack. There's also a link at thepetepod dot com. There's also a link in the description of this podcast. Also, I'll be am seeing the Gastonia Walk on October eleventh, and so you can make a team and join that one too, or make a donation and help me hit my goal of five thousand dollars. If you do, I really appreciate it. There are a bunch of other walks all over the Carolinas. You can go to alz dot org slash walk for all the dates and locations. We're closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer's. Can you help us get there? Will you walk with me? For a different future, for families, for more time for treatments. This is why we walk. Let me go over here to the phones and chat with Diane. Hello Diane, Welcome to the show. Hey Pete, Hey Pete. I just want to tell you I try to listen to you every day. I love how you broadcast. You're so smart, you're humble, you're just wonderful, and I think a couple of quick little I can barely hear you, but I got two little things I would love to tell you about twenty two years ago, I lost a very beautiful thirty one year old daughter and it was so hard. And after about a month or two, I found out what had happened and who gave her the drug that took her life. And I went there and I told him that I hated him, but I loved him. And then a little bit later, when he was walking me to the door, I said, Jesus forgave Judas, I have to forgive you. Then the other night, Saturday night this week, this past week, my husband and I went to Wendy's because just because, and we went to order and this young man, young man say, nineteen twenty years old, and the young lady was with He walked over and he goes, I want to buy your dinner, and my husband said, we have money, and he said, no, I need to do this. I want to pay forward. And he bought our dinner. Charlie Kirk is working. Well, and I just, yeah, go ahead. I just wanted to thank him, and I wanted the moment to thank you Pete, for every day that you make me listen and appreciate who you are, and when you do your little giggle, it just oh, it just it just makes me happy. Well, thank you, Pete. You're very kind. Diane. I appreciate you saying the kind words and for listening to the show. And I do appreciate that. And I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad that you had that moment at the Wendy's because it's stuff like that that puts people back in touch with their common humanity. You know. Yes, and this young man and young lady they have it. They were smiling, they were beautiful. They were truly God's children, as are all of us. And I especially give you credit. You are an amazing. Well thank you, Diane. I do appreciate that. God bless you, God bless you. Take care. Thank you. So what Diane was saying there about forgiving, see, this is the thing too, and I've seen some of these text messages, you know, people like I couldn't, I wouldn't forgive you know, the assassin and all of this forgiveness is what we are called to do. But it's also for you, forgiving your transgressor your trespasser is for you to carry around hate and anger your entire life is destructive to you as well. So his Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica, This was just gut wrenching to watch. She comes onto the stage. She stands there for a moment. You can tell before she walks to the mic. She's praying. She's got her eyes closed, her lips are moving. You can see she's trying to keep it together right, to be strong. She talked about how she went to the hospital. She wanted to see her husband and she was warned like this is not something you should see, but she said, I wanted to see what they did to him, and in looking over her husband body, she said that God's love at that moment was revealed to her. I also saw on his lips the faintest smile, and that told me something important. It revealed to me a great mercy from God in this tragedy. When I saw that, it told me Charlie didn't suffer. Even the doctor told me. It was something so instant that even even if Charlie had been shot in the operating room, it's itself, nothing. Could have been done. There was no fame, there was no fear, no agony. One moment, Charlie was doing what he loved, arguing and debating on campus, fighting for the gospel and truth. In front of a big crowd. And then he blinked. He blinked and saw his savior in paradise. Yeah, this was It was truly remarkable. And you'll hear what she said next that I'm sure you've heard by now. She forgives the man who killed her husband. All right, you hear me talk a lot about incentives, right, Well, let's talk about incentive trips, the kind that companies offer employees to fire them up and reward their teams. If you own a business or you work somewhere that offers these incentive trips, first off, good for you. But also there is a custom app that's a game changer for these trips. It's called Incentive trip Kit. Private group messaging, shared photos, your itinerary, travel details all built into a single, easy to use app. There's even a traveler locator, so carl from Accounting doesn't get left behind. The best part about Incentive trip Kit it's totally private. No email captures, no sign ups, no cringe ads. It's simple, clean and secure and when the trip is over, Incentive Trip Kit turns those highlights into a professional storytelling video. So think about it. When you launch next year's incentive trip campaign, that video becomes your greatest motivator. Talk about a return on investment, right, You gotta check out Incentive trip Kit for your business. Visit incentive tripkit dot com because great trips deserve even better returns. From the text line, Danny says, if there was ever any doubt in regard to Charlie's prophetic persona, look no further than the name of his organization, which started so many years ago, and many probably thought, why name it turning Point, But as now crescendoed to his death in the proverbial turning point of our society and youth within that society. In her eulogy yesterday, Charlie's widow, Erica, talked about God's love being revealed to her, but also in how there has been no violence, no rioting, no revolution. Instead, we saw what Charlie always prayed we would see, which is revival. He knew things were not right with America and especially with young people, and they needed a new direction. Charlie passionately wanted to reach and save the lost boys of the West, the young men who feel like they have no direction, no purpose, no faith, and no reason to live. The men wasting their lives on distractions, and the men consumed with resentment, anger and hate. Charlie wanted to help them. He wanted them to have a home with Turning Point, USA. And when he went on to campus, he was looking to show them a better path and a better life that was right there for the taking. He wanted to show them that. My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men. Just like the one who took his life. And then she, you know, kind of paused, and she got emotional and offered forgiveness that young man, that young. Man on the cross, our Savior said, Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do. That man, that young man, I forgive him. So this applause would last for a minute, solid minuted. As she's trying to collect herself, she wept, crowd supported her, applauded for her. In love. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love and always love, love for our enemies. And love for. Those who persecute us. The world needs turning Point USA. It needs a. Group that will point young people away from the path of misery and sin. It needs something that will lead people away from hell in this world and in the next. Now, there was a contrast between some of the political speeches, particularly Stephen Miller's where you talked about destroying our enemies, and people have been making a big deal about this. But Ali Beth Stuckley I thought, had a very good or Stucky had a very good explanation for this. She said, there's this big contrast between Erica's forgiveness speech and Miller's destroy our enemy speech. But she says that is as it should be. It's our job to forgive, not the governments. Christians give grace. The government wields the sword, we turn the other cheek. The government punishes evil. That's the breakdown. Let me get Tara on here real quick, Hey, Tara, I have about a minute. Okay, okay, quick. First of all, I mean Erica's speech was amazing, and that's what I was going to say. Look, how the difference is that we respond with love, prayers, communion, coming together. What can we do. He never preached hate. He hated what the young kids are becoming. The liberals can't say. But anyway, long source, I listened to a murder podcast and they just vitriol against him. They took these little snippets. You know, he's a homophobe. He doesn't believe people that said he would catch people. He opened up the mic on college campuses and listened and answered openly. But when he found he'd call out people that were making up things. But it just is amazing to me and kind of makes me feel good how we've reacted. We're not looting, we're not killing people, we're not setting cars on fire. We're really showing basically who he was. Yes, Tera, I appreciate the call. Is good to hear from you. In other words, it's been literally thoughts and prayers, the thing that we were mocked for, most recently after the Nunciation School shooting. All right, that'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, So if you'd like, please support them too and tell them you heard it here. You can also become a patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.