Glenn Beck's Take on Bus Bullying Video and What It Says About Issues in Our Society

The unbelievable video of at first seemingly normal schoolchildren near Rochester, New York, unleashing ten straight minutes of verbal abuse directed at 68-year-old bus monitor Karen Klein went viral Wednesday. The Blaze was one of the first national outlets to report on the disturbing story, and the silver-lining for Mrs. Klein who will at least receive over $300,000 from complete strangers who put together an online fundraiser to pay for a much-deserved vacation for the grandmother. While the fundraising campaign is a compassionate act, it should not tie a happy ending bow on the story that brings national attention to growing problems within our society that need to be addressed. During his GBTV program Thursday, Glenn Beck broke down the painful-to-watch video, as well as what the ordeal reveals about deeper issues with the way we raise our kids and confront cruelty.

As described by Beck, the video shows the early signs of individuals who now malevolently attack Ms. Klein unprovoked on the bus as kids, but will grow up to be the type of people who advocate policy that knowingly cuts off support for the elderly or physically challenged as means to support the self interests of the irresponsible.

"This goes far beyond just kids saying stupid things," Beck said Thursday. "I shudder to think what these kids will look like when they are 25 years old.

"In another decade from now, when some spineless politician is looking for some scape goat for the economic disaster they've created and they'll say 'You know who's causing it? Those fat people. Those old people. They're costing us so much money! Get them!' You think these kids will have a problem with that?"

While commending those who have supported Mrs. Klein, Beck demanded that the media and Americans do not just move on from this story after hearing that the terrorized bus monitor will get a deserved vacation. Four questions come to mind after watching this horrific display of inconsideration and cruelty:

1. What can we do differently?
2. What's the school doing to punish and prevent this behavior?
3. Where are the parents?
4. How many of us have kids like this and have no clue?

Beck pointed out that the story in Rochester plays into broader points he has made in regards to a negative shift in the culture and character of our society. Acknowledging media outcry following perceived statements he made last week, Beck cleared up that "I don't hate Glee," referring to the FOX teen drama-musical set in a midwestern high school.

"I hate the culture they're promoting. It is a consequence-free culture," said Beck. "It's quite a statement on our current societal values that my view on personal responsibility, decency, truth, honor, respect, love-- that thats the controversial one."

"It's a mistake to shrug this off as kids being stupid," exclaimed Beck. "It's a horrible mistake.

"We have to correct, we have to put our own morals and values back into the system. If you take them out, if you're neutral, someone else will put morals and values in. If that doesn't happen they're just filled up with whatever is around."

Beck closed his segment on the issue by pointing to the experience, words, and wisdom of Abraham Lincoln.

During his second inaugural address deep into the morally challenging and nation straining Civil War, Lincoln preached faith to fight off feelings of surrender within the American people:

"Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'The judgements of the lord are true and righteous altogether.'"

Why reference this quote? We can't throw a check at and then forget, or ignore, the struggles of our people. As our society stands now, every day we add more hatred, more anger, more rage, more kids bully bus monitors--the more we do this, the higher the price we pay. We need to step to the plate and show kindness, compassion, and conviction in the face of what is wrong. Referencing Lincoln's second inaugural address again:

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds.."

"Restore love," Beck said in closing.