At BlogCon in Dallas, many of us had the unique opportunity of being in the studio audience for two tapings of the Glenn Beck show at TheBlaze Studios. During a panel discussion on the harassment and intimidation faced by conservative bloggers, Glenn challenged us.

First, he asked how many of us faced intimidation and threats or worried about our personal safety. Most of the hands went up, including mine. Then he asked us why we continue to do what we do. While I got an opportunity to describe the death threats I've received, I didn't get a chance to really answer the question.

It can be really hard to do what we do. I've received many death threats over the years, and what I've faced pales in comparison to what some of my blogger friends have endured. And when you have the Eye of Sauron on you because you've done something to attract the attention of the leftist collective, you can be subjected to coordinated smear campaigns that you never dreamed possible. It can be intimidating, and it can scare you into quitting.

So why go on? Why keep pressing forward, knowing that the more effective you can be at exposing the truth, the worse it will get? There are several reasons:

A. I have a visceral reaction to someone who peddles BS as a way of life.

I was completely uninvolved in politics until the Tea Party movement started in 2009. I can't stand politicians. And the more I get involved as county party chair, tea party organizer, blogger and new media consultant, the more I'm exposed to how sleazy they all are. But every time I discover someone who lies, cheats, harasses, or abuses their position, I feel like it's my duty to expose that. We citizens deserve to know who's worthy of our vote and trust, and who isn't.

B. I have two kids who are going to grow up in a vastly different America than I did, if I don't do something.

My heart weeps for what my children will face in their adulthood when attempting to access health care under Obamacare. I know based on historical precedent that their job prospects will be severely altered because of the immoral amount of debt being added every day, which will hamper the economy for decades. I can't imagine how few liberties they'll be able to enjoy because of a runaway government that is growing at an unchecked rate. I can't sit idly by and just let this happen.

C. It can be a helluva lot of fun.

Every single time they target you or you uncover yet another lie or sleazy backroom deal, you get the opportunity to use the controversy that it stirs up to make your point. We all know the legacy media isn't going to report our stories, even when we beat them over the head with them. So when you have that moment of opportunity where you're in the perfect point in time to make the news as you are reporting it, use it. When the media folks fail to notice, call them out. When they report it properly, give them kudos. And always, always, ALWAYS know that you have the truth and the facts on your side - armed thusly, you cannot fail. Even when you're targeted with an op/ed campaign, that's another opportunity. Your points will get across. Use their hatred of the truth against them. Always be willing to give a quote to reporters you know are against you, because whatever they may say about you in their column, they look like the petty little tyrants if they dare to misquote you. If they don't misquote you, you've done your job by getting the point across - not to the reporter, but to his or her audience. Every time they lash out, use the occasion to punch back with the truth. It always wins, eventually.

So yes, I am strongly motivated to keep moving forward and to keep uncovering the truth that the statists constantly seek to bury.  Somebody has to... 

FreedomWorks is proud to sponsor a twenty four hour radiothon in partnership with TheBlaze Radio.  One hundred percent of the donations raised for Mercury One charity will go directly to assist in the disaster relief efforts taking place in Moore, Oklahoma. 

The radiothon will officially kick off tomorrow, Thursday May 23rd at noon eastern time. We are encouraging our FreedomWorks family to tune into TheBlaze radio through their site.  You can also listen using TheBlaze iPhone/iPad app or tune in using the iHeartRadio app.  If you're not sure what would work best for you, check out "how to listen." 

Tasked with staying awake and hosting this radiothon is Doc Thompson of TheBlaze morning show.  We're encouraging our listeners to support him throughout the day and help keep him energized! 

If you're on twitter, we're asking our listeners and readers to use the hashtag #24forOK to show support and help broaden awareness for the event.   Throughout the radiothon you'll hear from some of your favorite FreedomWorks' staff as well as volunteers on the ground, Glenn Beck, and live reports from the front lines. 

The great people at Redstate, and Brad Jackson, co-host of Coffee and Markets were kind enough to allow me to share about my experiences volunteering to help Mercury One and also how you can pitch in. 

Our friends at FTR Radio are also hosting a three hour radiothon on Thursday evening, May 23rd from 8-11pm ET.  All proceeds from this event will also benefit Mercury One.  As Glenn Beck says "they're never boring" and you won't want to miss their show! They'll have on great guests such as SE Cupp of TheBlaze and MSNBC,  FoxNews analyst and radio host, Monica Crowley, top radio host Dana Loesch, Redstate Editor, Erick Erickson, Kristina Ribali and more.  

As you can see, members of our community are coming together any way they can to help this important cause.  FreedomWorks exists to be a service center to our membership and our community.  Helping out in times of tragedy is an important part of strengthening our family as well as giving back to so many who have been there for us. We hope you'll listen in, spread the word and donate if you can.  Thanks in advance for your support!

Last week Tea Party groups from across the nation made headlines for being the subject of targeted attacks by the IRS.  They bravely came forward to tell their stories of being victimized by the largest and most powerful US government agency.  They are heroes for refusing to relent under intense scrutiny and pressure.  They would not be silenced and they would not quietly stand aside.  Instead they chose to gather with like minded people in an effort to strengthen and serve their communities and their country by exercising their First Amendment rights.  

They're heroes again today, even if they're not in the headlines.  

Moments after the news reports started flooding in and spotlighting the devastating results of the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, Tea Party activists kicked into high gear to help those affected.  

On twitter, I immediately started seeing conservative activists I knew from around the country offer their support. I sent out a few tweets and within no time I had responses from all over the country. People willing to donate time, vehicles to transport supplies, money or whatever was needed. I reached out to the people at Mercury One and asked how I could help and was immediately contacted back with directions on how to coordinate volunteers and supplies.

Dana Loesch inquired in a few tweets about people in the St. Louis area who may be willing to haul supplies to Oklahoma.  Within a matter of hours, she was literally overwhelmed with offers to truck water, supplies, food, generators and anything else. Her convoy of trucks has been added to the relief efforts being spearheaded by Beck's charity. 

FreedomWorks has focused its efforts over the past several years on empowering people at the local level to make a difference in their communities. Glenn Beck and FreedomWorks have had a great partnership for a while and though it has been more political in nature, it has always centered on the idea that people are most effective when they are empowered to act from the ground up.

What I saw last night was the culmination of this relationship benefitting people in likely the most devastating moment of their lives; regardless of ideology.  Convoys of supplies arriving in Oklahoma to meet the tangible needs of a devastated community; in less than twelve hours.  This is the community that the liberty movement has helped foster.  It is a community built on the knowledge that at times in our lives everyone needs a little help and that there are good people willing to give it.  It is a community that understands America was built on the individual being good, and decent and kind, and often giving more than anyone could imagine. 

Support efforts are continuing around the clock.  FreedomWorks is partnering with TheBlaze radio on Thursday, May 23rd for a 24 hour radiothon to raise money for the Mercury One charity.  One hundred percent of proceeds go to the Oklahoma disaster relief effort. People are organizing relief efforts on FreedomConnector now as well. 

FTR Radio  along with Smart Girl politics, is also sponsoring a three hour radiothon Thursday Night from 8pm-11pm. All proceeds from this event will also go directly to the disaster relief effort. Guests scheduled to appear so far are SE Cupp, FoxNews' Monica Crowley, Dana Loesch, Erick Erickson of Redstate.com, myself and many, many more.  

It is very easy to focus on the loss and the devastation when a tragedy like this occurs.  There is no way to replace what has been lost for so many in Moore, Oklahoma.  It would be easy to sink inside ourselves, but as a nation, that's not who we are.  We help.  We serve.  We sacrifice.  I'm reminded of this quote by Martin Luther King Jr. 

Life's most persistent and urgent question is "What are you doing for others?"

It's a good question to ask every day, not just today. 

Today on The FreedomCast, I’m joined by none other than Glenn Beck. We’ll talk about BlogCon2013, why empowering bloggers is the key to pushing back against the main stream media, and why Glenn believes that FreedomWorks is fighting for liberty in ways that no other organization can. Find out more about BlogCon2013 here.

Have a suggestion for an upcoming FreedomCast episode, or a comment? Send it to me on twitter @KristinaRibali.

Subscribe to The FreedomCast on iTunes here.

Follow FreedomWorks on twitter and on Faceboook.

Follow today's guest @GlennBeck on twitter. 

Our podcast is fabulously produced by @BradWJackson.

He frequently discusses such topics as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, amidst the backdrop of a 'Don't Tread on Me' flag, and a constant refrain of 'We the People'.

But he's not a Tea Party member.

He is a white man who detests others "with faces not like mine", those that have crossed our borders but cannot speak the same language, and wonders how we can get rid of these people.

But he's not racist.

At least that's what the creative minds at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) want you to believe.

Jake Hager, who wrestles under his character name of Jack Swagger, has had his in-ring persona as the 'All-American American' kicked up a notch, being transformed into a 'Real American' and adding what wrestling critics have called "a xenophobic and slightly racist manager named Zeb Colter."  Colter is portrayed by former wrestler Wayne Keown.

But this is the world of make believe, the world of 'sports entertainment' and the WWE has made a career out of amplifying unfair stereotypes to create controversial characters and storylines.  

And believe it or not, FreedomWorks had a chance to discuss the controversial character with the WWE creative team - and they want you to know that this is much ado about nothing ... Swagger's character is neither a Tea Party member, nor racist.

The WWE explains:

“WWE characters may, at times, amplify stereotypes in order to create drama, conflict and rivalries with other characters, however the characters Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter have not been cast as Tea Party members or racists."

So what does a character surrounded by Tea Party swag, shouting 'We the People', and having a nasty disposition towards people with faces unlike theirs, represent exactly?  

Simply put...

"The characters have been cast as having strong conservative convictions.”

It just so happens that those "strong conservative convictions" have led Swagger to target the Mexican American character, Alberto Del Rio.  Having the conservative character play the role of heel, or bad guy in this storyline, has allowed the WWE to build Del Rio's character into a hero, something the company desires due to their "large Latino base, which represents 20% of our audience.”

The WWE also raised the bar however, buoying Swagger's character as a right-winger by adding conservative commentators into the mix, and by extension also implying that those personalities share the same racist beliefs.

During one of Swagger’s matches, commentators Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler joked that he and his manager probably get fan mail from Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Beck responded on his Blaze TV program, ripping the WWE for creating a “stereotype of a conservative that I’ve never met”.

That's when the storyline begins to get a bit surreal.  

Feeling slighted by Beck's criticism, the WWE issued a challenge - an open invitation for Glenn to appear on their Monday night wrestling show, Raw.

Swagger and Colter even cut a promo directed at Beck, with each man making statements in full character mode, then breaking character to address charges that the entire storyline is the work of "stupid wrestling people".  

In the video - seen here - Beck is once again invited to attend the show.

In a statement to The Blaze, and in typically sarcastic fashion, Beck responded that he is "currently booked doing anything else.”

The WWE states flat out that they do not consider members of the Tea Party to be racist, and they take exception to the notion that they would create such a persona.

"We do not create racist characters.”

History says otherwise.  

In 1997, a group of wrestlers known as the Nation of Domination (NOD) emerged.  The group was based on religious and racial stereotypes involving the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party, and featured wrestlers that adopted Islamic names and headgear. This wrestling team - their most famous member being The Rock, Dwayne Johnson - would frequently eliminate members that they considered 'not black enough', creating what their leader referred to as "Bigger, Badder, Better and Blacker".

In 2004, wrestler Mark Copani was introduced under the ring name Muhammed Hasan, a Muslim-American wrestler which utilized religious and racial stereotypes to further the heel role.  Hasan's ring antics would involve extending his hands and praising Allah.  In one memorable televised moment, Hasan began "praying" on the ramp, and multiple masked men, dressed in black shirts, ski-masks, and camo pants, led an assault on one of his opponents.  The incident reminded many of videos in which terrorists are typically seen wearing ski masks, and occurred around the same time as the London bombings of 2005.  The angle, and Copani's character, were removed from WWE programming shortly thereafter.

And in a storyline similar to Swagger's, John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) earned himself a title shot after cutting a promo on the border between Texas and Mexico, where he tried to garner a "Great American Award" by hunting for incoming illegal immigrants.

The new Swagger angle is different however.  It was designed to get a reaction from an audience themselves that likely do not consider the Tea Party to be racist, and in fact, likely relate more to the Tea Party than most television audiences.

On his radio show, Beck wondered:

“Maybe that’s the way WWE people view the Tea Party. And maybe they love to hate the Tea Party. But I have to tell you, I expect that from Hollywood, but I don’t expect ‑‑ if I’m getting my entertainment from somebody that I think is on my side ‑‑ and I’m sorry, I just don’t see a bunch of progressives going and buying their tickets to the WWE. Do you?”

It is an odd creative decision to be sure.  What makes it more perplexing is that there is no need to add any racial element to a Tea Party character.  They could emphasize adherence to the Constitution, or the concept of actual legal immigration, without referring to the different faces they see in this country.

And the audience would likely respond in a positive manner.

But that wouldn't create controversy.  And that's what the wrestling business is all about.

Of course, many of our readers are probably asking themselves, 'Why does any of this matter?  Wrestling is after all, just wrestling.'

Sadly in today's world, many people get their information and facts from news programs on a station like Comedy Central, or they have their history re-written by the liberal cesspool in Hollywood.  There is a segment that will identify the characters of Swagger and Colter and assume that Tea Party members or those with "strong conservative convictions" are racist ... that they really are bad guys.

It is a cultural issue, and an audience for a popular entity such as the WWE is being told to dislike a character because he is a racist with "strong conservative convictions".

That is a problem that we need to wrestle with.

Follow Rusty at the Mental Recession

This past weekend as over 16,000 freedom loving activists gathered in Dallas for FreePAC, the main stream media chose once again to largely ignore the Tea Party event and its supporters.

Much like 2009, when media outlets ignored over one million activists gathered on the Capitol Mall, coverage of this event was ultimately left to alternative media instead. This is not surprising to many of us who have been active in this movement since its inception. If they don't report it, it didn't happen. I mean the Tea Party is dead, right?

Not if you ask the thousands gathered in Dallas Texas last Thursday evening. The event was so well attended and such a success that the #FreePAC hashtag trended worldwide on twitter for most of the three hour program, even topping the chart as the number one non-promoted tweet around the world. We also had over twenty one thousand online viewers through our live broadcast on FreedomConnector. It was interesting to me to see that the only print publication to even tweet about the event was Dave Cantanese from Politico.

I wonder if it's worse to be ignored or to just get it wrong altogether?

During the FreePAC event, Dana Loesch, gave several examples of the laziness and wreckless reporting now seemingly commonplace for today's so called "journalists". She called out Brian Ross' "craptastic" reporting claiming that James Holmes, a Tea Party activist must be the same James Holmes responsible for the tragic Aurora shooting. She made a compelling case against their biased reporting agenda and continued defamatory tactics against those who believe in limited government and personal responsibility. Dana also pointed out that these reporters, in their laziness and slanderous ways create an entire new set of victims with every false report. 

Shortly after Dana, exploding onto stage to the fitting tune "TNT" by AC/DC Comedian and Tea Party activist Stephen Kruiser gave a shout out to the blogger row at FreePAC saying "they're doing the work in American journalism that American journalists just won't do anymore."  He's right. 

The reasons outlined by Loesch and Kruiser are major factors in why FreedomWorks chooses to put such a emphasis on blogging, new media, social media and online activists.  It's why FreedomWorks made a concerted effort to give unprecedented blogger access to the speakers and presenters at FreePAC and will continue to do so in the future. 

As viewerships for network nightly news and readerships for print publications continue to decline, New Media outlets such at The Blaze, and Breitbart.com and many other alternate conservative outlets continue to dominate the conversation.  

As the Director of New Media for FreedomWorks part of my job is to help give a voice to these online activists and hopefully inspire a new generation of media outlets to continue to take over the cultural space as well as the political space. I have the unique opportunity to not only get to do a job that I love, but also help others do what they love: write, blog and podcast for liberty.

As Matt Kibbe stated in his FreePAC speech "A vinyl album and a novel got me excited about the idea of liberty."  So this year we focused on bloggers who have a slight edge to them; a unique perspective on this movement and a voice that needs to be heard. Here are just a few of that joined us. Keep your eye out on these up and coming newsmakers.

Me with the lovely Donlyn Turnbull of RightWingNews and Dirty Sexy Politics. Yes, in case you're wondering - blondes have more fun!

FreedomWorks CEO Matt Kibbe with Resist44 Co-Founder Justen Charters. Resist44 is a movement to engage the youth vote and resist the policies of Barack Obama, the 44th President. 

Jason Howerton and Benny Johnson of The Blaze with Brandon Morse of Misfit Politics. Each one of these young men are pushing the envelope when it comes to the use of humor and innovation to take back the cultural space for younger generations. 

Fingers Malloy, host of the irreverant "Snark Factor" on FTR Radio doing a live broadcast pre-FreePAC in the hotel lobby.  Fingers is consistently willing to promote principle over party and give a voice to lesser known candidates.  We appreciate all of you at FTR Radio!

Please take the time to find out more about these contributors to our FreePAC event.  Each one took time away from their families to be a part of this incredible freedom party.  If you're on twitter (which you should be) I've created a list of all of our contributors.  Please follow them and support the fantastic work they're doing. 

Special thanks to Duane Lester for so many great pics! 

I've been to a lot of conferences, rallies, speeches, campaign events, seminars and conventions since I became active in politics in 2009. Prior to the rise of the Tea Party Movement, I was merely an observer of politics. Frankly, I hated politics, and in many ways I still do. In fact, being more deeply involved now, I've found many new and wondrous ways to hate the process that aren't immediately apparent to the general public.

Did I mention that I hate politics?

All these conferences can tend to blend together, with a wide spectrum of effectiveness, relevance and inspiration. At their worst, the trainings, rallies and speeches can be redundant, ineffective and uninspiring. But at their best, they can renew your soul, recharge your batteries and give you the tools and inspiration you need to keep up the fight for freedom and limited government.
Yesterday's FreePAC was one of those events that awakened the spirit and renewed the desire to become an even better happy warrior for freedom.

There are entirely too many highlights to share in one post, but at the various parties after the event, the two most talked about speeches were those given by CL Bryant and Deneen Borelli. Each of these patriots are able to reach the audience and give a credible, moving, inspirational rallying cry.

Deneen Borelli is the author of the new book, Blacklash, in which she documents her fight against the liberal black establishment represented by the likes of Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. The takeaway from her speech is that if she can fight against THOSE headwinds, we all have it within ourselves to fight back. Check it out at The Right Scoop.

CL Bryant is, among many other things, the star of the new movie Runaway Slave. This was a remarkable speech in so many ways. As my friend Kristina Ribali said, it was like going to church. The soul fairly sings with CL's sermon about what it means to fight for liberty and freedom. So overcome with emotion at the conclusion, FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe took the stage and was wiping away tears. The rest of the crowd was similarly overcome. Again, you can view the full speech at The Right Scoop.

And the grand finale was truly grand, indeed. Glenn Beck's keynote speech was a call to battle. Flanked by over 20 FreedomWorks supported international Tea Party representatives from such countries as Japan, Israel, Mexico, China and others, Glenn used the opportunity to introduce his Restoring Love event. As he describes it, this is a beginning of a global movement for freedom for all mankind. Check it out at FreedomWorks.

So, what was your favorite moment at FreePAC?

Last weekend the Tea Party movement took another critical step toward bringing change to America in November. The Take America Back 2010 Convention on Friday night at DAR Constitution Hall was a huge success, drawing over 3,000 dedicated grassroots activists. 

The convention began with FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey welcoming the crowd to Washington and encouraged them to stay active in this important election season. Mrs. Armey also spoke about the importance of protecting our country's financial future for our grandchildren.

Next on stage was Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who drew loud cheers when she took the podium and shouted to the crowd, "This is what freedom looks like!"

Bachmann talked about the dedication of grassroots activists and about turning the positive energy of the Tea Party movement into results in November.

"It would be so much fun if all of us could just stay here and enjoy this for the next 67 days," said Rep. Bachmann. "We'd have parades and parties and just a whale of a time here in Washington, D.C. but we know we have alot of work to do back home."

Utah Senate Candidate and FreedomWorks PAc Champion of Freedom Mike Lee, who ousted RINO incumbent Bob Bennet in the Republican primary, shifted the discussion to the spending problems in Washington and politicians' disregard for the Constitution.

"It was never supposed to be that way and if Congress followed the rulebook it wouldn't be that way," said Lee, holding up a copy of the Constitution. "Of course, in this crowd, you know what I'm talking about, it's not a new rule book, it's a 223 year-old rulebook."

When people forget the Constitution, Lee said, they become the very people the document aimed to limit in the first place.

"They started asking if they could but not if they should," said Lee. "Tyranny comes from a king, or an elected official or an elected president who thinks he's a king." 

The feeling of being ignored by elected officials was a theme of the evening and became a rallying call to vote out the big government spenders in November.

"They are a political class, elected to serve us but serve themselves," echoed Champion of Freedom Keith Fimian (VA-11). "Yes, the elitists."

Unfortunately not all of FreedomWOrks' Champions of Freedom could make it to the program, but Marco Rubio, Dino Rossi and Rand Paul all left video messages for the crowd where they explained issues facing their states and urged activists to stay focused on November. 

The audience also got special treat when Glenn Beck made a surprise appearance on stage. Beck was in town preparing for Saturday's Restoring Honor rally which centered around the themes of Faith, Charity and Hope. Beck spoke about the importance of aligning our values with those of God, that God is not on our side but rather we must be on his side. 

"Expect miracles, because God's freedom, God's rights, He's not done with man being free," said Beck. "If we fail here, where, as Ronald Reagan said, will the rest of the world run? They have no place to run, so you and I have no choice but to stand for the freedom of God that God endowed us all with."

Not just big names and candidates spoke, but also grassroots activists Gena Bell and Jennifer Bernstone, who highlighted the importance of working together to have the greatest effect in November.

"We need to work with FreedomWorks," said Bell. "We need to stay organized to counter the well-funded groups on the Left."

Both Bell from Ohio and Bernstone of New York are relatively new to politics, becoming active during the bailouts of 2008. Bernstone even ran one of Doug Hoffman's campaign headquarters in the heated NY-23 special election last fall.

Greg Holloway, of Contract From America, spoke to the crowd about getting more candidates to sign the contract. Candidates who have signed the contract during the primaries have seen grassroots activism surge them forward in the polls. 

The two-hour program was punctuated with musical numbers by Phillips Rogers, Jon David Kahn and a viewing of Reverand C.L. Bryant's trailer for his film "Runaway Slave". The film urges all Americans of all races to runaway from the failures of socialism, statism and progressivism. 

FreedomWorks Champion of Liberty Charles Lollar (MD-5) spoke about how he is proof that the charges of racism in the Tea Party movement from the liberal media are false.

"I tell my volunteers I don't even fit the profile," laughed Lollar, who is an 
African-American. "Some of you will get that one on the way home.

"We understand it's not about color, or about party, it's about our freedom and somebody better start listening," said Lollar. 

The program concluded with a rousing speech from FreedomWorks President and CEO Matt Kibbe who lauded the strength of a truly leaderless movement of dedicated activists.

"That's what this decentralized movement is all about. FreedomWorks isn't in charge of this thing. You guys are. And we need you to let us know if we still are adding value."

He also encouraged the crowd with what we could accomplish after the election. 

"This is not a two month commitment. This is a lifetime commitment. Get ready on November 3rd to start driving the national agenda based on lower taxes, less government and more freedom."

After the program, attendees ate barbecue and circulated around the DAR Constitution Hall gathering yard signs, t-shirts and other gifts to take back home. We hope the best takeaway of all was a new sense of purpose as we approach this crucial midterm election season. 

Click here for some photos from the event