The Pursuit

This past Saturday was a big day, as Glenn Beck spoke at Trine University in Angola, Indiana, in an event sponsored by the Michiana 9/12 Project called The Pursuit.

Figuring a long line ahead of me if I didn't get there early enough, I left for Angola at 6 a.m., arriving about a half-hour later, only to find I was the first one there, so I had to wait for almost 90 minutes (which I largely killed by reading Errol Flynn's book My Wicked, Wicked Ways).  Much to my surprise, although the number of people grew as opening time (8 a.m.) came closer, it was smaller than I expected.  More surprising, just before it started, I found out from my parents, who had recently arrived, that I had parked in an area reserved only to those who purchased special ticket packages (a premiere parking spot)!  Since the policeman who told them about the reserved parking learned I had parked so early, his response was I had lucked out.  That's what I call an Errol Flynn moment!


Held at Hershey Hall, the event got started a short time after 9 a.m., with teacher and radio host Peter Heck giving his remarks and introducing the speakers, which included Scott Jones, the founder of Michiana 9/12, congressional candidates Jackie Walorski (a one-woman SWAT team, as Mr. Heck described her so well), Marlin Stutzman (Go Marlin!), State Treasurer Richard Mourdock and, after a lunch break, Glenn Beck himself.

The speakers all gave great, sometimes rousing speeches, but one speaker, Matthew Cook, an inspiring entrepreneur, captured, in my opinion, the essence of what The Pursuit is all about, as well as the meaning of what freedom is.  State Treasurer Mourdock, running for re-election, spoke of his legal battle with the White House over the bailout of Chrysler at the expense of pensioners' funds and the consequences of ignoring the law or only enforcing it for part of the people. 

Mr. Beck, who spoke at about 1:15 p.m. (I think), gave an inspiring and powerful speech, focusing on the need to return to what our founders had set up, with God as our foundation.  If you're familiar with his television show or his radio program, nothing he said was new at all.  After the event (which ended at about 2:30 p.m.), Mr. Beck had his picture taken with a number of lucky people who had purchased those special ticket packages (hey, at least I got a good parking spot!) and headed out.

How many people were there, I don't know.  The place wasn't packed, but there were certainly hundreds, if not over a thousand, in attendance.  A reporter for WISE-TV in Fort Wayne claimed over 1,000 were there and 75% of the place was filled, but the Associated Press claimed the number was over 2,200.  DeKalb 9/12, Northeast Indiana 9/12 and, of course, Michiana 9/12 were well represented at the event.  In addition, there was also a counter-protest, where I saw only two women after the event (whether there were more or not is not something I know, or care for that matter).  Judging by the signs they had, they could've learned something if they had attended The Pursuit.

As for myself, I personally got to meet Richard Mourdock and say hi again to Jackie Walorski during the event (and, of course, don't forget the sweet parking spot I lucked out on!); considering I hadn't initially planned on attending the event (cheapest tickets, aside from overflow room tickets, were $40), I'm glad I went.