events Archives - Page 4 of 34

The Ordinary Voter Has Extraordinary Power

Outside of the Bluegrass State, the death of former Kentucky United States Senator Walter D. Huddleston earlier this month didn’t register many headlines. The 92-year-old broadcaster-turned-legislator, ill for several years, passed away quietly in his sleep.

First elected to the United States Senate in 1972, Huddleston, a moderate Democrat, eventually lost his bid for reelection in 1984 when a 44-year-old Republican judge named Mitch McConnell narrowly defeated him in a hotly fought contest.

Narrowly defeated is an understatement.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, government, policy, voting October 31, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Death of Civility

Earlier this week former First Lady and Democrat candidate for president, Hillary Clinton, made an astonishing statement. In fact, I believe that it succinctly sums up the dangerous and dysfunctional state of today’s American political affairs.

“You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about,” Mrs. Clinton told a reporter.

One day later, the former attorney general, Eric Holder, echoed Mrs. Clinton’s endorsement of incivility and potentially even mob violence by suggesting it was time for Democrats to act “tough.” Playing off of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s famous declaration during the 2016 presidential campaign, Holder said bluntly, “When they go low, we kick ‘em.”

This past summer, Democrat Representative Maxine Waters, one of the most liberal members of Congress, had urged supporters to physically harass Republican officials with whom they disagree.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, news October 11, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

650K Students Set an Example for the Nation—One of Hope, not Division

While the national media focused on D.C.-based controversies and character smears last week, at least 650,000 students were busy setting a different kind of example in their schools.

Courageous youth—kindergarten through college age— celebrated Bring Your Bible to School Day, an annual, religious-freedom event for students sponsored by Focus on the Family on Thursday, Oct. 4.

They shared their faith by highlighting its source—the Bible, sharing God’s Word with classmates throughout the day and talking about their experience on social media using the hashtag #BringYourBible.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, kids, religious liberty October 10, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Focus on the Family President Jim Daly Praises Passage of the Opioid Response Act

We are pleased to hear of the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Opioid Crisis Response Act by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 98-1. This followed an earlier House vote of 393-8. The bill now goes to President Trump, who last year declared the opioid crisis to be a national emergency, for his signature.

The opioid epidemic in this country is destroying lives and families. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 63,600 people died in 2016 from an overdose in the United States, of which 42,249 involved an opioid.

Topics: Current Events Tags: addiction, events, news October 4, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Tomorrow is Bring Your Bible to School Day

If you’ve followed this blog for a while you probably remember me telling you about Bring Your Bible to School Day, an annual Focus-sponsored event that empowers kids to celebrate religious freedom and share the love of God with their peers by doing one simple thing: bringing their Bibles to school with them! Just a couple of weeks ago, I told you that Sadie Robertson author of the best-selling book Live Fearless and formerly a teen star on Duck Dynasty is serving as this year’s Honorary Chairperson for BYBTS.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, kids, religious liberty October 3, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Jim Daly Applauds Recognition of Down Syndrome Awareness Month

We’re grateful that President Trump is recognizing and celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

All individuals with Down syndrome have intrinsic value and worth as beings created in the image of God, and we’re excited that the White House has vowed to continue creating great opportunities so that men, women and children with Down syndrome can reach their full potential.

As an organization dedicated to the sanctity of life, we are also encouraged that the Administration has recognized that often preborn children with Down syndrome are never given a chance at life because of abortion.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: events, kids, news October 2, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Washington Post Celebrates the Ignorant Delusion of Letting Toddlers ‘Choose’ Their Own Gender

My friend and colleague Glenn Stanton penned a strong response to a recent Washington Post column that hailed parents for letting their three year-old toddler supposedly choose their sex. His comments appeared in The Federalist.

Here is an excerpt:

Naya is almost three years old. She/he/them is being raised by two guys, Jeremy and Bryan. The adults know the sex on Naya’s birth certificate, but that’s their secret. Not even Naya will know. They believe her real gender exists in her mind, not on a major medical and government document.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, kids September 26, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Latest Thoughts on Judge Brett Kavanaugh

The escalating drama and controversy surrounding the Supreme Court confirmation proceedings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh have reached a disturbingly feverish pitch. At stake is a seat on the nation’s highest court, of course, and a man’s honor and public reputation is also now on trial.

Sexual assault charges are serious, even allegations from several decades ago. The timing of the accusations, the partisan individuals representing the accusers and the irresponsibility with which they’ve been handled by key members of the United States Senate, all establish a dangerous precedent.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, news September 24, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Fake News Is Really Old News

This essay originally ran in The Christian Post.

This past Tuesday was the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of legendary ABC Radio newsman Paul Harvey. Known for his homespun and perceptive commentaries, Mr. Harvey used to say that “In times like these, it’s important to remember there have always been times like these.” He was right.

Wednesday’s anonymously authored New York Times Op-Ed featuring a supposed “senior-member” of the Trump administration decrying internal dysfunction set off an avalanche of criticism, and rightly so.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, news September 11, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Two Lessons I Learned from Richard DeVos

How does one possibly sum up a life as full and as fruitful as businessman and philanthropist Richard DeVos, the Amway co-founder and friend and supporter of many evangelical Christian efforts and organizations, including Focus on the Family, who died yesterday at the age of 92?

“The Lord was good to me and I gotta go out and try and tell how good God is,” Mr. DeVos recently reflected. “I’d like to be remembered by enjoying the time we were given here by loving what the good Lord gave us, and we did the best we could with it.”

I was honored to spend a very small fraction of Richard DeVos’ time with him, shortly after I had become president of the ministry.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith September 7, 2018 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura