More Thoughts on ND Education

I’ve been thinking a bit more about education in North Dakota, and in particular, how this education reflects your and my values. This applies to everything from kindergarten through higher education. What got me thinking about the importance of this subject was something that happened while I was driving home from Fargo.

I was on I-94 making my all-to-common trek back to Bismarck and was in the process of passing a school bus full of children. They looked to be second/third graders. As I passed, I saw lots of smiling faces pressed up against the glass and hands waving excitedly at me. They were wanting a response from me, but more importantly, what I saw was innocence.

Contrast this to a recent event, where innocence was betrayed. A fifth-grade child in the Fargo School District was pulled out of class and disciplined for using the wrong pronoun for a classmate. That’s right – it happened here in North Dakota. Some of you may downplay this, recognizing that the Fargo School District is on the more liberal side of the spectrum for our state. So, let me give you another example.

Take the University of Jamestown, part of a very conservative community, where their “commitment to the Christian faith encourages an atmosphere of self-discipline, responsibility, and concern for the continuing growth of the individual.” For Black History Month, they highlighted Marsha P. Johnson on Facebook, a transgender prostitute. They chose her over such individuals as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and other prominent black leaders, who they never bothered to mention on the Facebook page during Black History Month. I truly love the University of Jamestown, but this made me very sad.

Or take the recent school board elections. In Grand Forks there were 23 candidates for 5 open positions, and in Fargo 15 candidates for 5 positions on their school board. Why so many candidates? Because parents are frustrated with authoritarian and unresponsive administration of our schools. A number of these candidates in both races supported yours and my values, and said as much in their campaigns, but do you know how many of them were elected? None. Do you know how many of the candidates supported by the powerful Fargo and Grand Forks teachers’ unions made it into office? 80%.

So, what’s going on here? Simply put, you and I don’t have a say into these educational institutions. Sure, they would argue that we simply need to attend school board meetings, contact them about issues, or sit down and talk about what’s bothering us. That’s well and good, and I encourage you to do that, but what if there is nobody on the other side of the conversation taking it seriously, or if they simply never acknowledge you or respond? What change can be made then?

As parents, you try to teach your children many lessons – some stick, some don’t. One that we’ve tried to instill in our children is this. Even if you think you will lose a battle over your beliefs, you still fight. In spite of opposition, in spite of insults, lies, or other tactics. You take the high road, but never give in. God does not call us to be successful, but to be faithful.

The mental picture of those children on the bus has stayed with me. Their enthusiasm and innocence is something I will not soon forget.

So, what did I do? I smiled and waved, and then drove home thinking about what more we can do to support our kids.

BREAKING: SCOTUS Overturns Roe v. Wade

Today is the day that we pro-lifers have been anticipating for 50 years. Finally, SCOTUS has reestablished justice and overturned the deeply flawed decision of Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
 
By upholding Mississippi’s law, the court has rejected the false notion that a “right” to abortion exists in the Constitution, meaning states are now free to establish bans on abortion. Our efforts to protect the unborn are no longer hindered by a fallacious and evil ruling that invented a non-existent “right.” 
 
This is a monumental victory for the pro-life movement, and it should be celebrated. This is justice. North Dakotans have worked for this moment for decades. We should take time to thank God for answering our prayers and bringing an end to the legal nightmare that was Roe.
 
Now, in North Dakota abortion is almost completely eradicated! Our state has a primary trigger law, as do 12 other states. The law states says that if SCOTUS rules in such a way that our Attorney General determines “it is reasonably probable that this Act would be upheld as constitutional,” then the trigger law would go into effect and abortions would be illegal in North Dakota. It would make exceptions for protecting the life of the mother or if the pregnancy resulted from “sexual imposition, sexual abuse of a ward, or incest.”
 
In over 20 states, robust protection for the unborn is now in effect. In some states, abortion is banned entirely.
 
While this is a major victory, our work is far from done. The court has done its job, but it cannot do ours. We are simply entering a new phase of the fight for life. The “culture of death” that Roe fostered needs to be undone.
 
Abortion needs to be more than just illegal, but unthinkable. Only through intentional discipleship will we be able to transform hearts and minds so that life at every stage is protected for years to come.
 
We need to practice radical love and compassion toward expecting mothers who are in difficult situations. Churches and their members need to step up as never before and offer help and hope to abortion-vulnerable women and men. We can donate to crisis pregnancy centers, give directly to mothers in need, or simply walk with those that are hurting.
 
We must also speak the truth in love about the unborn and create a culture of deep care for all life. Debates surrounding this issue will become more intense, and we need to be equipped with the facts and prepared to defend the sanctity of life at all times.
 
Because of this decision, many on the left will engage in abhorrent acts of violence against us and SCOTUS, as they have already promised to do. We will face more persecution than ever before. Please pray for peace, stand firm in the truth, and remember that persecution can be a gift, if we allow our suffering to be united with Christ’s. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account,” says Matthew 5:11.
 
Please pray that God continues to guide and strengthen the pro-life movement as we enter a new phase of the battle.

Some Important Items

This weekly email will be short and to the point. We have four important things that you should know about for the coming week and for which we want you to be prepared.
 
1. Bismarck City Ordinance on Hate Crimes: That’s right, Bismarck is sadly trying to emulate its big cousins to the east and implement a hate/bias crime ordinance that includes gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, such as existing ordinances in Grand Forks and Fargo. The motivation behind this is far from simple, but suffice it to say that one benefit is that the city will likely get a better “grade” from LGBTQ rating organizations like the Human Rights Campaign Foundation if they implement this ordinance.
 
While it sounds like a good idea (who approves of hate crimes, right?), it is misguided. It would prosecute crimes committed because of, “the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or ancestry.“ [italics added for emphasis] Proposed Hate Crime Ordinance.
 
I’m not even sure where to begin on this. This is a really ill-conceived ordinance, from the inherent flaws in hate crime laws, to the fact that it is already illegal to assault someone or vandalize their property, the historical evidence that it’s almost impossible to prosecute these crimes, how the “perceived” language would be interpreted to apply to these sexuality categories, or that it would carve out special protected classes that are based on ever-changing societal constructs such as sexuality and gender (even admitted to be fluid by the LGBTQ community).
 
In the past, the legislature has soundly defeated bills and resolutions with similar language, including the most recent 2021 session [HB 1443,  HCR 3045]. They know it’s bad policy; now the City of Bismarck needs to take a stand and not capitulate to the left, all in an effort of virtue signaling and approval as a “progressive” municipality.
 
If you would like to provide written comments prior to the public hearing on June 14, you can email your input to bismarckadmin@bismarcknd.gov, and/or you can always contact the City Commissioners directly Bismarck City Commission. You can also testify in person at the June 14 meeting to be held at 5:15 pm in the Tom Baker Meeting Room, City and County Office Building, 221 N. 5th St., Bismarck, ND 58506.
 
2. Election endorsements and emails of support: I hope you’ve been seeing these emails from NDFALA show up in your Inbox. The emails highlight candidates for all levels of government who NDFALA endorses/supports because they stand with you for family values. Please give them your vote.
 
3. Be sure to vote next Tuesday! I know it seems like a hassle sometimes, but the final disposition of what happens to pro-life bills, bills on girls’ fairness in sports, education bills and more will be shaped in many ways on June 14. During legislative sessions we can mobilize and call/email our legislators, lobby through organizations like ours, and testify at hearings, but if we get the right people elected, we don’t need to worry so much about playing defense on important issues, but can focus more on pro-actively getting good bills through the legislature. Think of the change that could make!
 
4. School District Elections: Finally, I also want to highlight all the school district races across the state. North Dakota parents are fed up with many school boards and the only real way to change that is to elect new board members that share your values. Check out the candidates running for your district’s board and make informed choices. School boards are the level at which curriculum is decided, so it truly matters if we want our children to be taught with a foundation of family values. If you have questions about candidates running for a particular school board, feel free to reach out to us and we will help in any way we can (701-355-6425)
 
Thank you so much for partnering with us in the fight for faith, family and freedom here in North Dakota!

The Wrong Environment

The pastor at the church we attended this Sunday used an interesting illustration. He had us picture a relatively familiar sight: a tiger pacing back and forth in its enclosure at a zoo. He asked us why the tiger was pacing, and then suggested that the reason might be that the tiger was in the wrong environment. It wanted to be out, roaming free on some grassy plain in Africa, but instead, it was in captivity and confined to a relatively small enclosure. Zoos can be great places, but they are no substitute for the wide-open savanna.
 
I’m certainly no tiger, but I also pace. Often you can find me on the phone pacing back and forth while telling someone exciting news, or perhaps being a guest on a radio show. I also pace when I speak at a church or other public event. It seems to help me think more quickly, although one would be hard pressed to find a study showing that linkage.
 
However, the pastor’s comment got me to thinking about another type of pacing. As humans, we “mentally pace” as well. It may come from the frustration with a job, a troubled marriage, a rebellious child, financial woes, or many other sources. We go back and forth thinking about the problem, wishing that things were otherwise.
 
I believe that when you and I mentally pace, we are like our tiger – we are in the wrong environment. Our head is in the wrong place and our thoughts need to be on a different plane. That is not to say we forget about life’s challenges or avoid them, but we need to go back to that place where we first came from – our true home environment.
 
As humans, our current environment is this earth. It has fabulous things, horrible things, and everything imaginable in between. But you and I are pacing, seeking that home environment. Thankfully, for those of us who are Christians, we know where our home environment is – the place we came from and where we are longing to return to.
 
When I was a child, I watched the movie Born Free. At the end of the movie (spoiler alert), Elsa the lion, who was very close to being sent to a zoo, is given one last chance and set loose on the savanna to fend for herself. It’s difficult for her after being in captivity so long, but she slowly adapts. Eventually we find Elsa acclimated to her new home, even reappearing later with a family of cubs. Elsa is finally in the environment where she belongs. As a movie watcher, you breathe a sigh of relief when you see the peace and happiness now present in her life.
 
Sometimes we feel like the lion in that cage: pacing back and forth. But as Christians, we need to remember that our true home environment is not the cage in which we find ourselves now, but instead, it’s the majestic fields of heaven. When we reach those fields, we can finally stop pacing. We can rest. Like Elsa, we will be home.

Did You Know a Hippo's Sweat is Red?

Fun fact #2: more turkeys are raised in Minnesota than in any other state. Did you know that the oldest mummy in the world was found in Portugal? They are very interesting facts, but not terribly useful, unless you plan to be a contestant on Jeopardy. I learned all these things last night, but what I learned was far less important than how I learned them.
 
Our family is on vacation at the moment, so it has been great getting to relax a bit and visit Ruth’s and my families. It has been enjoyable to catch up on events, tell family stories (which generally result in everyone doubled over in laughter), and see the newest members of our extended family, who of course are cute as can be. But there is something even more valuable – time with your immediate family.
 
We’ve been spending the last few days with Ruth’s sister. They have a home nestled in the woods, far from the noise and lights of civilization. It’s very peaceful. So where do the random facts come in?
 
If you had peered from those dark woods into the living room window last night, you would have seen a solitary light illuminating two people curled up on the couch looking at an iPhone. Stephanie and I were playing a trivia app. The game itself was interesting, and it certainly helped having an English major to assist in answering which of the Brontë sisters wrote Jane Eyre (it was Charlotte). However, the more significant part of the story is that a dad and his daughter were spending time together, brainstorming solutions, laughing over goofy questions, and congratulating themselves on correct guesses.
 
I don’t know about your home, but those types of moments don’t happen as frequently as I’d like, especially now that our kids are grown. But the important thing has remained the same since the day they were born: family. That’s also why we are called North Dakota Family Alliance. All our work is about preservation and advancement of the family and the biblical values which undergird it. We exist so that these moments will never go away.
 
Yes, hippos have red sweat, Minnesota raises a lot of turkeys, and the oldest mummy in the world was found in Portugal. Those are interesting facts to me, but the most important part of last night was the bond between a father and daughter, curled up on a couch. Facts are fascinating, and may catch our interest for a time, but they change. It is love that lasts.