Today's Issues is hosted by Tim and Wesley Wildman of American Family Association

>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm Dr. Ray Rooney. The mission of American Family association is to inform, equip and activate individuals and families to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture and give aid to the church here and abroad. In its task of fulfilling the Great Commission, AFA aims to evangelize the lost and disciple the believer.

>> Tim Wildmon: Thank you for standing with the American Family association as we seek to stop the erosion of godly values. Welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Of the American Family Association.

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR on this Wednesday, September 3, 2025. And, we appreciate your listenership. Joining me in studio is Ed Vitagliano. Good morning, Brother Ed. Good morning, Tim and Wesley Wildmon.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And morning.

>> Tim Wildmon: Good morning, Brother Wesley, Brother Fred. Just a brotherly day right here.

>> Fred Jackson: How you doing?

>> Tim Wildmon: Fred Jackson.

>> Fred Jackson: Good to be here.

>> Tim Wildmon: Are you going to Canada this summer? no, not this summer's gone, I guess.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. Pretty well.

>> Tim Wildmon: When are you going home to see.

>> Fred Jackson: See, See the folks, see the family back home? Probably next spring.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.

>> Fred Jackson: I wait for lobster season.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay, that's perfect.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, there is, there is a thing called lobster season.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. You're allowed to.

>> Tim Wildmon: Really?

>> Ed Vitagliano: The lobster trees are in bloom, usually in the spring.

>> Tim Wildmon: For a man from Boston, you don't know about the lobster industry, do you? So, anyway, you still getting the lobster shipped to your house there?

>> Fred Jackson: We had it, this past weekend.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I have that.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't know why I keep forgetting.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, how often do you do that?

>> Fred Jackson: this is twice this year that we've done it. And I tell you, it's, it's, it's really.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They're very fresh.

>> Fred Jackson: They ship overnight. They leave the Northeast at 5 o' clock at night, and you've got it the next afternoon at your house here.

>> Tim Wildmon: Do the lobsters know that they're doomed?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, these are uncooked.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, no, no, no.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They're live.

>> Fred Jackson: This, this is cooked meat.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

>> Fred Jackson: You're only.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay. No, he didn't have to break the news. Someone else had to, right?

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: The little friendly lobsters don't arrive thinking they're going to be somebody's pet.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: They're already gone.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He was telling us about this. Or was it. It was you, I think. and I told my wife because I was all excited because I haven't had lobster since I've been up and she, she, we thought that it was live lobsters.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, no.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And she said, well, enjoy it. I'm not cooking it. She's, she cannot stand and see how.

>> Tim Wildmon: The sausage is made.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Animal suffering. So. Well, to. You know, my mom used to lobsters were very cheap when I was growing up. You could get them cheap and every once in a while they'd spring and. And they take those kind of green back lobsters and put them in the boiling pot.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And you know, that one time one grabbed the sides of the pot and said, don't do it. Shook me up.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you, if you go in red lobster, you can see them in the, in the aquarium.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Pick them out.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: They're just walking around picking up. Everything's fine.

>> Wesley Wildmon: No, not that one.

>> Ed Vitagliano: This one.

>> Tim Wildmon: Anyway, that's pretty cool that you can have fresh lobster shipped to you from New England to Mississippi overnight and have.

>> Fred Jackson: Is. And it's two pounds of lobster meat. I mean, you're not getting any shell at all.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: It's £2.

Fred's going to be growing lobsters in his backyard

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, wow. Okay. I, Do that myself.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. What does that run you, like 100 bucks? 200 bucks?

>> Fred Jackson: about 130 or so.

>> Tim Wildmon: Including shipping.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: What about handling that?

>> Wesley Wildmon: And then when it's all done, Fred's going to be growing lobsters in his backyard.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, you can grow lobsters.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I was just, I was just kidding about that. Wesley appeared to have misinformed you.

President Trump announced that Huntsville will become home of Space Command

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. We thank you for listening, Tim, Ed, Wesley, and Fred. And we're fixing to bring the news.

>> Ed Vitagliano: We're bringing it.

>> Tim Wildmon: We're bringing it. And Fred, what's the first story?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, yesterday, President Trump had a big news conference announcing that Huntsville, Alabama, was going to become the home of Space Command. And, but in the midst, you know, as he does, he takes questions, from, the reporters that are gathered. And, and in the midst of all that, he made an announcement. He said, just before coming out here, I got news. and, you guys are going to learn about it. He told the reporters that, the United States military had just taken out a boat. He called it a boat coming out of Venezuela with drugs. And our military took that boat out, killed 11 bad guys. They call them narco terrorists. So, the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was asked all about this this morning. This is what he had to say. Cut five in that boat.

>> Steve Hilton: We knew exactly what they were doing and we knew exactly who they represented. And that was Trend Aragua, a narco terrorist organization designated by the United States trying to po our country with illicit drugs. last year, under the BIDEN Administration, all four years, 100,000Americans died from drug related, from drugs, from the use of drugs, many of which poured in from Central and South America through our southwest border. Now we're sealing the border, but President Trump is willing to go on offense in ways that others have not been. And to send that clear signal to Trent, Aragua Cartel Del Sols and others emanating from Venezuela. We're not going to allow this kind of activity in. You're poisoning our people. We've got incredible assets and they are gathering in the region. and so you want to try to traffic drugs. It's a new day. It's a different day. And so those 11 drug traffickers are.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No longer with us.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. And so we had the announcement back about 10 days ago that our military were going to station at least three of our destroyers off the coast of Venezuela. since the president made this announcement yesterday afternoon, they've released a video, the Pentagon has released a video of this boat being taken out. It looks like perhaps a drone was used, dead hit on this boat we saw. It was, it wasn't a big boat. there were 11 people in it speeding along, we assume towards the United States.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Where was it?

>> Fred Jackson: off the coast of Venezuela. International waters. So, quite dramatic. But, you know, there are some people saying maybe it wasn't a great idea because there might be some concerns that you're opening the door for other countries to do the same.

>> Wesley Wildmon: It's the, next phase and border control.

>> Tim Wildmon: Boy, is it ever five.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay, I'm going to, with you, Ed. I'm going to take an unpopular.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I'm with you, brother. Here, let's hold hands. Okay. We're in this together because we're about to get, we're about to get lamb.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Blasted by our listeners, metaphorically. Hold hands.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that's kind of feminine.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And watch, Watch me remain quiet.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I don't want to. I mean, I meant, I meant join hearts.

Ed: I have concerns about this. First of all, uh, I trust our intelligence agencies

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, and, and we're gonna probably split the audience. And we, we're already split on this panel. We talked about this in the story meeting. I'm not saying I don't like this, okay? I, I, I, I have concerns about this. And, and here they are. First of all, I want to trust our intelligence agencies and think they can't make mistakes. But we thought that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. And we were in Iraq for 20 years over a war. Sometimes intelligence agents are wrong. if we absolutely know. Know for sure these are narco terrorists, I'm a little more open to the idea.

>> Tim Wildmon: What's a narco terrorist? If you can define that for.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, since the Trump administration declared that these, drug cartels are terrorist organizations, then their efforts to bring drugs into this country is a form of terrorist threat to our people. I think that's why they call it narco terrorists. I'm a little more open to it. But here's the thing. This is an execution.

>> Tim Wildmon: This.

>> Ed Vitagliano: We have. We executed people without a trial, and I hope we don't make any mistakes. I think the better route would be if we were sure these are narco terrorists. Then where's the Coast Guard? Why don't we interdict the boat and intercept. Intercept the boat and arrest the people and put them in prison? and then I would also. I also have concerns because Venezuela is a, you know, moderno. He. He's. He's a communist. He may decide to open fire on US Ships and claim that he's just doing what Trump is doing. I wouldn't say this is a lawless act, but law was not involved. This is a military, attack on citizens of another country. And I just have grave concerns. And I know, you know, open it up. I'm sure some of the people who are listening are saying Ed's in favor of protecting drug dealers. No, I'm not a Democrat. Okay, so in a blue.

>> Wesley Wildmon: You're not a Democrat in a blue city, right?

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right. So, anyway, those are some of my concerns about. About this.

>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley, do you want to share your heart?

>> Wesley Wildmon: So, So based on the information that we have, I don't believe if. What if the information they have is true? I don't believe they deserve a trial or to be arrested or to be put in prison for us to be able to spend dollars, taxpayer, dollars.

>> Tim Wildmon: And blow them out of the water.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That. What. They made that choice when they. When they. When they became terrorists. When you become a narco terrorist, you give up that right of being able to. That's my position.

>> Tim Wildmon: Live.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yep, you do. Because when you enter into the lifestyle of narco terrorism, you give up your right. That's what I believe.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. I hear you.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And now. And I'm not saying. I'm also not saying there's not other alternatives, but I'm not sad or disappointed that we took out. That we took out narco terrorism.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. okay. I Got to go. I got to go with Ed. Soft, Pinky. So soft, pinko.

>> Wesley Wildmon: By the way, by the way, by the way, remember, again, these are internationals. These are not American citizens. So it's not like somebody in Detroit, which was moving drugs from Detroit to a bigger city, and we just shot him out. Okay?

>> Tim Wildmon: Think about what we're doing here, and then we can move on. I don't know if there's any ultimate right and wrong here. I just. I'm just saying to you, I don't like it. I don't like the way it looks. we're using the United States military to blow, To blow ships out of the water in international seas.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I bet they won't do it again for a while.

>> Tim Wildmon: Who won't do what?

>> Wesley Wildmon: I bet you'll get less international narco terrorism for the next six months to a year.

>> Tim Wildmon: You may be right.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yep. And that's how war works.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You could. You could do the same thing in Detroit. Yeah, you could really put the clamps down on crime.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Send a National Guard. Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Open fire. Okay.

Tim Ferriss: Trump using military assets in international waters to carry out unilateral

go ahead, Tim. Hm.

>> Tim Wildmon: And y' all care what,

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, I do. I mean, I care what you think.

>> Tim Wildmon: Because I don't interrupt others. So what? So I don't like to be interrupted if I don't interrupt others.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You're right. You're right.

>> Tim Wildmon: I do unto others. so I'm just saying, before you say, give them heck, Trump, you need to be careful because you're using United States military assets in international waters to carry out a unilateral. By, unilateral, I mean president alone, I guess, with, maybe Secretary Pete Hex. And you say fire. Well, that. You know what? That. That blows that ship, international. I don't know. Am I going to get finished or not?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Where would you do it? No, no, no. If you're going to say that. If you're going to say international, where would you do it? Would you do it in Venezuela? Would you do it in the United States? International. When you're. When you're abroad, that's the best place to do it.

>> Tim Wildmon: I tell you, I'm soft on.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I'd like to hear what you have to say, Tim.

>> Tim Wildmon: Why? You think I'm trapped?

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, there. No, I just, think your family member would be.

>> Tim Wildmon: You would think your family member would be with you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, my son doesn't agree with me, so why should you?

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, listen, we'll move on here. Like I said, I. When I first heard about this, I was going, what? So I. I haven't processed this 100%. Probably, like all of us here, you're going. Well, I don't know about that, but I just, I'm. I. I would prefer that if we're going to, get these drug cartels, you get them with the Coast Guard, you intercept them coming into American, hours. What do you call it? Seashore, sea lion. I don't, I don't like jets flying around the Gulf, blowing boats out of the, out of the, out of the water and killing them.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I don't think they were speeding, though. I don't think they were breaking a law there.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, what. Let me ask you this. What if two days from now, they come back and say, we're sorry, we made a mistake, the ship was, like, a mile behind. We intended to hit this ship. And we apologize to the fishermen, to the families, there who, died in.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That didn't. Okay, that. Okay, that's fun that we can do that game. Because that doesn't change my position that if it was the right boat, I'm still okay with it. I think. I think if they get it wrong from an intelligence standpoint. All right, that's different. I think.

What is the difference between what the US Military did yesterday with that boat

>> Tim Wildmon: I think Fred wants to weigh in here. No, go ahead.

>> Fred Jackson: I just have a question for you guys.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, what you mean, you make to.

>> Fred Jackson: The copy lovers, what is the difference between what the US Military did yesterday with that boat and what we did a few weeks ago in Iran?

>> Ed Vitagliano: You mean blowing up the, the nuclear. there's essentially no. No difference. Oh, because we differ. Well, no, no, I'm saying in terms of us not going through a legal channel. Oh, we attacked another country, and.

>> Fred Jackson: that was not attacking us.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It was not attacking us. I don't think there is any difference in terms of that. What I'm saying is you've, got to count the cost. You're going to do something like this, you have to count the potential cost. I'm not sure there is a potential cost with Iran, but what if trend, day. Aragua. I forget I pronounce it. What if they say you attacked our people? You're the. You guys in America are the ones buying the drugs. So we're going to attack your citizens. You've declared war on us.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Where?

>> Ed Vitagliano: In the United States?

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, I'm just.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Because it would last long.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, maybe, but Americans would die because we unilaterally decided these people are guilty enough to die on the high seas.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That's a hypothetical.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That. To me, to me, that is a little bit different than taking out facilities. Even though the intent was to take out facilities.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, we have been threatened by Iran. Yes, we've been threatened verbally over and over again by Iran. So this isn't something that was done without, provocation.

>> Wesley Wildmon: It's a case by case. It's hard, it's hard to find a person.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm just. Okay. I'm just saying, when China blows a Chinese, Taiwanese boat out of the water this afternoon down around the Philippines and they go, you know, they were, they were carrying drugs that was coming into China, I don't think, you know, us doesn't. Is not going to have any right to say, no, you shouldn't be doing that.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I agree.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Well, if you agree, you're agreeing with me on the US shouldn't be doing that, out in the middle of the, of the ocean.

>> Wesley Wildmon: No, I'm not. No, I'm not. No, I'm agreeing that. I'm agreeing that if China says, first of all, this is a hypothetical because I hold to my position on what happened in real life.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But hypotheticals are important in determining consequences to your actions.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay, so back to the China illustration. If China says that they have intelligence that says that they believe that this boat is a narco terrorist, organization that's coming into China and they blow it up in international waters, that's why I don't have a problem with that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. All right.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And by the way, by the way.

>> Tim Wildmon: About the wild, wild west out there.

>> Wesley Wildmon: No, I'm talking about military protecting its citizens.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That's what I'm talking about. Military.

>> Tim Wildmon: Next story. Friend.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And folks who are reconcilable difference. I hope we have divided your household.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yes, Military. What, what good is the military if it can't protect.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.

>> Wesley Wildmon: On national.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right. Military should be fighting. I'll, never.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, we'll just need to go into Mexico.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I didn't say go into.

President Trump says he's not saying when troops will go to Chicago

>> Fred Jackson: Well, for another non controversial subject.

>> Tim Wildmon: Go out there in the Gulf of America then. Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Has, is often the case when President Trump has an announce about something, as he did yesterday about Space Command going to Huntsville. he, he, he wanders over and talks about other things. And yes, yeah, he does that a lot. And that's what makes the news. And so yesterday, in the midst, you know, he asked reporters, you guys got any questions? Well, of course they do. when are you going to send troops into Chicago? And the president had an answer for them. Cut number three.

>> Donald Trump: I didn't say when we're going in. When you lose. Look, I have an obligation. This isn't a political thing. I have an obligation. When we lose, when 20 people are killed over the last two and a half weeks and 75 are, shot with bullets, there's no place in the world, including. You can go to Afghanistan. You can go to places that you would think of. They don't even come close to this. I would love to have him call. I would love the governor of Illinois. I'd be honored to take his call. All he has to do is say, sir, we need help. It's out of control, and everyone knows it is. He's not kidding anyone.

>> Fred Jackson: Now at, the first of that cut, he said, I'm not saying when we're going to do it, but he prefaced the whole response by saying, we are going in to Chicago. Unequivocally, he said, I. We are going in. I'm not going to say when. Now. Needless to say.

>> Tim Wildmon: Going in with what?

>> Fred Jackson: Soldiers?

>> Wesley Wildmon: National Guard.

>> Fred Jackson: Yep.

>> Tim Wildmon: No, you get. You're kidding me.

>> Fred Jackson: No, sir.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He said we're going in.

>> Fred Jackson: He said we're going in, but as you said, I'm not going to say when.

>> Tim Wildmon: Now. He's not talking. I'm with him on ice.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Right, right. That's for sure. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: But I'm totally against sending the National Guard. Wesley's probably with him. You with him, Wesley, on sending the National Guard in to protect our citizens.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Well, the good news is, if you think you're gonna get me.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm already on the record on today's issue saying that I'm. That I think that. Wolf, it's not as much as. What I think should happen is the Constitution doesn't allow for.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I agree.

>> Wesley Wildmon: But now. Now, again, we said this was gonna. You called this yesterday. You said this was gonna happen. That he's gonna troll them by saying.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That you think trolling.

>> Wesley Wildmon: It's just as much trolling. Because here's what. Here's what can happen. He could get asked to. In three or four weeks from now, he could get asked to.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Wesley Wildmon: and then he's. And then he can come back, say, I told you. I said we're going in.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Wesley Wildmon: So.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. But if you. I don't think the governor of Illinois or the mayor of Chicago are going to ask him to do.

>> Wesley Wildmon: They may not. May not. They may not. Any more than the Washington, D.C. mayor, did. But eventually she came around. But that's.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But that was a federal city.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't think he can legally do it without being asked by the mayor or by the governor.

>> Tim Wildmon: Short, short of a, some sort of national emergency that's going to be,

>> Wesley Wildmon: He'S going, he's going to host rally.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And that's what he's, that's what he's saying. He's saying this is an emergency. I don't think. No, no way with that.

>> Tim Wildmon: No, no, not, not, not, not what should be handled by the law. The citizens of Chicago, themselves, through, their elected officials.

Tim Ferriss: President Trump is considering sending in federal troops to Chicago

You can't just have a president sending in federal troops.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: To, to do police work. This is. The city's not burning down. Okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: you're not having to. Well, there's not an order on that scale.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right. So anyway, we'll see what happens here. But I think he's going to lose the vast majority of conservatives on this one. Trump is. If he says, I'm sending National Guardsmen from Tennessee up to patrol the streets.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Of Chicago without cooperating with the Chicago Police Department. You can't do that.

>> Tim Wildmon: You can't do that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't. And by the way, folks, please don't.

>> Tim Wildmon: I don't email you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, don't email me. I love 98% of what Donald Trump is doing as president. I'm a huge fan of what he's been doing. But you cannot, it's illegal. The Posse Comitatus act forbids federal troops from doing law enforcement duties unless it is in conjunction backing up the police department. And if the police department, via the mayor says we don't want you, then it is legal. The federal, federal troops cannot occupy a city for law enforcement. Law enforcement purposes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Is that what Trump's talking about? That sounds like what he's talking about.

>> Fred Jackson: He, he says, yes, we're going in. I'm not going to say.

>> Tim Wildmon: When is anybody on his team saying this is a bad idea?

>> Fred Jackson: not publicly. They're not saying it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right. It may be like Wesley saying he may be trolling them a little bit to get the conversation, you know, or, keep the conversation going. Because Chicago, that over this law, over.

>> Fred Jackson: This long weekend, over 50 shootings and in the last 12 hours, there have been seven more shootings. Now, Pritzker, the governor says we don't have a crime problem. What somebody suggested is that Trump should hold a news conference in Chicago.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's what Tim suggested, is that.

>> Fred Jackson: And then have. And maybe after we come back from the break, there's a bunch of Chicago residents now that saying, we have a huge crime problem. We need President Trump to Do something.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's clear that, that policies in Chicago and in the state of Illinois are, and are not strong enough on crime. And this is why they've got. This is a serious problem. So, I think, do you have some sound from Chicago residents?

>> Fred Jackson: I do.

>> Ed Vitagliano: When we come back. Ah, after the, after the break. We do have a guest. We do gonna have. So we may m. Push this later on in the program but I'd like to hear from some of these Chicago residents. They know there's a crime problem. You can't have a long weekend without kids getting shot, people, innocent bystanders. This is, this is a terrible thing. And this is the result of liberal policies.

>> Tim Wildmon: I think Trump will back off this because he's going to be told by his attorney general he can't do this.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yes, he's not, I don't think he'll do it, but it's good. He's trolling.

>> Tim Wildmon: I get a little tired of my president trolling. Okay, that's for late night TV host.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Well, by the way, you know what he said in his own, in the own press conference? He said, I wish somebody would take my phone away sometimes.

>> Fred Jackson: Is that what Trump said?

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, we'll be back momentarily.

Over 38,000 babies saved and 4,000 commitments to Christ through preborn

>> Ed Vitagliano: Finally, some Good news. Over 38,000 babies saved and more than 4,000 commitments to Christ through the ministry of preborn this year alone. Here's Dan Steiner, president of PreBorn. If we can get a mom into one of our clinics and show her her baby and she has that close, encounter of the best kind in her womb, she will choose life. Preborn's networks of clinics provide hope, love, free ultrasounds and the gospel in action across America. This is Ed Vitagliano. Will you join preborn and AFR as we rescue 70,000 babies lives this year. For $28, you can sponsor an ultrasound and help save a baby's life. To donate, dial £250 and say the keyword baby. That's £250 baby. Or donate securely at preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr.

>> Tim Wildmon: This is today's issues.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's Issues are available for listening.

>> Tim Wildmon: And viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of, today's issues.

American Family Radio has a new movie coming out this weekend called Light of the World

Hey, welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to afr. Tim, Ed, fascist and Fred here with us today.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Oh, we got old today's issue going on.

>> Tim Wildmon: so Wesley, Wesley, Fred, Tim and Ed, thanks for listening to American Family Radio. Well, there's a big movie coming out that I wanted to make you aware of, if you haven't heard already. It's called Light of the World and it's, going to be opening in theaters this weekend. And joining us to talk about it is T. Ray grand staff. He is a film producer of Light of the World, one of them, and he's been on with us before. T. Ray, good morning to you.

>> Jeff Shreve: Good morning, my friend. How are you today?

>> Tim Wildmon: Doing well. How's life in northwest Arkansas today? You there?

>> Jeff Shreve: Oh, life is, going well. I find myself in Fort Smith and you know, things are going great. I mean, this is game time. You know, you got the pre game jitters. You're looking forward to what's coming up this weekend. And we're so excited and thankful for friends like AFR being advocates for faith and for family and in this case, a great film.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. The movie is called Light of the World. It's animated. It's an animated film. I saw it about, a month ago or six weeks ago here in Tupelo. T. Ray brought the film down and we watched it at a theater and was very impressed. It's, T. Ray, tell our listeners about the movie. Ah. And then, we want to talk about how people can, support the film.

>> Jeff Shreve: Yes, thank you. It is a throwback movie to, I think the best of the animated days. some of the filmmakers that we partnered with directed Mulan, Mary Poppins Returns, Space Jam, a new Legacy, Beauty and the Beast and Lion King. So we're talking about some of the best 2D hand drawn animators in the world are working on this film. And it's just, it's beautiful. It glorifies Jesus. It tells the story of Jesus through a very unique perspective through the eyes of Jesus's youngest disciple, John. So it's a coming of age story and so you get to see all of the favorite parts of the Bible. And what people have told me is that actor and during the film they get to experience a holy spirit reminder because God reminds us all that Jesus taught. And through this film, it really supports the biblical storyline. Plus it's fun. It shows the beauty, the divinity, but also the humanity of Jesus.

Light of the World coming out in theaters this weekend

So we want to encourage people to support Light of the World coming out in theaters this weekend.

>> Tim Wildmon: And, how do people find out which theater closest to them it's going to be showing?

>> Jeff Shreve: Yes, the best way to do that, you can even purchase tickets online at Light oftheworld.com. you know, this film will be opening in 2,000 theaters throughout the U.S. 95 theaters in Canada and 36 other countries. Now, what's unique about it, Brother Tim, is that we made it from a nonprofit perspective. And so that's very unique. And the reason we did that is we didn't want private investors because we weren't going to have any creative compromise. We wanted every dollar earned to go directly back into ministry. And so after theatrical and then in streaming, we're going to pull these revenue sources to be able to translate the film into 140 languages over the next five years to give away to global ministries and local ministries worldwide to be able to further. And using the hands as a tool for them to be able to reach the audience God's called them to do. And so our hope and our desire and what we're striving for, by God's grace, is that 1 billion people will come into contact through this film and get to know Jesus a little bit better.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, not one billion. that would be you talking about over time, obviously, but that would be.

>> Jeff Shreve: yes, over five years.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. That would be 16 of the world's population if that were to happen.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and I, and I'll just, I'll just tell you, T. Ray, it, it's, it's a great idea to have an animated film because you're going to get a lot of parents who take their kids to see it. It's obviously going to have an impact on children, but the adults with them.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Both at the same time, it's kind.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Of, kind of a sneak attack. The adults are gonna, are gonna hear the gospel and they're gonna learn about, excuse me, about Jesus while they're taking their kids to see a, a kids movie, an animated film kind of thing. Even though I'm sure animation wise, it's. You get a lot of adults who like to see that kind of stuff anyway.

>> Tim Wildmon: And trickery is a good virtue on the part of Christians. I think you're on to something here. no, I'm just, I'll be wise.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

>> Tim Wildmon: Serpent, not trickery.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right?

>> Tim Wildmon: It's. You're trying to appeal to as many people as you can in animation. Parents think, okay, I'll take my kid to see an animated movie about Jesus. And you're right, then, then, then, then they see the story themselves and.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Their guard is dead.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And the sooner, sooner that you have an impact on a person's life, obviously, AKA child, the more likely you are for them to stay with Christianity as Well, all right.

Light of the World opens in 2000 theaters this weekend

>> Tim Wildmon: I want. Folks, we're asking you to do something, support this movie. It's called Light of the World. It's, outstanding. I saw it. And, it's an hour. And what is an hour? 20 minutes? Something like that?

>> Jeff Shreve: It's 83 minutes. Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, well, you're being technical. I was just. I said I had to pull that out. I said hour 20, and you went. Anyway, so the movie is gonna, be out. Is that Friday night? There's a Saturday. When does it start?

>> Jeff Shreve: Yes, it's, Friday night, and in some areas, it begins tomorrow night.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.

>> Jeff Shreve: But in 2000 theaters, it starts Friday night. Runs throughout the weekend. And what's so important is, you know, after watching the first week of college football, you know, good teams can lose their first game but still come back and win the national championship. but what's important for our friends and those followers of Jesus to understand, you know, in this system, you've got one time to show up, and it's the opening weekend. And based on that opening weekend, we get to stay in theaters, you know, week two, three, and four. So our encouragement is to, you know, while others want, to curse the darkness of talking about negative things, we want to hold up the light, the light of Jesus. And one way to do that is to send a message. Opening weekend. We believe in faith films that truly matter. We believe in Jesus. And so let's make a statement opening weekend, this weekend. And you can do that by going to Light of the world.com and order your tickets.

T. Ray: We pray for this movie to be seen by millions this weekend

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, T. Ray. Well, we wish, you the best for you. We pray for this movie to be seen, you know, by who knows, millions this weekend. We hope and pray and that it, ministers to people and changes lives. I know that's your wish and desire and all the teams to put this film together again, folks, the easiest way to find out where the movie is going to be showing near you, and it's 25. How many. How many places? 2000.

>> Jeff Shreve: 2000. 2000 theaters.

>> Tim Wildmon: 2000 theaters. And it's in Canada as well. So if you want to know where the movie showing near you, it's near you. If there's 2,000 openings, it's going to be somewhere near you. Go to Light of the World calm. Light of the World calm. All right, T. Ray, thanks so much for being on with us. We, and we will, certainly lift you up in our prayers.

>> Jeff Shreve: Thank you, guys. Great to be with you.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, thank you.

T. Ray: I just say bomb them. It's hard for me to joke about that

All right, that was T. Ray grand staff joining us From Fort Smith, Arkansas. And, I did see them. You didn't get to see it when you were here, did you?

>> Ed Vitagliano: I did not.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but I think your grandkids did.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They.

>> Tim Wildmon: They did, yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I don't know what we were doing. I thought I was going to use. Because I can't remember what we were. What we were doing.

>> Tim Wildmon: you're probably out hunting narco terrorists.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Thought we were at a. At a ball game for the kids.

>> Wesley Wildmon: But I don't know if y' all remember or pick it up on this, but y' all are. Y' all are losing that one, so I wouldn't keep. I would keep bringing it up.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm converting over to you. I just say bomb them. That's mad.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Leave me on an island.

>> Wesley Wildmon: It's hard for me to joke about that, because if you enter into terrorism, you forfeit your right to live if.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You'Re going back to this issue.

You go to lightoftheworld. com and you type in your zip code

>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay, all right. So, by the way, you go to lightoftheworld.com and you type in your zip code. It's that simple. I mean.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I see. It's playing near us.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, it's playing in Jupiter. Of course, it gives you some extra ones that are a little further out, like Oxford, Mississippi, Memphis, Germantown. If you type in our zip code.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Wesley Wildmon: So you can type in yours. So, yeah, I mean, if it's in Tupelo, Mississippi, it's going to be.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's 2,000 cities all over America.

President Trump plans to move Space Command from Colorado to Alabama

I want to go back to this Space Command for just a minute, because it was. That was a big story yesterday. It's one of the things President Trump talked about, him moving, the Space Command from Colorado to Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama.

>> Fred Jackson: That is correct.

>> Tim Wildmon: the U.S. there's already a big NASA presence. Very big in Huntsville. it's called Rocket City, right?

>> Fred Jackson: That's correct.

>> Tim Wildmon: So, did President Trump elaborate on that at all, or.

>> Fred Jackson: Well,

>> Tim Wildmon: Is there a reason for moving it?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, he said, well, it was recommended. So just some little bit of history during his first term in office. he talked about Space Command. He talked about having it in Huntsville, Alabama, because that was the recommendation, from the U.S. air Force that, Huntsville was the best place because they're so involved now in military research, et cetera, et cetera. Then Trump lost the election. Biden gets in, and Biden says, no, I think I'd rather put that in Colorado, Colorado Springs. And, Trump believes that was very.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Political, of course, because the jobs go to a kind of blue or purple state. Yes, Rather than a red state.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. So, Trump indicated very early on in this second term that he planned to bring Space Command, to Huntsville. He made the formal announcement yesterday. so it means 30,000 jobs there.

>> Tim Wildmon: Wow.

>> Fred Jackson: They are well established in the technical field. They're doing things, you name, you know, they're developing drones, all of this sort of thing. So it is, it is a more natural home for what they want to do. And one of the things that was mentioned yesterday during this news conference, Pete, Hegseth, our Defense Secretary was there. He said the next war is going to be one in the air.

>> Fred Jackson: That's where the shooting, the altercation between people and weapons is going to be. so it just makes sense because there's so much research in that field, in the aerospace field going on in Huntsville already. Redstone is there. They have been going, and this has been going on for decades now, developing the lunar module.

>> Tim Wildmon: all I had to roll in that I had a role in that one.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Developing the lunar model.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: I don't talk about it much.

>> Fred Jackson: Okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Just, just on the air with millions of people.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's just a side gig I got going on.

>> Fred Jackson: But go ahead anyway. It's it's a big, big deal for Huntsville. Huntsville, is. It is somebody tell me it's the largest city in Alabama now.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's the largest city proper in Alabama. Birmingham. Still the greater Birmingham areas, larger hunt. But Huntsville is the city in in Alabama. And a lot of, as I said, a lot of engineering, attachment to the space and space. I say space industry, the NASA and so forth. You know what Jeff Foxworthy says, You.

>> Fred Jackson: Know, do it in his voice.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Do it in his voice.

>> Tim Wildmon: there's two words come together. Two words that don't go together. NASA and Alabama. That's what Jeff Fox. I'm not dissing on Alabama.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right. He did it.

>> Tim Wildmon: Jeff Foxworthy, something in his uppity Georgia attitude is dissing on his southern brothers.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know when he says some people say some people. No, that is a.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Before some people say that's what it was.

>> Tim Wildmon: That is a joke. Jeff Fox, where he uses though, two words don't go together. NASA and Alabama.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But, but that is right what Fred's talking about. Drones. And especially in space militaries, modern militaries can't do anything without satellites.

>> Ed Vitagliano: The Chinese have done a lot of work with anti satellite weaponry. So all that when we talk about space force having satellite based lasers that can knock out ICBMs once they're launched, all that kind of stuff. That is the future. And President Trump was right to develop Space Force. a lot of this is, probably goes back to the, to the Reagan era, in terms of vision. And, we don't want to get. I don't know if we are on par with the Chinese in terms of that. I think probably we have our US Military probably has a lot of technology that we don't know about. I hope so. But we've got to keep up and hopefully surpass the Chinese to, possibly stave off a war with him.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to Today's Issues. That's the name of this show on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Ed, Wesley and Fred, next story.

Fred Kaplan: Democrats may lose black vote in inner cities because of rising crime

Fred?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, just for a moment before the break, we were talking about what Trump had to say about sending military into Chicago. And of course, the Governor Pritzker has said we don't have a crime problem in Chicago that, that warrants this. Trump did say, he said, I wish Pritzker would get on the phone and invite me there and I'd be there to help him. Chicago. There are residents in Chicago who say their governor and the mayor of Chicago are lying to the American people. Now, that's how they put it. And here's a bit of an example of a Chicago resident who says, there is no question we have a huge crime problem in Chicago.

>> Jeff Shreve: Cut to the fact of seeing seniors getting killed, our children getting killed, mothers getting killed, young men getting killed, and we are not getting any help at all. it's starting to become normalized. We're dealing with a progressive Democratic.

>> Jeff Shreve: Gang, I call them, they are the real gangster disciples, the city of Chicago Democratic machine. This machine has been like this for a very long time, and no one has ever challenged it. Except, in 2023, when 22 million illegal immigrants, came over from the previous administration and 70,000 were placed in the city of Chicago. They are trying to make the city of Chicago a socialist, communist city, and it simply cannot be that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, you know, that's. We talk a lot on this program about the amount of crime in the inner city, inner cities of America. We also note the high prevalence, percentage wise, of young black males that commit these crimes. But you know what? Listening to that lady, the black community is under siege. There's a lot of innocent black people in these big cities who are just victims. They're either victims or they're victims, waiting to happen. And they, they listen that you hear this, this woman, talk about adults, about elderly being victimized, mothers and children being shot by, you know, dry, with drive by shootings or criminal activity. They feel it more than anybody. And the Democratic Party better, better watch out. It would be a sea change, that's for sure. But they may allow so much crime to go on that they start losing the black vote. Because these are people who want their kids to get educated. Why isn't the Democratic Party in favor of school choice? They want their, their kids to, to be family oriented. They want them to be safe and if you can't. And they want them to have grocery stores. They want them to have drugstores that stay open in their neighborhoods. Neighborhoods and don't shut down because of all the theft. These, we're talking about the basic necessities of life. And if Democratic policies are seen as taking that away, you could start losing the black vote. That's a long shot. But stranger things have happened, I think.

>> Wesley Wildmon: In general elections or even statewide elections that may be true. And I think that's where you could actually see a pushback towards the Democrats. But in the inner cities, just based on what I'm seeing and what I've fought over the last couple years, I think that is a hamster wheel that only repeats itself. I think all the decent people, a lot of the people that, under that I say decent, meaning they understand what's going on. They don't live there, they work there. And so the reasons your numbers are so high of population is because you got people working there. I think a lot of the people that would otherwise switch their vote from Democrat to Republican in order to change the election of a inner city, they don't live there. And so I think, I think the inner cities are, I don't know, I don't know what would fix that, to be honest with you. that's my opinion. But I do think what you're saying could well, has been applied to states, I think states. You have seen a couple states that go from blue to purple to red because of one of, one of many reasons, which is the inner city crime.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

One college in New York has a course called how to steal

>> Fred Jackson: All right. You know, talking about crime, would you believe that in our country right now there are, there is at least one college that has a course starting this fall. And this is the official name of, the course how to Steal.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I wouldn't believe that.

>> Fred Jackson: How to Steal. This is the, Hugean Lang College of Liberal Arts, Sociology Department. It's in New York. Tuition there is just a mere $60,000 a year I am going to read you the official course description. This field based seminar explores the politics, ethics and aesthetics of theft in a world where accumulation is sacred, dispossession is routine, and the line between private property and public good is drawn in blood. Students will critically examine what it means to steal from whom, for whom and why. Through site visits and fieldwork. In places where capital is hoarded and value is contested. Corporate storefronts, grocery chains, museums, libraries, banks and cultural institutions, we will ask, is it possible to steal back what was already stolen? What does theft look like under capitalism, colonialism, and in everyday life? When is theft survival, protest or care? And when is it violence, appropriation, or harm? Readings will span critical theory, political economy, abolitionist thought, and radical histories of expropriation and redistribution. Students will produce field journals, collective mappings, and speculative strategies for redistributing wealth, knowledge and beauty. This is not a course in petty crime. It is a study in moral ambiguity, radical ethics, and imaginative justice.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Moral ambiguity?

>> Tim Wildmon: Imaginative justice. That sounds like a, like a, like a soap opera.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, it sounds like they're saying, hey, just imagine who you can steal from, then go do it.

>> Fred Jackson: And feel good about it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And feel good tomorrow.

>> Tim Wildmon: Next week on Imaginative Justice.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's just. That's just straight Marxism.

>> Tim Wildmon: Where's that happening?

>> Fred Jackson: This is Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts Sociology. I invite you to Google this course, how to Steal. Fox did a feature on this this morning. Apparently, this college is not the only one with wacky courses. But this, this is teaching students that if you feel you're being taken advantage of by that evil capitalism, then you have a moral right to go ahead and steal.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's a form of political protest. Listen, this is, this is what they're teaching in a lot of these liberal arts schools or the liberal arts departments within schools. They are teaching this garbage. It is preparing kids to be Marxists and socialists who believe that if you overthrow the Republic, we'll get true justice. And what they'll find out is you can vote your way into communism, but you got to fight your way out.

>> Fred Jackson: And is it any surprise that this college is in New York City where a gentleman by the last name of, Mamdani is going to win the Merrill race there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's a good point.

>> Fred Jackson: And this is his platform? Yeah, this is his platform.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, if some. And then I'll let Wesley jump in here. If, if we're going to do this experiment and make, some city, a laboratory, let's do New York City. Because it's going to Be fun to watch if you're outside of it.

Mamdani believes Mandani will win New York mayoral election in November

>> Wesley Wildmon: so I had a question. So where are they? Where are we on the Mandani? Is that going to. When's the election?

>> Fred Jackson: The last poll that I saw, he is way out in front of the other three. Yeah, the current mayor is like down at single digit in the polls.

>> Wesley Wildmon: is that Adams?

>> Tim Wildmon: Adams.

>> Fred Jackson: Adams. So Mamdani, if the polls are true and accurate, he is going to win this in November. And I tell you what, the millionaires who live in New York have got to be a little bit nervous.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And the corporations. Yes, listen, he's. He wants government, grocery. Government run grocery stores.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And this is the part of statism, whether it's fascism or communism, that people don't understand. Companies can't compete with government subsidized grocery stores. all these grocery stores are going to these tax revenue. That's what they'll start off doing.

>> Wesley Wildmon: But until they run out.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Until they run out.

>> Tim Wildmon: What's his name? What's his whole name?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Zohan. How can a guy named Zohan get elected mayor?

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, that's a superhero name. just be honest. yeah, that is.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. We will return with more of today's issues after this short time out. We'll see you back here in a few minutes. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Tim, Ed and Wesley talk with Fred on top news headlines of the day including a discussion on narco-terrorist and also President wanting to send National Guard into Chicago. Also, T. Ray Grandstaff joins the program to discuss the movie "Light Of The World".