Ed Vitagliano Today's Issues continues on AFR with your.

Steve Jordahl Host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.

Tim Wildmon Man, if I could have played against girls in high school and basketball, I'd probably been an All American.

Ed Vitagliano An All American at what? In girls basketball?

Tim Wildmon Yeah. Well, yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what it would have been called except, I don't know. If you'd have done that in the 70s and 80s when I was in high school. You would have been.

Ed Vitagliano You got beaten up behind the school.

Tim Wildmon You would have got beaten up. Yeah. All right. Steve Paisley. Jordan. Good morning, Steve.

Steve Jordahl Good morning, everybody. Yeah, I'd probably, I. I was. I was a musician in high school, not an athlete, so I can't tell you what I would have done against the girls. I probably would have embarrassed myself.

Tim Wildmon Listen, listen, there are some extraordinary. You're about to see this in the Winter Olympic Games coming up in February. There are some extraordinary, women athletes in the world who can, in some sports, like gymnastics, for example, do things that males cannot do.

Steve Jordahl Correct. Right. It's a different sport.

Tim Wildmon It's a different sport and different sports. That is true. but for somebody to deny or act like they don't know the physiological differences between male and female, in terms of muscle mass, lung, capacity, bone, bone density.

Ed Vitagliano Yeah.

Tim Wildmon All those things that we all see for our own eyes, and then we pretend like that's not going to matter, in a. In an athletic competition. That way we shouldn't discriminate on somebody who, who says today that they're a female is ridiculous. all right, you're listening to today's issue. Steve, what's your first story?

Franklin Graham asks you to pray for our country at noon today

Steve Jordahl all right, let's talk about, today at. It is, noon in, Washington in, the Eastern time zone. Right. That's true if you are in the Eastern time zone.

Tim Wildmon Well, if you feel like it is, Steve.

Steve Jordahl Well, that's true.

Tim Wildmon If you don't feel like it is.

Steve Jordahl Maybe it's noon somewhere and it happens to be on the East Coast. Franklin Graham is asking you, and we will give you permission to pause for a bit from our program to pray for our country, because as Franklin Graham says, we've never been in a worse situation. He's taking a look. I talked to him yesterday, and I have a thing to play for you from him from Fox this morning where he says the same thing. his daughter Cissy was at the Supreme Court listening to these arguments and, says it's a scriptural battle that's going on. I want to listen to what Franklin Graham has to say about all of this. Cut 3.

Franklin Graham The sins of our country are so great. My daughter was at the Supreme Court yesterday listening to the arguments about women, or men being in women's sports and locker rooms and so forth. And the aclu, when asked, can you define what a woman is, Couldn't give a definition. Are you kidding me? We're listening to arguments when you can't even give a definition. so our country is not just confused. It's been blinded by the God of this age, the devil. The Bible says we have been blinded, and look around us, and people are confused and they're blinded. They don't even know what the truth is. they don't even recognize the truth when it's right in front of them. They don't want to recognize it. Our country has never been in more trouble than it is today. And so, I just hope the moment to ask for God's help. God can fix it. Repent, turn from our sins and, put our faith and trust in him.

Tim Wildmon Amen, brother.

Ed Vitagliano Amen.

Steve Jordahl So at noon today, wherever you are, he's asking you to stop and pray. And he said to me, he said, it starts with ourselves. Ask, God to take an inventory of your own life, personal life. Repent before God of any sins that you might be holding onto.

Tim Wildmon Before you, what's the devil he's talking about? What the devil is he talking about?

Steve Jordahl There's a spiritual warfare going on in the world, that we don't see with our eyes, but it's very real.

Tim Wildmon I'm asking a question I know the answer to, but just for the benefit of maybe listeners who, they want to listen to these religious nuts talk about the devil, right? And they get a kick out of that. Well, because that's what Franklin Graham just said. He said the devil. So my question to you, is this something real? The devil is just like Bigfoot or a tooth fairy or something?

Ed Vitagliano Well, no, the devil is real.

Tim Wildmon who says?

Ed Vitagliano Jesus Christ says it, God says it. The Bible says it. most religions that have ever existed, not that we're relying on them for any, sort of authoritative declaration, have recognized the fact that, human beings are not alone on this planet. There is a spiritual realm right next door. And the veil between the natural world and the spiritual world is that veil in between those two realms is very thin. And there is, in the spiritual realm, there are, beings that serve God, and carry out his will. And there are beings who exist in defiance of God. God's will.

Tim Wildmon Not human beings.

Ed Vitagliano No, no, this is in the spiritual realm. And these, So you have angels. that's what they are called, General. Generally speaking, there's some variety in the language that the Bible uses to name these spiritual beings that obey God and serve his purposes. And fallen angels or demons are those beings that resist the will of God and try to destroy human beings and human existence. And those are very real. And the Bible says they are led by a supreme rebel. And we call him, the Bible calls him the devil, which, that Greek word means slanderer, the one who slanders God.

Tim Wildmon Satan is also another word.

Ed Vitagliano Satan means adversary. and it is usually a. Not always, but usually a proper name. The adversary, the one who leads these fallen angels in rebellion against God. And when we talk about. And when Franklin Graham talks about, the state, the spiritual state of our nation, he is saying spiritual darkness has gripped the lives, the minds, the lives, the, the hearts of millions of people in this country and are leading them to act in a lawless manner in defiance of the truth of God.

Tim Wildmon Yeah. Amen. Couldn't. That's great, great. theology right there. And so folks, we would just say if you say, well, the devil, what are you talking about? Or that's, f. Fictional. you know, that's Greek mythology, so to speak. No. Well, every person has to, has to look and decide for themselves. But, but, but the truth is that Jesus Christ himself in the Bible, confronted Satan, right. The devil, and talked about an, ah, evil spiritual entity known as the devil. So if we're crazy, you would have to say Jesus Christ was crazy because the Bible has an accounting of his confrontations with, Satan and his talk of what Satan does. Right.

Ed Vitagliano And the fact we kind of flip this a little bit. And the fact that Jesus Christ defeated Satan through his death upon the cross and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has, broken the power of darkness. And to Steve's point and to Franklin Graham. Reverend Franklin Graham's point, Christians are called to pray and ask God to intervene in a land like ours. Okay? And we pray about any land, but he's asking that we pray and ask that God begin to turn hearts and minds and to him.

Tim Wildmon Amen. And a revival, national revival.

Ed Vitagliano A revival.

Tim Wildmon Because like we've had in the past, in our history of the United States, several times.

Steve Jordahl Yeah, right.

Becca Good: Only God can save America, and we must be active

Ed Vitagliano So, we have said this many, many m. Countless times. I've been here almost, 30 years. February, will be my 30th anniversary, here as, an employee. I, can't tell you how many thousands of times we've said this, written this, broadcast, broadcast this. When we ask Christians to get involved in politics and vote and call this company or that company, folks, we do not believe. I don't know a single person here who believes that is going to lead to the salvation of this country. Okay? We are doing that. As well as praying and preaching the gospel and broadcasting sermons, we are doing that understanding that only God can save America. But we cannot be paralyzed with fear or discouragement, or, do nothing. We must be active. We all recognize that only God can save America.

Steve Jordahl Yeah. Ah, let me tell you how this plays out in real life. Give, you an example. the Raechel Greene issue. Eryn Burnett at CNN interviewed Raechel Greene's former father in law. Raechel Greene was married to a guy named Timmy Macklin Jr. Who we talking about?

Tim Wildmon Raechel.

Steve Jordahl Raechel Greene. Raechel Good. I'm sorry, was the gal that was shot by ICE officers. I said Greene is good. Raechel Good. Her former father in law, she was married to Timmy Macklin Jr. Who passed away. but her former father in law was talking about what was going on here. And he has a biblical, view of this whole thing. Now, the context is he's related to Raechel Goode. It's a tragedy for him.

Tim Wildmon He knew her.

Steve Jordahl He also has a feeling, a thought about her current person in her life, the woman that she's having a relationship with. And he has a, whole other. I mean, this, to me is a way that you apply a biblical worldview to what's happening. listen to cut 15.

Speaker E Well, you know, I'm not blaming anybody. I mean, it's a hard situation all the way around. It's, It's. It's hard for the, you know, for everybody involved. I mean, the ICE agent, you know, at first I didn't see the footage where, you know, he was actually, you know, he was actually being ran. I mean, I seen the bump of the car hitting, you know, hitting his legs. And so in a, you know, in a flash like that, it's. It's hard to say how you would react. from my understanding that he had been through that before, maybe dragged or something. And so, you know, like I said, it's just, it's just a hard situation for everybody. you know, Becca, you know, it's. She's a great person as well. I mean, you know, I don't have any. Many Enemies. I love everybody. And, and that's what the Bible tells us. Love our neighbors as we love ourselves. But, you know, I think there's some bad choices and the word says for the wrath of God will come up on maternal disobedience. And you know, it's, it's, I don't blame us, I don't blame Rebecca. I don't blame Renee. I just, you know, I just wish that, you know, if we're walking the spirit of God, I don't think she would have been there.

Tim Wildmon Who was that again?

Steve Jordahl That was the former father in law of Renee Good, whose, the end comment there. If we walk in the spirit of God, if we made better decisions, she wouldn't have been there in the first place. Yeah.

Tim Wildmon Oh, no. Listen, you're literally putting your life at risk when you go out with the intention of confronting police officers and in this case federal law enforcement, and you're going to use your vehicle to impede them. Get out in the middle of the street. Now, it would have been one thing had she done that and then got out. And when the officer said get out of the car, and she got out of the car, obeyed and peacefully, submitted herself, you know, to handcuffs or whatever the case may be in or citation. I don't know what, I don't guess they can issue a citation. They. But anyway, instead she decided to press to, to, to not obey the command to get out of her vehicle.

Franklin Graham Yes.

Tim Wildmon As officer was walking up when she's in the middle of the street. By the way, you could have had an ambulance coming.

Steve Jordahl Yeah, right.

Tim Wildmon You could have had a fire truck coming. And she's still out there blocking the road. And again, being a smart alec and tawning, she and her, wife quote, there. So when you do that, you do put yourself in a bad position and a vulnerable position. And in this case, the worst case scenario happened where she lost her life. I guess it would only been worse by one of the ICE agents also losing their life. The guy get run over, was in the hospital for a while. He could have been killed had the car just gone on and rolled right over him.

Steve Jordahl Everything you're saying is absolutely correct. And what the former father in law, Timmy Macklin is saying is if they had been doing their decisions based on spiritual, godly things, they would not have been there in the first place to put themselves in that position.

I do not support the United States taking Greenland by force

Tim Wildmon Next story.

Steve Jordahl All right, President Trump still has an eye on our neighbor to the East Greenland. He still kind of wants to take over There. And he says things. Everything's on the table. the premier of Greenland. His name is Jens Frederick Nielsen.

Tim Wildmon Frederick.

Steve Jordahl Jens. Jens. J, E, N, S. Frederick.

Tim Wildmon I don't know if Jens Frederick.

Steve Jordahl I don't know. Yeah, Nielsen. I don't know.

Tim Wildmon I used to know it.

Steve Jordahl Did you?

Tim Wildmon Yeah. Back in high school.

Steve Jordahl Was it premier of Greenland?

Tim Wildmon Well, he was a, student. He was here from another country.

Steve Jordahl Well, if it's the same guy, I don't know if you.

Tim Wildmon Jens. What did you say?

Steve Jordahl Jens Frederick Nielsen. I don't know if the J is.

Tim Wildmon Anyway, what about Jens Frederick?

Steve Jordahl He is the premier of Greenland and he says we don't want the US to which Donald Trump says, cut 13.

Ed Vitagliano The premier of, Greenland said today we prefer to stay with Denmark.

Steve Jordahl That's their problem. That's their problem. I disagree with him. I don't know who he is. Don't know anything about him, but that's.

Ed Vitagliano Going to be a big problem for him. Oh, man.

Tim Wildmon Ariadne, you take this one.

Ed Vitagliano All right, this is. This is wrong. Okay? It's my opinion. I know we've got a. And I support President Trump, you know, 95% of the time, but I don't support it. I don't even Support my wife 100% of the time, folks. And, this is wrong. You can't just take another country. And that's what it sounds like President Trump is doing. Now, we've had discussions about this. I don't know if. If this is. Everyone always jokes about this, but if this is 3D or 4D chess, and what he really wants is an expansion of military access to the parts, the vast parts of Greenland that nobody needs. So we can have military bases and missile systems to shoot down missiles from Russia if that day, God forbid, ever comes. Okay, maybe this is just President Trump, m. You know, making this offer, knowing that what he really wants is way back here. But I do not support the United States taking Greenland by force. I'm just going to say that that is wrong. It is an act of war. That is something that Congress should. Has the constitutional authority to declare. It'll get us in hot water with NATO, might lead to military conflict with NATO. This is wrong. If that is what the president really means by this.

Tim Wildmon Well, I tell you, where Trump benefits, from is. And it's always been like this. He benefits from when he says something outrageous, then people just go, well, he just playing, folks.

Ed Vitagliano Right?

Tim Wildmon But he may not be right, but he benefits from both arguments. So if you say, okay, well, he's not serious. He just laying out the negotiation, stakes, like a, Like a, Like a, you know, a business transaction.

Ed Vitagliano He is a wheeler dealer in NewSong York.

Tim Wildmon That's how he was a business tycoon. Right. So he does with. So in negotiations with people about properties or business, you always, you know, you set your mark real high and then knowing that you're going to have to come down off of it. And that's how. That's how we all play the game. Right. But to speak, that's how the world works when you're negotiating the sale of a car or a house or whatever the case may be. I'll give you a hundred. Oh, that's. That's too. That's too.

Ed Vitagliano Are you kidding me?

Tim Wildmon Yeah. you kidding me? I gotta have 120, and then you settle on 110, that kind of thing. So, but Trump does benefit from. Because when you go, well, take Greenland, and then somebody says, well, what's he. Somebody said, do you agree with Trump taking Greenland? Then all you do is say, oh, he doesn't really mean that.

Ed Vitagliano Right.

Tim Wildmon See what I'm saying? Yeah, because he does do that quite a bit. That's how he operates. So I agree with you. I don't think he should have said that.

Ed: President Trump needs congressional approval to take Greenland

What we just heard him say, that's, that's. That's not helpful.

Ed Vitagliano Right.

Tim Wildmon So to speak. And now is he sending. Marco Rubio, Greenland came here to meet.

Steve Jordahl With was, in the U.S. denmark's foreign minister Lars Loki Rasmussen, and Greenland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vivian Mockerfelt came to Washington D.C. to meet, with J.D. vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House.

Tim Wildmon Okay, so, Ed, type in on your search engine there. Does the US have military bases in Greenland?

Ed Vitagliano They do have one. I know.

Tim Wildmon I think there's more than one, but type that in and see what the AI generated answer is.

Steve Jordahl Ed, while you're doing that, could I say probably a lot of people, if you told them three weeks ago, oh, we're gonna do a military action in Venezuela is on the table to take out Maduro. We're gonna land troops there, we're gonna kidnap it, we're gonna bring them home. People said, oh, you're, Trump's just talking, but you never know with the guy.

Ed Vitagliano And that. And that is part of his modus operandi. you never know. The United States currently operates one military base in Greenland, Petufficial. I don't know if I'm pronouncing that right. It may BE Pitufik. It's P I T U F F I K Petufik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base. I had heard about Thule Air Base way back in, when I was in Boston College and took some courses on foreign policy and military and during the Cold War. And I remember Thule Air Base. it is on the northwest coast of Greenland, which most of the settlements are. I think it's because it's a little bit warmer. And it is the northernmost US Military installation, in the world and is operated by the U. S. Space Force.

Tim Wildmon So we already got a military base there.

Ed Vitagliano We do. I don't think it's relative. It's not all that large. I think it is an early warning detection facility.

Tim Wildmon Then if we're going to take Greenland, over the. Over. Over their wishes, the 40, 000 citizens who live there and the Denmark, which is a.

Ed Vitagliano There's an ally.

Tim Wildmon Yeah. Then Trump at least needs to say what these national, interests are. Huh?

Ed Vitagliano Well, listen, my personal opinion is he needs congressional approval to do this.

Tim Wildmon Oh, absolutely.

Ed Vitagliano This isn't, this isn't.

Tim Wildmon Mike Johnson said no, by the way.

Ed Vitagliano Yeah. This isn't like Venezuela, where you say, okay, we're going in, we're getting out. You know, the 19, 73 War Powers act does give the president, because sometimes things happen quickly. This isn't the 1800s where you can send word to Washington, you get time. Okay. So, but, Congress needs to be informed. Leaders of Congress need to be informed within 48 hours and then pass. I don't know if it's 30 or 60 days. They then need congressional approval. You, the president, I don't think has the authority, constitutional authority to take Greenland because then the US Congress has to allocate money for whatever we put there. This is, this is not a constitutional move. If the president winds up doing it.

Tim Wildmon Yeah, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I think he should negotiate some sort of a deal that the people of Denmark and Greenland are happy with and they get a lot of money for, for us having access over there. I think that's what they need to work out. Not. Not Trump telling. What is his name, the. Basically the mayor or the governor premier. Just telling him, I don't care what you say, I don't even know your name. We'll take it if we want it. You can't do that. Okay. I mean, I guess that's a big constitutional question.

Steve Jordahl Let me add this to the, argument. In 1951, during the Cold War, we made an agreement with Greenland or with Denmark, and it was updated in 2004 and it gives the US broad permission to build, maintain and operate military facilities in Greenland. We already have.

Tim Wildmon But then what's the deal?

Steve Jordahl I don't know.

Ed Vitagliano I don't know why they don't use it then. If that's true, if we can do, if we already have the right to do that, it must be about the minerals. And Greenland does have a lot of rare earth minerals. And and it, it, maybe what Trump is thinking is we've got to have those because otherwise we're under the thumb, China's going to get them or whatever. but, but it's still an act of war and you need congressional approval. You need to make that case before Congress.

Tim Wildmon He's going to get, he's not going to get one vote in favor of that.

Ed Vitagliano No. And, and if you want to really put pressure, you want to really play 4D chess and put pressure on Greenland and Denmark, you have congressional hearings that'll put, that'll ramp up the pressure. You have congressional hearings that says, listen, if, if, if the US Is going to be the big boy on the block and protect everybody else, we need access to rare earth minerals. There's plenty in Greenland, right? And we, either Greenland makes a deal with us or for the, for our own sake and the sake of Europe and free countries everywhere, we're going to take it. And if, then, if Congress says you got our permission, then it's a legal move.

Steve Jordahl I thought we already had an agreement with Ukraine to get the rare earth minerals in the middle of their country.

Ed Vitagliano That's under the shadow of Russia at this point. That may be part of the point here.

Tim Wildmon Well, listen, I would just say this. If, if, if the US can discover rare earth minerals in my backyard, I'm willing to negotiate some sort of a financial benefit to me and my family.

Steve Jordahl You might send troops. Is your dog up to the task of defending your property?

Tim Wildmon 13 pound Malteses.

They can only do so much to defend your home. Steve Perry: Thanks for listening to today's show

They can only do so much to defend your home.

Franklin Graham Steve.

Tim Wildmon we'll be back tomorrow. Thank you for listening to today's issues. Have a great day, everybody.