The loss of a child through abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth affects the emotional health
>> Tim Wildmon: The loss of a child through abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth affects the emotional health of families. Feelings of anger, sadness and regret can be overwhelming. There is hope and healing in the aftermath of a reproductive loss. Call the International Helpline at 866-482-life- to talk with someone who has been where you are and healed. To help others.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Your.
>> Tim Wildmon: Your call is confidential. 866-482-LIFE.
Welcome to today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network
>> Ed Vitagliano: Welcome to today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to today' Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. I'm Tim Wildmon. Today's Tuesday, March 17, 2026. And, we again, as always, we thank you for listening. Joining me in studio today is Ed Vitagliano. Good morning, Brother Ed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim and Fred Jackson.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hi there, Tim and Krish Woodward.
>> Chris Woodward: Good morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: Fred's only one wearing green today. Yep.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I forgot all about it. I forgot too, but then again, I'm not Irish, so I have an excuse.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, yeah, but we all, we're all Irish today, Ed. Ah, I think, Fred, you remembered though. Did you?
>> Fred Jackson: No.
>> Tim Wildmon: Or did you? Charlie?
>> Fred Jackson: This is the one I pulled.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Or watch this. Are you just lucked up? Pull the green one out of. There you go. Very good. The rock of the Arabs.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The luck of the Canadians.
So it is St. Patrick's Day and everybody should go to an Irish pub
>> Tim Wildmon: So it is St. Patrick's Day.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: so everybody will go to an Irish pub tonight?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I don't think that I would. I wouldn't. But I don't think there are any.
>> Tim Wildmon: We don't have any in Tupelo. No, no, we need one. We need an Irish.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Now, I hope I could say this on the air, but when I was at Boston College, I was not a Christian on St. Patrick's Day.
>> Tim Wildmon: So you're not responsible for.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm not responsible for. Well, I. Yeah, I was responsible. I'm forgiven. Let's put it that way.
>> Tim Wildmon: Forgiven.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. But, they had a pu. On the campus of Boston College, okay. And on St. Patrick's Day, they would sell green beer and green hot dogs. Now the green beer, okay, you just.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's kind of common, isn't it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: It is common, but the green hot dogs, okay, I could drink the one, but I could not eat the second. It's just something about meat that's dyed green where you go. I know it's just dye, but I can't do it.
>> Chris Woodward: Was it a pink hot dog? You know how some of Them. I'm just wondering how much food color was involved.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They weren't, they weren't completely green. It wasn't like, you know, a crayon or something, but you're eating a piece of crisp.
>> Tim Wildmon: Have you ever been to. Have you ever been to Maguire's down on the coast?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, no, McGuire.
>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah, that's at Destin area.
>> Tim Wildmon: They've got one in Destin and, let's see, Pensacola. I know that's. It's called McGuire's, Irish Pub.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: But it's a big restaurant.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And, but it's got the Irish motif.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Everywhere your food is served by leprechauns or something or.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, they're real leprechauns too. They all live in a little commune
>> Ed Vitagliano: there as, as leprechauns or wants to.
>> Tim Wildmon: Bunch of leprechauns on the beach. It's pretty cool.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Running around.
>> Chris Woodward: What happens when you eat a green hot dog?
>> Tim Wildmon: Your problem is you. Three foot waves take them down. You know what I'm saying?
>> Ed Vitagliano: you have, you have a knack of being able to take some absurd statement that I made and then you just run with it. The three foot waves taking out the leprechauns, it's. It's a national tragedy.
>> Tim Wildmon: Lifeguards just are pulling their hair out.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Trying to search for these little fellows,
>> Chris Woodward: you know, I didn't, I didn't see that episode of Baywatch.
>> Tim Wildmon: You shouldn't be watching Baywatch anyway.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You should be going to an Irish pub.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sir, do they notice I don't drink the green beer?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I don't, but they have.
>> Tim Wildmon: I would just say this. They have excellent food. And, so if you, if you're down. And this. They don't pay me for this. I don't even know the owners. Right. it's called McGuire's Irish Pub. It's a big restaurant. Go ahead.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, well, so folks, we want to hear your stories about St. Patrick's Day. No list.
>> Tim Wildmon: If you ever saw leprechaun out in the ocean, swimming around, go ahead.
American Family Radio is looking for listener stories for its upcoming Sharathon
>> Ed Vitagliano: all right, folks, we do have Sharathon coming up. Our spring sharathon, April789. And we are looking for. Looking for listener stories. Nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day. we do, gather listener stories to play during our Sharathons. And so we'd like to hear from you. And here's the question we're asking. Has the Lord used American family radio to bless you in any way? If you have a story, you would like to share. Not only would we who work here love to hear it, but it would also be a blessing and an encouragement to other people. and so here's how you do that. Here's the number to call. We want to hear your stories. 877-876-8893. That's our listener storyline. You won't talk to a person, but it'll be, kind of like the old answering machine. You will leave a message and we are looking for a minute of your testimony. You don't have to go into great detail. shorter the better. but you might hear yourself during Charathon, and others would hear that testimony as well. And here's the number again. 877-876-8893. And if you have seen the leprechaun, probably need to call another helpline. but, that would be funny. So, anyway, thank you, in advance if you, want to do that.
Two more Iranian security officials eliminated by Israel in Operation EPIC Fury
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Krish, what's your first story?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, it is day 18 of Operation EPIC Fury. That's the name of the combat, operation between the nation of Israel and the US and, today's update involves news of a couple of more Iranian security officials being eliminated by Israel. Fox's Trey Yings broke the news earlier today, and I've got that audio from the initial news report. Clip three.
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: It's huge news. According to Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, top Iranian official Allie Larajani is dead. He was killed in a strike overnight. According to Israel's defense Minister, this was probably the most significant strike. You could describe it in the past week and a half as the Israelis and the Americans are going after the structure of Iran's regime. La Rajani was largely considered the de facto leader in the aftermath of the killing of Iran's former supreme leader. And uncertain questions about Mustafa Khamenei, the man who was elected to be the next supreme leader. Larajani was serving as the secretary to Iran's supreme National Security Council. I can also report overnight, the Israelis, in a separate strike, killed the top commander of Iran's Basij forces. This is a wing of the irgc. His name is Gholam Reza Soleimani, and he was responsible for commanding the crackdown on protesters earlier this year across Iran.
>> Chris Woodward: Now, Fred has posted an AP story about this on our website, so I'll share that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Our website so people can read. folks, if you want a new service, you can Trust, ours is 24 7, and you need to go there and access it. where can people what's our news service website?
>> Chris Woodward: Great question. American Family News is the name of our radio and print news service. Our website is afn.net so many of the stories that you hear us talk about on this show and, and on our top of the hour newscasts wind up on our website, which is afn.net all, right.
>> Tim Wildmon: This is really significant. Okay, what you just heard, because probably second to the Ayatollah Khomeini who was killed. What, when this all began. When is that? Two weeks ago or so. the Israelis are saying that they have killed the supreme National Security Council secretary, Allie. I can't pronounce. And the, commander. Another commander, which is high, high up in the, in the Iranian, regime. I guess they did this in the last 12 hours or so.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Last night.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, last night. Listen, I gotta say, I am in awe of the Israelis ability to track these people and find them and eliminate them as the word is used. Kill them. it's just, like, it's the Mossad. That's the equivalent of the uscia, Right, right. Are the British. What do you call it? Mi.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Mi6.
>> Tim Wildmon: Mi6. They're the, intelligence agency for the Israelis. And they know everything. And I'm assuming they have assets on the ground, AKA spies, almost everywhere. And then, the way they're able to track these people. Have you ever seen anything like it, Ed?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Ah, I have not. And, listen, what's amazing about this, but what makes me applaud Israel for doing it, is Iran has been threatening Israel for decades. Decades upon decades. They have funded some of the bloodiest attacks, most violent terrorist groups in the Middle east with an eye towards killing innocent Jewish civilians. And Israel has finally said, we're not taking it anymore.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Whoever you put at the top of that regime, we're killing them.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And I. Listen, I don't blame them. whatever you think about the US Involvement, and I'm not opposed to it, I have concerns and fears about what could ultimately, happen. That's a separate issue. That's for political scientists and historians and politicians to argue about, and then we'll just talk about it. But I absolutely do not blame Israel for doing this, because they've had it. After that October 7th attack, something flipped.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hamas, funded by Iran.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hezbollah, funded by Iran.
>> Ed Vitagliano: A, something flipped. A switch was flipped in Israel. They realized they can't go on like this, and they're going to flatten anybody who tries to annihilate them as a nation. And Iran, you are getting payback because Israel can do it. And it looks like they're going to continue to do it.
>> Fred Jackson: Lara. Johnny, he was the guy that you may have seen the video. Last Friday, they had a big celebration in the street, basically saying, we're going to win this thing and down with the usa. He is the guy who was up front in that demonstration. Soleimani, the other guy that was taken down, he is the guy the reports say was responsible for the massacre of the Iranian citizens. 30,000, in recent months.
>> Tim Wildmon: So they're probably, they're all celebrating that. I mean, maybe not out in the street, but some of them are.
>> Fred Jackson: Yep. Celebrating is right. It is, it is amazing how they find out where you are and when is the best time to get you.
Israel is intentionally targeting military and regime operations in Iran, Fred says
>> Tim Wildmon: Listen, Israel, northern United States here in this, war, are carpet bombing. Okay. We, we are, There was maybe there was a, an error that. I don't know the whole story behind this. That, hit the building with the young, girls early on in the war in Iran. That's the report that 100 or so schoolgirls were killed. That's very sad and tragic. do you call that in war terms, collateral damage? it was, it was a big, big mistake if in fact it was the US Tomahawk missile that struck them. However, other than that, and Benjamin Netanyahu made this point a couple of weeks ago. He said Iran, for the most part, is just trying to fire into Israel and kill civilians. They don't care where it lands. Okay. On the other hand, Israel is intentionally targeting military and regime, operations in Iran. Israel's not just shooting a bunch of. And they could if they wanted to. They're not firing indiscriminately into Iran, killing a bunch of innocent people. Whereas that's what the Iranians are trying to do in Israel and, And seemingly other places too. They're. The Iranians are. They're creating enemies all over the region on a daily basis. I mean, they, they even hit, Now they hit the, They hit a place in Iraq that's I guess, where U.S. operations are, some military operations are. so. But I'm just, I'm just the way the Israelis are able to find these leaders and take them out. what, you know, now President Trump, I just saw Fox News and their headline, their caption, while the President was speaking, I guess this morning was. He was saying. President Trump was saying Iran wants to make a deal. I don't know what that means. I don't know. I don't, I don't know. We'll find out, I guess, what that means exactly. But, anyway, just the way that the Israelis, are able to conduct operations and they're doing this from 1200 to 1500 miles away. I don't know. Iran is. Iran is a pretty big country geographically, too.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, it's like the size of Alaska.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. It's pretty big. You know, they could spread their, their military and their, you know, weapons out, but they seem to be diminished, diminishing by the day.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So I think that's a fair assessment. I don't know what kind of deal. I'm sure there are. I don't know who's. When, who would make a deal. When President Trump says iran wants to make a deal, I don't know who's left to make a deal with the US and with Israel. But I suspect that Israel is saying, no, we want regime change. We do not want these Jew haters in control of Iran because we'll be back doing this in five years or 10 years. You've got to have somebody finish the job and have a regime in control of Iran who says, look, we just want to, we want our people to live. We want everyone else to have the opportunity to live. Listen, I don't know how long it's going to be before some of these Arab countries in the Middle east fire back.
>> Tim Wildmon: You mean at Iran?
>> Ed Vitagliano: At Iran, yeah. You know, because yes, there may be U. S. Bases, but, you know, in Kuwait, for example, or Iraq or Saudi Arabia, they have the right to say, yeah, we're going to let U. S. Bases exist here. And, and then if you attack a U. S. Base, you're still attacking sovereign soil in these countries.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'll tell you one other thing, and Fred, comment on this if you want to. The other countries in the region, they have to be looking at this, take the US out of it. Okay, but they have to be looking at this going, you don't want any part of Israel. Now, I think they know that already and have known it because you have not seen any kind of, threats by Egypt or Jordan or Saudi Arabia. Syria, they're in chaos over there anyway. Lebanon, they got their Hezbollah problem up. That's the direct north of Israel. they got Hezbollah within their country, and Israel is dealing with that now. But, these countries around them, on the contrary, they're not even threatening them. They want peace with Israel, they want peace with Israel. So they have to be looking at this, too, going wow. You know, we want peace with Israel.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, someday someone will write a book about the Trump years. But if you go back to the first installment of Donald Trump, the Abraham Accords laid the groundwork for exactly what you're talking about, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Fred Jackson: In that, hey, Israel, all of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, you guys all get along and it'll benefit everybody. And to Donald Trump's credit and the negotiators that he had, it laid the groundwork for what you're seeing today, because these nations that you're talking about, Tim, allowed these U.S. military bases to go in there to help support that Abraham Accord. So it took away any animosity that was between Israel and Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, et cetera, et cetera. So they're now. It's hard to believe this. They're working as a team, even in Lebanon. Hezbollah still has, obviously, a presence there, and they're bombing into Israel. And now Israeli soldiers have entered Lebanon, a contingent of them, at least into southern Lebanon. But the Lebanese political leaders are telling Hezbollah back off. So Hezbollah no longer has the support of the Lebanese government because Lebanon wants that kind of peace.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. You know, also, you know, this was. This has all been caused by the. The, Iranian regime led by the ayatollahs. This isn't the general population of Iran. All the. All we can gather, the vast majority of Iranians. If you were to survey them, who's for going to war to kill the Jews, raise your hand. they're not going to be for that. They just want to live their lives, work, be peaceful. but this regime, their religious ideology based on Shia Islam, they believe they have a calling from Allah to kill the Jews. Right? So I don't know that's the reason, because I've said many times before, I know people get tired of me saying this.
For Iran to want to crush Israel is just an obsession
there is no historical, Well, correct me if I'm wrong on this. I think I'm right, right on this. There's no historical reason for the Iran. For Iran to want to crush Israel.
>> Chris Woodward: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: There's no grievance.
>> Tim Wildmon: They're not border countries. They haven't been fighting for. For hundreds of years. The Jews versus the Persians, Iranians. So this is just an obsession. You talk about an obsession and the correct use of that word on the part of the, ayatollahs and the mullahs. We got it. We got to kill all the Jews and kill all the Christians. Basically, that's. They would equate that with Israel and the Great Satan usa. so now you may. There may be some animosity on the part of the, Iranian leadership, the Ayatollahs, against the U.S. involvement in the 60s and 70s in the Shah and bringing Western values to an Islamic country, that kind of thing. But as I say, their obsession with fighting Israel and killing Israel, even they're Persians in Iran. They're funding, Hamas, which are Arabs. And there are also a different, kind of Islam. So they're not even. They don't. They don't even agree religiously yet. They're giving them money because they can kill the Jews. Same with Hezbollah. So, anyway, it's just, Iran, as you said, Ed, been threatening Israel for decades. Every president I know, even going back to Bill Clinton, has said, we cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.
>> Fred Jackson: Uh-huh.
>> Tim Wildmon: It would be a potential catastrophe for the world. And President Trump, remember this. President Trump, negotiated with the Iranians, a month or so ago and tried to reason with them. And even to the point of President Trump committing to giving said to the Iranians. Okay, if this is all on the up and up, then. And you want energy, Nuclear power, Nuclear power, we'll supply you all you want. endless. Yeah. All you got to do is stop. Stop your threats of a nuclear weapon against Israel and stop building these things. And they said, no. They said, no, we're going to keep on.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And they basically said, from what we're hearing from. From those negotiators on the US Side, they said, not only we're not going to do that, we don't want your uranium. but we can build nuclear weapons. We're close to doing it, and you can't stop us.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So I don't know what you're supposed to do as President of the United States. Certainly Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, said, that's a direct threat, and it's imminent, and we're going. And, you know, this is a fight to the death. and so I guess he convinced President Trump, if he needed convincing. It's for the betterment of the world if you join us in this effort. We need to take this regime down. So, anyway, tell you what we're going to do.
We need to pray for regime change and for Iranian people to be freed
Take our break right here, little early, and then we shall return. Krish has got a bunch more stories.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We also have Star Parker. Star Parker, that's a name that some of our listeners haven't heard in a while. She's, nationally syndicated columnist, and she's running for office.
>> Tim Wildmon: Running for political office, too. Star Parker Yes. She'll be joining us in just a few minutes. Here on Today's Issues on the American. You're listening to the radio program Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. as Christians, we need to pray. Really. I'm saying that in a flippant way. We need to pray about this moment.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We need to pray for regime change and for the Iranian people to be freed from that radical Islamic dictatorship.
>> Tim Wildmon: We'll be back momentarily.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The afr, app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. It won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app.
>> Fred Jackson: We would like to take a moment to thank our sponsor, PreBorn. When a mother meets her baby on ultrasound and hears their heartbeat, it's a divine connection. And the majority of the time she will choose life. But they can't do it without our help. Preborn needs us, the pro life community, to come alongside them. One ultrasound is just $28. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby or visit preborn.com afr
>> Chris Woodward: in him we were also chosen as God's own, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything by the counsel of his will, in order that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be for the praise of his glory. Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 11 and 12.
>> Ed Vitagliano: American Family Radio. This is today's Issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's issues are available for listening and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of today's issues.
American Family Radio Network welcomes you Monday through Friday
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back, everybody, to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. we get cards and letters and emails and, we, for the most part, we appreciate them. Every once in a while we'll get one goes in file 13. You got that file 13 in?
>> Ed Vitagliano: I got a file 13. Anyway, if they're not encouraging, right, positive
>> Tim Wildmon: and encouraging, that's what we. Caleb, emails, that's what we like. Anyway, got one from, from Carol and Gene and Sunnyside, Washington. Got a real nice typed, out letter.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, you don't get those much anymore.
>> Tim Wildmon: They say they're really, They say they continue to enjoy, be encouraged by what we hear on 88.1 in Sunnyside, Washington. We've been on the air. They're a long, long time.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Is Washington State.
>> Tim Wildmon: Washington state. anyway, our thanks to you and those who helped bring us the good news of the gospel. And then got a letter, note card from Carolyn in Ohio. Thank you for all you do. And she, was, especially, participating in the preborn.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh yeah, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Pre. More big check to help, support the ministry of preborn, which we support here at AFA to help save unborn babies lives. And she said. This is Carol from. Carolyn from Ohio. I listened to many of your, programs and love them all, but I must say Today's Issues is my favorite. That sounds like I'm bragging because there are many shows here on AFR and she could have said anyone. But I didn't write this. I'm only reading what she wrote.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Carolyn, you know how, she says Today's Issues is her favorite?
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: who are we to argue with?
>> Tim Wildmon: That's why I didn't want to argue with her. No. Write her back and say, are you sure about that? And then we also another Carolyn from Plano, Texas sent us a real nice, hardcover book. Yeah, she. Carolyn and Plano sent us. She's 84 years old. not there's anything wrong with that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right? Yeah, just 84.
>> Tim Wildmon: She's doing good.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: so she sent me the Great All Time Baseball Record Book now which is a hardcover. I mean this is a real, real book. You hear that?
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's, It's.
>> Tim Wildmon: Listen to this, people. That's a real. That's a real book.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not cheap to. Just a mail that.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no. So anyway, she sent me this. She knew how much we talk about baseball sometimes. Yeah. And she said the great all time baseball record Book. She. That's what she sent us. So anyway, those are just great listeners. Three nice cards and letters and so such that we got from some of our listeners around the country. And we. By the way, we have people, at least 3m three times a week come through, maybe more, here and visit us here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And we welcome, we're very welcoming.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Mississippi's the hospitality state, so we welcome you Monday through Friday.
>> Ed Vitagliano: and you know, they don't usually mind the the pat down and search that we do before they.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's friendly.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Don't you think?
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, that's from Brent.
>> Tim Wildmon: So, listen, I know if. Tell folks, we do have folks that stop by. maybe a lot of people travel for. Go to the beach or they stop by. They would stop by.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If you go to, afa.net that's our, over the. The umbrella website. afr.net is also there for American Family Radio. But if you go to afa.net and look at the dropdown menu that says more, there is a tab that you can click through on. It says visits, and you do have to fill that out. and you do need to plan to make sure Friday afternoons are a bad time to come if you want to meet staff because, I don't know, we open on Friday afternoons. Out of it.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm doing Bible study. Usually
>> Ed Vitagliano: there are departments that are open. You want to meet folks. You probably want to pick a different day. But anyway, afa.net and then more and then click through on visits. Monday through Thursday, Mondays is better.
>> Tim Wildmon: Fridays you can come by. But noon.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Friday, morning.
You might get to meet with Bill the janitor, huh
>> Tim Wildmon: Noon. It's afternoon. It just kind of slim.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. You might get to meet with Bill the janitor, huh? All right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: we got to get.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't know. We don't have Bill the Janitor. Yeah, I was just. That sounds like a character on Sesame street, though.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Does it? Bill the janitor.
>> Tim Wildmon: Bill, Janitor.
Star Parker is a long-time friend of our ministry here
All right, we want to welcome to our program Star Parker. Star is a long, long, long, long time friend of our ministry here. And she, is, was in, Washington, D.C. working for cure, ah, the center for Urban Renewal and Education. And that's the ministry and organization that she started. She's back in her home state of California now. and she's, doing her work from there and also running for political office. and so Star joins us. Good morning, Star.
>> Star Parker: Hey, good morning, Jim. And actually, I did stop by, and I think it was on a Friday that I visited, so I believe I met Bill.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did you meet Bill? Hey, listen, he is one heck. He's one heck of a janitor, I'll tell you that. He just goes the extra mile. Bill, Bill. Bill. Does,
>> Ed Vitagliano: Did you really stop by on a Friday?
>> Star Parker: The spirit of Lord is there at your complex. Regardless of what time people come by. just. Just sit and visit if nobody's there. God is doing a move, and I think it's listening to you. read up with some of the letters you're receiving. I think it's so encouraging.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen forever.
Tim Parker: Some people love their home and they don't want to move
>> Star Parker: Because I'm thinking about Washington State, where I was even born. And the woman who wrote up there, they're going through so much trouble right now because the liberals are in charge of their state and they're running everybody out. But some people love their home and they don't want to move.
>> Tim Wildmon: I know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Like me.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, like you. And we do sympathize with people who live in deep blue states. they love the Lord and their common sense, conservative people, but yet they got to live with this madness going on, especially in their. In Sacramento and these other state capitals that, rule over the blue states. okay, so you were.
>> Star Parker: I don't know that. We have to live with it, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Star Parker: I don't know that. And that's the reason that you just mentioned that I retired out of Washington D.C. from an organization that I founded 30 years after public Life. I came home, we found at cure, my board, and I, the most incredible new president, Donald Eason, a pastor out of Detroit, Michigan. And he's just amazing. And in fact, anyone who's seen the, picture of Mike Johnson, speaker of the House, when he. When they finished the SAVE act, the Save America act, that's Donald Eason, our CURE President, at his left shoulder. that's how much influence Cure has in Washington D.C. but I went home. I didn't go home to be active. I came home to retire, to just refresh in the things of the Lord. But when I got here and found that it was just not so overwhelmingly progressive Democrat, but my district had been taken over. Now, I never gave up my residency here in California, but I was in and out because I had to work in Washington for the last, 15 years full time. But when that reality hit me, I just couldn't do it with the Lord. I just said, I can't do this, Lord. And I heard in my gut, God say, then take them out. Take out Mike Levin, who is my new congressional leader. So that's what I'm doing. There are things we can do in these blue states. We can take them back for the Lord is what we can do. And not that everyone should run for political office, but I know that God asked me to get in it, so I'm in it to win it. And. And here we are.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well before some liberal news organization says that Star Parker and AFR says a man needs to be, quote, taken out. I just want you, Claire. I just want to Clarif. We're talking politically here, people. Yeah, metaphorically and politically. We're talking Star, is gonna. She's running for office to, quote, take out the, Opponent there who is a very liberal man, but she's talking about politics here, not, any kind of other, other way. So what do you think?
>> Star Parker: Violent. We're the ones that still battle in the voting booth. Yeah, they're the side.
>> Tim Wildmon: Thank you.
>> Star Parker: Clarifying that we battle in the voting booth. We still have free enough country that we have options. And if the, and if the God fearing born again would participate, we could actually turn our country toward its founding principles. But thank you for clarifying.
>> Tim Wildmon: Trying to save you a lot of grief there.
>> Star Parker: Star, I thought God saved me years ago when he, when he rescued me from my horrible life of believing the lies of the left and getting involved in criminal activity and drug activity and sexual activity and abortion activity and welfare activity. And then he just saved me up. So I saved up. But thank you for rescuing me from having to go to jail for the threat of trying to take.
>> Tim Wildmon: We knew what you meant.
Star Parker is running for United States House of Representatives in California
But, anyway, Star Parker joining us now from SoCal. that's Southern California's, shorthand there now, where, so you're, you, running back. You're running for United States House of Representatives. Is that what you're going to do?
>> Star Parker: That's exactly right. And so anyone that's not in California 49, which is the coastline here in Southern California, I live in, San Clemente, a little, Spanish villa by the sea. And then it goes down the coastline, through our military base which is also in my district, Camp Pendleton, our Marines who are now over there in Iran, many of them. And then I have Oceanside and Carlsbad and Encinitas and a few other little cities. But anyone doesn't live here, and can vote for me, I can still vote for if they help me get in this seat, which is gettable. It's a long shot, but it's gettable. Then I will take our mutual values into the United States House of Representatives because as you just mentioned, Tim, yes, every vote in the House now is affected. All of our lives. It's no more just the 700,000 people that live in that one little defined area. It is all of us. That squad is out to destroy our country and our culture. And the congressman that I'm running against, our sitting legislator Mike Levin, is part of that progressive, takeover in our House of representatives. There are 100 of these progressives there. Many of them are just deep rooted evil. They're against God. They're living the Psalm. Psalm 2. Against God and against his anointed 1. Wonder how can we Break his bonds and cast discords from us. But you know what the scripture says. The Lord then laughs at them, then he sets them in derision, then he speaks to them in his deep displeasure. And that's what I believe that this campaign is about, that I'm in right now. God needs to stand up and speak to these people because we're in serious, serious trouble. And anyone that goes to the grocery store or the gas station knows it.
>> Chris Woodward: Hey, it's Krish here. I've interviewed you, a number of times, with our news service, American Family News. One of the things that we have talked to you for years about is welfare, reform. And welfare, has been in the news a lot because of, fraud in states like California, Minnesota and others. where are you on, the need to combat that in California and other states?
>> Star Parker: Well, it's interesting that you bring that up, because you're absolutely right. That's what brought me to the forefront when we were doing welfare reform, in our country. I was very involved in that because after God saved me from my criminal life and I got a college degree, I got started a business. And then the 1992 Los Angeles riots destroyed that business. And that was right about the time that our country had had enough of this cancer that was amongst us, of the welfare state. The expansion of people just not being able to move into their purpose and reality of their lives. Because we had developed out this government system that says, don't worry about any natural consequences to any sin. We've got these safety nets. And we saw family life start collapsing. We saw that feminist movement in the 60s. We saw just so much, I guess you could say, moving away from our founding principles in terms of public policy. You know, Tim mentioned earlier, baseball, well, you know, policymaking is a lot like baseball. It's slow, it's boring. And so once we did welfare reform in the mid-90s, and I was a major part of that, most Americans said, okay, good, we did it. Let's take our ball and bat and go home. And yet we didn't really do it. It was the beginning of trying to get ourselves away from, paying for other people's lives, interjecting ourselves where God should be. It was God or government. And we kept choosing government. So I found it cure, to be an answer to many of those problems that we were seeing on our most hard hit communities. and finding out later, as I progressed into this and developing out a pastor program inside of CURE, that we have 8,700 broken zip codes. So that's a long answer to your short question. Where we are in welfare reform is we still have 8,700 broken zip codes. And what is happening in those broken, distressed areas? While we have little, little movement, you know, from the right, the left is entrenched, this dependency. And now the left and through the progressive arm of the left, they're putting, they're installing congressional leaders who will keep that going on so they can destroy other people's lives. I said too many times, if you want to see socialism, you don't have to go to Cuba. You can go Compton, you can go to Camden. You can go to any and every inner city in our country and see what it's like when government takes over every aspect and you have some king on top of them, on top of the Hill. So fast forward to today, which is your question. Where are we? Where we are is that the majority of Americans now have some influence of government in their lives and they don't know what to do without that. So we have to now be like surgeons that go in and say, look, the cancer has metastasized, but we've got to get it out now. And that's what Donald Trump is attempting to do. And our born again leaders, from Mike Johnson to John Thumb are saying we can't go on the way that we have been for the last 50, 60 years. So we have to now methodically get this cancer out, which is your addiction to government, and make sure that you can live as free people.
Star Parker is a black woman from California running for Congress
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, we're talking to Star Parker, our long, long, long time friend. she's in California. She's running for United States Congress. So, Star, you, are a black woman from California. That doesn't exactly equal conservative, Christian, Republican. What happened to you? you're supposed to be, you're supposed to be a squad member.
>> Star Parker: I know, but he didn't. He said he didn't look at the outward. He looks at the heart. And his heart and his love for me was freedom. I mean, I experienced his amazing grace. Why in the world would I want to be addicted to a philosophy that destroys people's potential? And so I changed. That's what happened to me. I changed.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You want that for others?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And I know, I knew that story. I know. But, there may be people who are listening for the first time going, she doesn't fit the mold of, you know, of what, what I would expect California is supposed to be. They're all liberal wackos out there. Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's what people think. It's not true.
>> Tim Wildmon: What'd you say?
>> Star Parker: I said that the scripture said, when God had to speak to Elijah, got 7,000 men who haven't bowed to the bell.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen. Yeah, amen.
>> Star Parker: So we have, I mean, we have some excitement going on. We have major churches now that are, that once, once, once pandemic happened and their eyes were open that the reality that government is in places where God belongs. They woke up and they haven't turned back. So, in fact, 38% voted for Trump. And now there's talk that our top two governor candidates are Republicans. The Democrats are falling over themselves. I'm telling you, God is laughing at them right now, and he's setting them in derision because we can't keep going down this path of, you know, the destruction. We're going to destroy our own country. The progressive left, look what they're saying. Even with the war in Iran right now, ah, they're always on the side of the domestic and the international terrorists. And so there are many Californians that are awakened now. It's going to be a lot to turn things around, but we're seeing real hopeful signs, including that God would speak to me to come here and run. I did not come home to run for office. I ran once before when I was encouraged by the GOP to get in a race in a district I didn't live in, but I thought I had done. My public life. I've been on 300 college campuses in this country. I've been on 300 pregnancy care center banquet, platforms to help them raise that money to save the lives of the unborn in their local communities. I've been there, done that, moved out of my personal home because of the threat level and needed to move, you know, had to go into a security protection program during Trump's, first administration. So, you know, I came up, kind of weary and tired, but the energy came back. The energy came back because it's just too important for our children and our grandchildren that we keep connected to the founding principles of our country, the biblical truth, the limited government, the open markets, and e pluribus unum.
Star Parker is running for the United States House of Representatives
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, so, what is the website, you would have people go to?
>> Star Parker: Well, if they want to help my campaign, then it's electric, calm. Electarparker.com we need all hands on deck. I just did a major invisible hand movement for us because the GOP had selected someone before I got the tap in my gut to get in. so we began to pray. Well, Lord, if you're telling me to do this, then you need to move Eliab out of the way, because I'm looking at Goliath. And sure enough, two weeks ago, Eliab, moved over into the district next door because Darrell Isa, who used to be my congressman, decided not to go for reelection. So we're seeing the hand of the Lord, say, this is yours, But I'm gonna need the resources that it's gonna take. So if people can go to electstarparker.com and help me, I will definitely be voting for our mutual, biblical truths and values when I get into the United States House of Representatives.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Star, have a good day. Thank you very much. God bless you.
>> Star Parker: Well, God bless you, too. And let's continue to pray for those folks from. From Texas and from Washington and from Ohio that you just talked about. These are our sisters in the Lord, and I'm just loving them very, very much. And it's hopeful to those of us that have been on the front line to hear from those decent people that are just in quiet communities, just loving on God. So thank you, Tim. Thank you, Krish, and hope to see you guys soon.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay, thank you, Star Parker, man, she, you know, she said she was going to retire. She just sounds like she's got as much energy as. As ever.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, some people can't retire.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, no.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's not in their DNA. They retire for about three months and they go, what am I going to do with this? I can't.
>> Ed Vitagliano: There's too much to be done.
>> Tim Wildmon: God got called her to run for office. Ah. She just wanted to go out and I guess look at the Pacific Ocean and have a cap.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Have you had enough of a look?
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, I got.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I got something else for you to do.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's exciting. I'm excited for.
You can never retire from doing kingdom work as long as you have the health
>> Tim Wildmon: Is retirement in the Bible, by the way?
>> Fred Jackson: Nope.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not.
>> Tim Wildmon: Nope.
>> Ed Vitagliano: m. Because we should always be serving the Lord. Okay, so a little mini sermon. We were put on this earth to know God, love God and serve God.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. So, technically speaking, while God may call you, it may allow you to retire from a job. You're always going to be serving God. And if your heart. That is for the kingdom and for God's people and for the people around us who are suffering. You're going to see needs, and you're probably going to be moved to do something to help. And we're never retired from that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Excuse me. So you can retire from a job. The Bible doesn't Necessarily say one thing or another about, that. But you can never, as a Christian retire from doing kingdom work as long as you have the health.
>> Ed Vitagliano: As long as you have the health and the wherewithal to do that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Whatever that kingdom work is. Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: yeah, I think, I think that's. I think that's biblical.
You worked in the nursery for 30 years and now you're retired
>> Fred Jackson: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: Now you are able to get out of nursery duty after 30 years. Right?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, you have been.
>> Tim Wildmon: I did. it's going to be on my tombstone.
>> Ed Vitagliano: 30 years is a long time.
>> Tim Wildmon: Who served in the nursery for 30 years?
>> Ed Vitagliano: That. Listen, you know, you know, it may
>> Fred Jackson: be long in the nursery when the little ones that you started with are now parents and they're bringing theirs in.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's true. You know, you're moving on down life's road. I don't mean to suggest every. Every Sunday, working in the nursery for 30 years. Once, a month.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And I don't know if it's 30. It may have been 27. I don't know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You sound like you're crawfishing now. Well, it wasn't every day.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, I didn't want the Lord to convict me about lying.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right, right. You were willing to help and I did. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And Allison, my wife and I, we both did beyond our own kids being that. Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, listen, that, that's. I know the church that, I attend and you attend as well. That's what they're asking people to do is just come in, you know, once a month or once every two months, I think. And that is appreciated when people will step in and do you know the
>> Tim Wildmon: easiest way to run a nursery I found was just put everybody in timeout right from the get go.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, I don't care what you're doing.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't care if they've done anything. You just put them all in time out. Or.
>> Fred Jackson: Here, sweetie, have some melatonin.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, or just keep giving them the animal cookies. Okay, here are, So they're lying on the ground.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You like gummies? Here, have a gummy.
>> Tim Wildmon: Because I won't see after 45 minutes from now I ain't gonna see you again for a while. You don't load up on sugar now, go right ahead.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Or, Or those little goldfish crackers. Oh, yeah, those are a big.
>> Tim Wildmon: Those things are addictive.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, they are.
>> Tim Wildmon: I, Mean, so I, I used to get about three or four from each one of the little children.
>> Ed Vitagliano: For yourself?
>> Tim Wildmon: For myself. They never missed tax.
>> Fred Jackson: It was, it was teaching them, offering. Share.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, share. Share.
Donald Trump says he will take Cuba in some form
All right, you're listening. To today's issues on afr. Tim, Ed, Fred and Krish. Krish, we got about three minutes. Do you have anything happy, happy news in your stack of stuff right there?
>> Ed Vitagliano: well, at all sounds like a big Krish in terms of sound.
>> Chris Woodward: No, I can mention something involving Cuba though, because Star mentioned Cuba a moment ago. Cuba is in the news because while a lot of people are paying attention to the situation in Iran, the Cuban, communist government there is pretty much collapsed and it's a matter of time when we might see some sort of regime change there or a revolt by the people. President, Trump himself was asked about this by Fox's Peter Doocy. And this audio clip is. It's got music underneath it. It's the only version I could find in its entirety where Trump says something Doocy asks him to clarify and Trump gives his answer. So clip six.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, all my life I've been hearing about the United States and Cuba.
>> Ed Vitagliano: When will the United States do it? I do believe I'll be the honor
>> Fred Jackson: of having the honor of taking Cuba.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's a big honor. Taking Cuba. Taking Cuba in some form.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, taking Cuba.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I mean whether I free it.
>> Fred Jackson: Take it.
>> Star Parker: I think I could do anything I want with it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know technically he can I think. And if anyone's going to do it, Donald Trump is going to. He's gonna. I'm gonna take it.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think that caused the liberals heads to just completely spin off and go to Mars.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's gonna share a picture of greatest Cuba ever. Yeah, Trump, you're right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Technically he's correct if that We. They're so. They're out of, they're out of energy.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He's basically have a blockade of Venezuelan oil which, which they have relied on. We're having to rush this issue because Krish tossed it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, I asked him to give us some happy news and I thought he
>> Ed Vitagliano: was going to talk about the US playing Venezuela.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: In the world baseball.
>> Chris Woodward: It was a game decision.
>> Tim Wildmon: We do need to come back and do this Cuba story a little more justice.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: So we'll take a five minute break for Goldfish.
>> Chris Woodward: you can't eat just one bag.
>> Tim Wildmon: The cheddar goldfish. And we'll be back in five minutes. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
