In the midst of the COVID-19 craziness, it is alarming to recognize there are many who are willing to use our current health crisis for their own gain and/or agenda. As these snollygosters and media types grandstand, I cannot help but think of Rahm Emanuel’s infamous quote, “never let a crisis go to waste.”

Ironically, Emanuel first used that phrase in 2008 during the nation’s financial crash and then again last week in response to our nation’s coronavirus emergency. Is it a repackaging of one of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals, in which he writes “in the arena of action a threat or a crisis becomes almost a precondition to communication”? I’ll let you decide.

The truth is, the board and staff here at IFI are deeply disturbed to hear the incessant petty partisan criticisms of the Trump Administration by political leaders and media pundits who only seem interested in stoking anxiety and exacerbating division among the American people. In that regard, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker has made a name for himself as one of the nation’s chief nitpickers over the last several weeks.

In his first fourteen months as CEO of the state of Illinois, Gov. Pritzker hasn’t pursued policy solutions that would have helped Illinois prepare for a pandemic. Gov. Pritzker hasn’t tried to bolster Illinois’ rainy-day fund, which is now vitally needed to purchase respirators and other medical equipment. In fact, Illinois remains disadvantaged because of the billions of dollars in unpaid bills dragging us down. Instead, like a petulant child, Pritzker awaits bailouts from the federal government.

For the most part, Pritzker’s political priorities have concerned the “social issues.” Working with the “Progressive” Caucus in Springfield, he followed through on his pledge to “make Illinois the most progressive state in the nation” for killing babies through abortion. He helped pass the mandate to indoctrinate young children through teaching positively about “LGBT” history in government schools (K-12). He helped pass an expansion of gambling and increased both gasoline taxes and the cost of doing business with a hike in the minimum wage.

Pritzker’s involvement in getting recreational marijuana passed in the state cannot be over-emphasized. This foolish policy will only exacerbates our current national/international health predicament, as marijuana consumption has been proven to suppress the immune system, leaving users more vulnerable to sickness. He did a great disservice to Illinois’ families, the healthcare system and first responders. BTW, who do you suppose will be paying for these unintended consequences of legal pot? Regarding the “stay-at-home” order, which has now been extended through April 30th, why are abortuaries, liquor and pot stores considered “essential businesses”?

In all of this, Christians should not forget the centrality of prayer and worship to the only One who can heal our land of the myriad forms of suffering people are experiencing. We owe Jehovah-Rapha (i.e., the God who heals) all of our love and devotion (Psalm 41:3). It is imperative to acknowledge that “that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind …” and to recognize that He works in miraculous ways through doctors, nurses and medicine.

Let us not be like the insolent King Nebuchadnezzar who foolishly took credit for building up Babylon the Great. Instead, it is far wiser to humbly and with great lament seek God in worship, praying fervently for His merciful hand of healing and restoration (See Daniel 4:28-37).

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to Gov. Pritzker to ask him respectfully to stop using this national crisis to divide the American people. Ask him to stop grandstanding and instead focus on responsible policies that will shore up our foundation. These priorities have been neglected for far too long, and it is past time that we address them instead of focusing on petty politics.

If you appreciate the work and ministry of IFI, please consider a tax-deductible donation to sustain our endeavors.  It does make a difference.

What would happen if church members from around Illinois came to Springfield and sat praying in the House gallery each time it met during the spring 2020 session? What could God do in Illinois? That’s what Illinois State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Marion) wants to find out.

Severin is inviting Christians in Illinois to visit the Pray for Springfield Facebook page to schedule a date on the Illinois House calendar to come pray in the gallery. The idea came to him when he was driving home last June following the end of the spring legislative session. The Reproductive Health Act had just been passed, giving Illinois the most progressive abortion laws in the nation.

During the lengthy committee meetings and debates prior to the Act’s passage, Severin had seen groups of women wearing red capes and white hats depicting handmaidens from the online series “The Handmaiden’s Tale,” based on Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name, sitting silent in the audience and gallery. Severin wondered, “Where are the Christians? Where is the Church?” That’s when his idea to start the Pray for Springfield Facebook page originated.

Severin describes the page as non-partisan. “It’s non-denominational,” he said. “I’m not pushing anything other than for people to come and pray for our state.”

Multiple church groups, mainly from the southern part of the state, have already signed up to sit quietly praying in the gallery for a few hours while the Illinois House is in session.

Discussing his reasons for starting the movement, Severin said, “I want to encourage Christians across the state to pray that God would turn legislators’ hearts and give them wisdom to promote things that are good and right, and that He would give people reason to come to Illinois and stay in the state.”

The kickoff

Pray for Springfield kicked off with a rally on January 28, the opening day of the spring legislative session in the Capitol rotunda. Severin was joined by some of his fellow lawmakers, Christian prayer groups such as Concerned Women for America, and church groups.

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) addressed the crowd, sharing from 2 Chronicles 20 and speaking about King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah facing vast armies: “King Jehoshaphat called the assembly to the temple and they began to call out to the Lord. The Lord said, ‘Do be afraid because the battle is yours.’ There were men appointed to sing praise to the Lord. The Lord blessed his people who stood in assembly and cried out to God.”

To the concerned Illinoisans gathered for prayer, Halbrook said, “Don’t give up, be afraid, or discouraged. The Lord will prevail in this matter. That is the great lesson here for all of us.”

He also thanked them for coming and said, “We, all of us, covet your prayers. We need them.”

Another of the Illinois House members speaking was State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville), who began by expressing his thankfulness: “I cannot think of a more privileged opportunity, a more privileged time to live in our history…to be here and serve God in this capacity as a state representative in Illinois government than now after the dark ages that we’ve been in. We’re going to see God do some great things this year, I believe that.”

In contrast to what some Christian leaders have been publicly stating, Bailey urged Christians to become more politically active. He told those gathered, “Go back to your churches, go back to your family, go back to your dinner tables, whenever people say, I don’t want to get political. Say, guess what? That’s why we are in this mess! The church has got to step up and get involved, get informed, get engaged, get out, and get busy!”

“Proverbs 28:2 tells us when there is moral rot in the nation a government topples easily,” shared Bailey, “but where there’s wise and knowledgeable leaders it brings stability. So, we need your prayers for this entire house, this entire building, this entire city, this entire state, this entire country…”

Severin, the man who started it all, was the last of the government officials to speak.

“You know how you call the fire department when the house is on fire? You know who the fire department is?” Severin asked, pointing to the assembled crowd. “It’s you, you are the fire department!”

“You know who is going to turn this state around?” he shouted. “It’s not Republicans. It’s not Democrats. It’s you guys, it’s your faith and your trust in the Lord!

“This state needs hope. I own a business and when I call vendors in other states, they say there’s no hope for Illinois. There is hope for Illinois. That hope is in Jesus!”

The rally concluded with prayer for the state of Illinois and its representatives, with calls for God to give them wisdom and for them to seek His leadership.

To learn more, go to facebook.com/prayforspringfield and consider finding a date to sign up to bring a group from your church to pray in the Illinois House gallery.

IFI is hosting our annual Worldview Conference on March 7th at the Village Church of Barrington. This year’s conference is titled “Thinking Biblically About Our Corrosive Culture” and features Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Rob Gagnon. For more information, please click HERE for a flyer or click the button below to register for the conference.

He’s a well-known socialist. Not the chic, hipster socialist making a comeback these days who hangs with the cool kids. No, he’s a dyed-in-the-wool, cherry-red socialist.

His first job out of college was as an organizer with the United Steelworkers in North Carolina. After moving to Chicago, he became a teacher and his wife worked for Haymarket Books, an independent publisher run by socialists.

Over the last several years, he was a leading member of the International Socialist Organization prior to its dissolution in April 2019. In July, he chaired a plenary session (“Welcome to Red Chicago”) at Socialism 2019, which brought together “hundreds of socialists and radical activists from around the country to take part in discussions about Marxism, working-class history, and the debates and strategies for organizing today.”

Most remarkable, though, is that he’s now the current president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). Meet Jesse Sharkey.

Like a bad case of déjà vu, Sharkey and the CTU have voted to authorize a strike for the third time this decade. Some 25,000 teachers have said they will walk off the job on October 17 if their demands for more money, more staffing and lower class sizes aren’t met.

In addition, the unions representing bus monitors, special education assistants, lunchroom workers and Chicago Park District employees (who cared for students during the 2012 strike) are threatening to strike at the same time. That would make it tough for mayor Lightfoot to keep the schools open for some 360,000 displaced students.

As a result, parents will be under pressure to arrange care for their children. And because strikes are open-ended, there’s no telling how long the kids (and parents) will be forced to wait for their education to resume.

The CTU wants a three-year contract with annual pay raises of 5 percent and a decrease in employee health care contributions. In addition, they are demanding a nurse and librarian at every school, more social workers and class size limits.

In response, CPS has offered teachers a 16 percent pay raise over 5 years, including 3 percent raises in each of the first three years and 3.5 percent in the last two. There would be no increase in employee health care contributions for the first two years but increases totaling 1 percent over the last three years. CPS claims the average teacher would see a 24 percent raise over the life of the contract.

What’s not to like? But the union flatly rejected the offer, with Sharkey declaring, “We’re about more than just money. We’re trying to get an agreement that is both fair to people in the schools and people who go to the schools.”

While that may sound noble, there’s more going on here than meets the eye. The CTU is making its demands at a time when CPS has a junk status credit rating. While financially better off due to a 2015 tax increase, CPS deferred much of its required annual pension payments and is now about $11 billion in the red. A pay increase and hiring more staff will only dig a deeper hole.

Add to that the underachievement of CPS students (only 28 percent met or exceeded the PARCC assessments), a substantial shortage of teachers, the elimination of a requirement to pass a basic skills test to be a licensed teacher, and fifteen years of declining enrollment—and the union’s demands begin to seem unreasonable.

That’s not to say there’s no merit to what they’re asking for. Adequate numbers of school nurses, librarians, social workers and manageable class room sizes can all contribute to a better experience for students. (You can see some of how some of the big questions are progressing here.)

Given the current financial condition of CPS, though, the union’s call for increased pay, teachers and staff plus reduced classroom size (requiring more teachers), is disturbing. Why make demands that will only drive up taxes or push a financially-troubled district further into debt?

In case you slept through your social studies class, socialism is a political and economic system in which the means of production (i.e., businesses) are owned by the laborers. In a capitalist society like the U.S., socialists pit laborers—the working class—against business owners—the capitalists—because capitalists take for themselves the profit the workers produce instead of the workers owning it themselves.

Socialists believe such an arrangement is unjust. Therefore, socialists engage in a “class struggle” for equality: the proletariat versus the bourgeoisie. To do this, they organize. And the largest, most organized sector in the United States is education.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) have nearly 4 million members between them. Public schools dot every county, city, town and village in the country. By virtue of the role they play in society, educators are connected directly to the working class: students and their families.

That brings us back to Sharkey. In addition to classroom demands, the CTU is also making “social demands,” including sanctuary status for illegal alien students and increased affordable housing. While those issues have nothing to do with collective bargaining, they have everything to do with galvanizing the working class’s support.

If you listen closely, you can hear the socialist undercurrents.

“Sharkey has warned that if teachers strike, it could end up being a ‘massive labor movement’ that could have ripple effects throughout the city. The CTU is timing the possible walkout with two other unions, one representing other school staff, such as security guards and custodians, and another representing Chicago Park District workers. Both of those unions already have voted to authorize a strike.” (Emphasis mine.)

Sharkey is pitting the laborers, i.e., teachers and support staff, against the owners, i.e., the city and school administration. It’s a power struggle and a strike is the most effective weapon the union has.

That’s why Sharkey and the CTU rejected the city’s five-year deal, even though it offers more money. Five years is too long to wait until they’re able to use a strike again to advance their interests.

The most effective lies dress up as truth. “For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

On the surface, Sharkey’s claim that “we’re about more than just money” is true. But don’t be fooled. Under the surface, he and the CTU are masquerading as “servants of righteousness” using Chicago’s unwitting children and their families as pawns in a class struggle.

A Night With Rev. Franklin Graham!
At this year’s annual IFI banquet, our keynote speaker will be none other than Rev. Franklin Graham, President & CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christian evangelist & missionary. This year’s event will be at the Tinley Park Convention Center on Nov. 1st. You don’t want to miss this special evening!

Learn more HERE.

Former State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) has two words for his fellow Illinoisans, “Fair Maps.” Fair Maps is an effort to break the hold Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) has on the state’s election map.

On the website FairMapsIllinois.com, Breen explains, “If you despair over the future of Illinois… if you’re frustrated about the stranglehold of a corrupt political machine over Illinois politics… if you worry about whether your friends and family—and even you yourself—will be able to make a home in Illinois in the years to come… then this message is just for you.”

Fair Maps is a grassroots plan to let voters put a referendum on the 2020 ballot to amend the state constitution. If passed, the referendum would give the power to redraw the redistricting maps to an independent, bipartisan commission. To get Fair Maps on the ballot, Breen needs the signatures of 360,000 registered Illinois voters.

Breen does have public opinion on his side. According to a poll conducted in the spring by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, 67 percent of Illinoisans supported a constitutional amendment such as Breen’s that would allow an independent commission to draw legislative maps, instead of the state’s lawmakers.

The state constitution mandates redistricting be done every 10 years. New maps will be drawn up in 2021, after the 2020 election. Unless Fair Maps is placed on the ballot and passed by voters, Breen suggests the maps will be redrawn once again to favor Democrats who will be beholden to House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Breen calls the current system, “The linchpin that takes otherwise fleeting control over the political process and turns it into a decades-long, sustained political machine: the power to draw legislative maps to guarantee a permanent partisan majority. No matter how the political winds blow, whether for him or against him, Madigan’s majority cannot be overcome.”

Other states that have tried to reform redistricting have faced court battles that have gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In June 2019 cases involving the States of Maryland and North Carolina were declined by the Court. Chief Justice John Roberts admitted the problems states have with gerrymandering and partisanship writing, “But the fact that such gerrymandering is ‘incompatible with democratic principles’ does not mean that the solution lies with the federal judiciary. We conclude that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.”

Iowas voters passed Fair Maps in 1980 and Breen calls the state, “A national model of clean, responsive government. Iowa’s debt and tax burden are under control. Iowa’s schools are good and its crime rate low. The people of Iowa are happy with their representation, and it’s easy to see why: when you have fair maps, legislators have to be much more careful to respond to the needs of the people they serve.”

Take ACTION: Click HERE to volunteer to collect a minimum of 10 signatures on an official petition page. You can also volunteer to sign up friends or promote this effort on social media.

This is an important way to return the political process to the voters of Illinois. Please prayerfully consider this worthy project, and spend a couple hours working to break free of the political headlock we’ve been in for decades.

A Night With Rev. Franklin Graham!
At this year’s annual IFI banquet, our keynote speaker will be none other than Rev. Franklin Graham, President & CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Christian evangelist & missionary. This year’s event will be at the Tinley Park Convention Center on Nov. 1st. You don’t want to miss this special evening!

Learn more HERE.

The unholy trinity of J.B. Pritzker, creepy State Representative Kelly Cassidy, and her creepy “wife” Candace Gingrich (who goes by the pronoun “they,” #eyeroll) continue in their efforts to destroy whatever good remains in Illinois. (And yes, people who promote feticide, taxpayer-funding of feticide, homosexuality, and cross-sex impersonation are creepy—uber-creepy.) Now, through the legalization of recreational marijuana, Pritzker, Cassidy and their ideological allies are trying—by sucking money out of Illinoisans’ pockets while keeping them stoned—to dig Illinois out of the fiscal gorge liberals  have dug.

If it’s not bad enough that Gingrich has worked for the Human Rights Campaign for 23 years, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on July 31 that she,

will serve as vice president and head of business development for Revolution Florida, a sister company to Illinois-based Revolution Enterprises. Revolution makes a variety of cannabis products, including food, beverages, topicals and pet products…. Gingrich… will also serve as the company’s ambassador to the LGBTQ community. Gingrich… plans to establish LGBTQ-focused medical cannabis treatment centers and increase economic opportunities for LGBTQ people in the sector.

Gingrich’s fake-wife Kelly Cassidy was the lead sponsor of the “massive marijuana legalization measure signed into law last month,” which followed close on the heels of the massive human slaughter bill that Cassidy led the charge on. But the creepy couple assert that since Gingrich was hired after the bill passed in late May, there’s nothing to see here folks, so just move along.

Pritzker too scoffs at the idea that there is any connection between his support for the pot bill and the business interests of relatives, in his case his second cousin Joseph “Joby” Pritzker and Joseph Pritzker’s father Nicholas J. Pritzker who head up a capital investment firm “that has… poured money into a pair of cannabis-related ventures, PAX Labs and MJ Freeway.”

Tao Capital Partners, which Nicholas Pritzker co-founded, was an early investor in the e-cigarette company JUUL, which “was developed by the cannabis vaporizer company PAX.” Due to the concerns of many that the slow death of the tobacco industry will result in JUUL moving into the burgeoning cannabis industry, on June 7, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent a letter to JUUL requesting, among other things, this:

All documents, including memoranda and communications, referring or relating to proposals, plans, and/or intended partnerships or collaborations between JUUL and any cannabis-related companies, including but not limited to Cronos Group [a Canada-based cannabis company].

Last year, Pritzker’s campaign claimed “the governor had not spoken” to his relatives “about marijuana policy or anything else ‘in a long time.’” First, how long is a long time? Second, not speaking to family members about policy pertaining to business interests related to marijuana that he knows they have is hardly a defense.

Oh, but there’s more. The Sun-Times quoted Dr. Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, who exposed that the Chicago way of profiting while harming Illinoisans thrives:

Governor Pritzker worked to buy off legislators during the budget process in closed door meetings and now his family will now vastly benefit. Senator Van Pelt was putting plans in place to obtain a marijuana license while the bill was being written.

According to a May 21 article in the Sun-Times, starting last January “Van Pelt was marketing… investment seminars and leading a company that intends to obtain licenses to grow and sell marijuana in the state, she also was named as co-sponsor of a bill to legalize the drug statewide.”

Last January, Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) began advertising on social media her $100 seminars on how to profit from recreational pot once it was legalized. According to the Sun-Times, “Less than four months later, those seminars and another cannabis-related business Van Pelt is involved with are being investigated by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.”

A damning news report from WCIA in Springfield on Van Pelt’s “scheme,” reveals that scheming isn’t new to Van Pelt:

In 2015, while in office, she promoted a multi-level marketing pyramid scheme that later ended abruptly when its owners were convicted for dodging taxes and defrauding investors of $4 million dollars.

The Sun-Times reported the extent of Van Pelt’s troubling entanglements with the cannabis industry:

In addition to charging nearly $100 to watch her online cannabis investment seminars, Van Pelt also serves as the president of WaKanna For Life. The multilevel marketing company… aims to win licenses to grow and sell pot, according to company CEO Melissa Boston-Atoyebi.

On April 20, considered a holiday among pro-pot advocates, Van Pelt and her co-investors sold tickets to a seminar they held on the cannabis industry at the Harold Washington Cultural Center in Bronzeville.

According to WCIA, Van Pelt’s actions represent not only a violation of ethics guidelines for lawmakers but perhaps even state law:

Undeterred by ethics laws that prohibit public officials from using their office to enrich themselves, Van Pelt uses her personal Facebook page to post images of her private meetings with Governor J.B. Pritzker, including images of March 21st Legislative Black Caucus meeting agenda which outlined how the state should prioritize marijuana shop licenses for black business owners…. Van Pelt’s personal involvement in a company that could reap handsome profits in the wake of legalization has raised ethical questions about the potential for a conflict of interest. Several members of the Legislative Ethics Commission, who are legally restricted from discussing open investigations, said they were unaware of Van Pelt’s activities, but acknowledged that her actions were troublesome, and that they could easily trigger an ethics complaint to the Legislative Inspector General.

Van Pelt signed on to the recreational marijuana bill as a co-sponsor in early May. The WCIA exposé came out on May 14. The Sun-Times reported that shortly after her scheme was exposed,

New conflict of interest provisions were added to the marijuana measure just before the Illinois Senate passed it, banning lawmakers and their family members, as well as state employees, from being able to get a cannabis business license for two years.

Then on May 15, Van Pelt was removed as a co-sponsor of the bill.

The creepy actions of creepy leaders like Pritzker, Cassidy, and Van Pelt help explain the growing movement to have Chicago go its own way, that is to become a separate state. And they help explain the mass exodus of Illinoisans to places with green pastures rather than fetid swamps.

Listen to this article read by Laurie:

https://staging.illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Predatory-Profiteering-Leaders.mp3

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

You must watch 8 gut-busting minutes of one floor “debate” that took place recently in the Springfield swamp. Then when you’ve caught your breath and dried those tears of laughter, take a moment to dash off a thank you to State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) for his exasperated and exquisite exposure of yet another exasperating and chuckleheaded bill sponsored and unfortunately passed by Springfield clowns.

The bill (HB 3394) amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983 in such a way as to try to force corporations to judge people by the color of their skin—or rather by the color of skin they wish they had—rather than the content of their character or their skills. HB 3394 blathers on about requiring publicly held domestic or foreign corporations with their principle executive offices located in Illinois to submit annual reports to the secretary of state identifying, among other things, the “self-identified” race, ethnicity, and “gender” of their board members.

The bill passed in the Illinois Senate by a vote of 38-16 and in the Illinois House by a vote of 105-0 (Say whaaat?).

Don’t look now, you pesky and peevish “trans”-cultists, but your incoherence is showing.

You see, in trying to slavishly suck up to the identity politics of science-denying “trans”-cultists, Springfield swampsters are undermining the identity politics of racialists and second wave feminists.

So, let’s look at what could happen if Governor JB Pritzker signs into law this silly, anti-business bill that seeks to force corporations to diversify their boards by using the self-identification of board members as black or female, rather than their objective race or sex: A 12-member racially colorless board that includes three white men who identify as black and Rachel Dolezal would be considered racially diverse, and a 12-member board of all biological males, six of whom “identify” as women, would be deemed sexually diverse.

So as not to spoil your fun, I’ll provide just a teaser from the video in which Senator Righter makes intellectual mincemeat of the legislative nonsense poor State Senator Christopher Belt (D-East St. Louis) was forced to defend:

Senator Righter: “[Amendment] subsection 4 regards members of the board who self-identify as a racial minority or ethnic minority. Now, I’m going to be completely honest with you. I didn’t know that you could self-identify as a member of a different ethnicity or race. So, my question for you is, in the instance where there is a corporate board that is all Caucasian, could half of them self-identify as minority and, therefore, receive a score as being diverse?”

Lol!

You’re going to have to watch the remaining 6 minutes to find out how this debate played out. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the show.

Cultural regressives in Springfield better get with the “LGBTQQAP” agitprop. “Gender” no longer refers to biological sex—or so, we’re told. Gender now refers to the arbitrary, socially constructed and imposed norms, roles, behaviors, and conventions associated with maleness and femaleness. So, demanding diverse “gender” representation means exactly what?

Maybe Humpty Dumpty can help answer that question:

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that’s all.”

Listen to this article read by Laurie:

https://staging.illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Dale_Righter.mp3

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

The regular session of the Illinois General Assembly ended at midnight on May 31st. When that deadline passed, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) called for a Special Session of the Illinois House in order to finish what they started–namely the expansion of immorality, exploitation of citizens with new fees and taxes, and irresponsible spending of state government. They finished “business” on Sunday.

Gambling Expansion

As I reported late last week, in addition to the horrific anti-family legislation being approved in the closing days of the 2019 session, our state lawmakers in true bipartisan fashion, gave their approval to a huge gambling expansion that not only legalizes sports betting but increases the number of casinos in the state by six, including one in Chicago. This will mean that Illinois will have 16 casinos in total.

With this legislation, they also expanded the number of slot machines and table games at casinos, places slot machines at Chicago’s two airports, and allows for additional slot machines in truck stops throughout the state. Slot machines are often referred to as the “crack cocaine of gambling,” because they are highly addictive.

We are disappointed to report that on Saturday, the Illinois House approved this legislation (SB 690) by a vote of 87-27. On Sunday, the Illinois Senate concurred with a vote of 46-10 with two voting present. Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law this summer. Our political “leaders” who voted for this evidently believe they can exploit “gaming” to drain more revenue from the residents they were elected to serve.

To expand gambling, our state lawmakers had to completely ignore the 1999 U.S. Gambling Commission which recommended a moratorium on the expansion of any type of gambling anywhere in the United States, as well as the re-criminalization of slot machines/electronic gambling machines (EGMs) convenient to the public. The Gambling Commission’s conclusions have been reconfirmed in the multi-volume 2009-12 U.S. International Gambling Report, produced in large part by the University of Illinois and in concert with colleagues at other academic institutions.

Evidently, our political leaders want Illinois to become the Nevada of the Midwest.

Gasoline Tax Increase

The revenue generated by expanding gambling in Illinois is insufficient for the spendthrift politicians in Springfield. Since the snare of gambling will not satisfy their insatiable appetite for public money, they turned to other ways to squeeze the hardworking families of Illinois by doubling our state’s motor fuel tax from 19 cents to 38 cents per-gallon, and by raising vehicle registration fees from $101 to $151 for most vehicles.

We are shocked to report that on Saturday that this legislation (SB 1939) was passed in the Illinois House with the help of 20 Republicans by a vote of 83-29 with one voting present. On Sunday, the Illinois Senate concurred with a vote of 48-9 with one voting present. Eleven of the 19 Republicans in the Illinois Senate voted for these tax increases. Come July 1st, we can thank them for the dubious distinction of Illinois having the second highest gas tax rate in the nation.

But it gets worse. According to an article by the Illinois Policy Institute,

The state motor fuel tax will also be tied to inflation, meaning it will automatically rise in future years without lawmaker approval. The hike will cost the typical driver around $100 more in its first year.

This means that Illinois drivers will have a perpetual tax increase facing us potentially every year.

UGH! Again

Lawmakers in Springfield refuse to live within the means of our current cash flow and refuse to cut the size of government. Instead they irresponsibly turn to tax increases and expansion of gambling again and again. Just how much is enough? Well, the AP reports that the bipartisan state budget agreement borrows more than $1 billion in order to pay down a a mere 14 percent of our “lingering, $7 billion pile of past-due bills” in order “to save money on interest payments.”

“Irresponsible” doesn’t begin to describe it.

Illinois State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) rightly points out, “If we ran state government more efficiently, we wouldn’t need all these fee and tax increases.”

Increasing taxes, like expanding gambling, is counter-productive. It will adversely affect Illinois’ economy, hurt businesses and cause them to relocate out of state, and will ultimately increase the already high tax burden on families that remain in Illinois. These proposals are decidedly anti-family.

Illinois taxpayers should not continue to tolerate wasteful, bloated government. They just don’t get it. We do not have a tax problem. We have a spending problem! But this truth is not reflected in the $40 billion budget (SB 262) that the Illinois House approved on Friday by a vote of 83-35 and that the Illinois Senate concurred with on Saturday by a vote of 40-19.

Oh, by the way, state lawmakers gave themselves a pay raise of $1600 a year for all their work spending our hard-earned money.

Read more:

2019 Session Recap and Perspective (Illinois Family Institute)

What the Gov Had to Say About the 101st Session’s “Progress” (Illinois Review)

Illinois pols sneak teacher-salary-spiking boost into 2020 budget (Wirepoints)

Illinois State Lawmakers Introduce, Pass $85 Billion in Spending in 12 Hours (Illinois Policy Institute)

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If you follow politics and public policy at all, you know well the saying, “elections have consequences.” Well, during this most recent General Assembly session (January-May), and especially the last two weeks, we have seen those consequences in spades, as super majorities in both the Illinois Senate and Illinois House passed far-reaching agenda items that can only be described extreme, duplicitous, and destructive.

The most wicked of these legislative proposals this session was the Reproductive Health Act (SB 25), the “Kill-Babies-Bill” proposal as Laurie Higgins termed it in a recent article. This bill, which, among other pernicious things, creates a fundamental “right” to abortion, redefines fetal viability, and expands the definition of “health of the patient.” It passed the Illinois House by a vote of 64-50 and the Illinois Senate by a vote of 34-20. Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law this summer.

The exploitation of children doesn’t stop with the push to eliminate them in utero. Those who survive regressives’ blood-lust agenda must now navigate the LGBTQIA+ minefield thanks to the LGBT History Mandate (HB 246). This proposal will mandate that all students in K-12 public schools be taught about the “roles and contributions” of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators and that textbooks purchased include discussions of the roles and contributions of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators. This legislation was passed in the Illinois Senate by a vote of 37-17 and in the Illinois House by a vote of 60-42. Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law this summer.

Then we have the push to legalize “recreational” marijuana (HB 1438), a policy against which left-leaning publications opined, include the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and New Yorker. For two years now, IFI has worked tenaciously to educate Illinois residents in every part of the state, with special forums, articles, videos, web conferences, radio interviews and through a variety of other social media postings. With the help of a few Republican lawmakers in each chamber, this legislation was passed in the Illinois Senate by a vote of 38-17 and in the Illinois House by a vote of 66-47. Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign it into law this summer.

I would be remiss not to mention the anti-IFI resolution (HJR 55) that is still pending in Springfield. The sponsors have not withdrawn this indefensible motion that Springfield regressives would exploit to use the power of the government to quash our work, speech, and presence in Springfield. Their call to curtail our right to lobby at the Capitol and for the Illinois State Police to investigate us for “hate speech” is still hanging over our head and could be called for a vote anytime through January 2020 when the 101st General Assembly ends.

To say that this session has been frustrating is an understatement. The floor debates have been both laughable and discouraging. For example, State Representative Maurice West (D-Rockford) spoke on the House floor during debate on SB 25, self-identifying as a Christian minister to justify and advocate for baby slaughter.

There is a dearth of wisdom, common sense, courage, integrity, and compassion in the Illinois General Assembly. Hosea 4:6 laments, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” and 2 Timothy 4:3 warns that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” This toxic combination was on full display this month. There aren’t many serving in Springfield who are resolutely pro-family conservative in their political ideology and even fewer who hold to a biblical worldview.

After a season of a lot of hard work and prayer, it is easy to be discouraged by the outrageous politics of Illinois. We are well down the slippery slope. Where it will bottom out, no one knows. It appears that God has turned Illinois over to debased (depraved) thinking as Romans 1:28-32 predicts. In short, our state’s political leaders have not just forgotten God but are also arrogantly shaking their collective fists at Him. At the same time, far too many church leaders sit on the sidelines doing their very best to stay lukewarm. As a result, Illinois is under judgment.

At this point it is wise for us to take a deep breath, take a step back, and gain some perspective.

The Lord doesn’t call His servants to victory, but rather to faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:2; Luke 16:10-12). We are called to do good works (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 2:10). We are called to observe all of God’s commandments (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3) and to teach them to our children (Deuteronomy 6:7; Proverbs 22:6; Psalm 78:2-4) and to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). And Jesus tells us that all of these things and more hang on the second great commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

In the end, we must be mindful that many of our neighbors are oblivious to what Scripture teaches. They are captives of false ideologies (Luke 4:18; 2 Corinthians 10:5) and distracted by vain worldly pursuits (James 4:4). More importantly, we are called to keep our eyes on the prize (Philippians 3:14), not the storm around us. And we are instructed not to grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9) — even in the People’s Republic of Illinois.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. Establishing and reinforcing a biblical worldview in our families and in our churches is vital if we hope to help our own family members, let alone our neighbors, to navigate the culture in Illinois. The snares have been set out for us, our children, our grandchildren, and our neighbors. And with every legislative session, those snares are multiplying.

We remain resolved to work hard to educate and influence the hearts and minds of anyone who has ears to hear and eyes to see, for the sake of the King and His Kingdom. May His will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

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Illinois State lawmakers are entering into the last month of the 2019 Spring Session. They have much on their legislative agenda, including approving a budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1st. The Illinois State Constitution requires that the regular legislative session end on May 31^st.

As you know, Illinois needs strong, honest and wise leadership now more than ever. Christians in the state of Illinois must commit to praying for our state leaders, their staff, and their family as they wrestle with the tough issues of the day. So, that is our call to you today.

Illinois is not only facing a $3.2 billion budget deficit but also a staggering $134 billion pension liability. To solve these problems, many of our political leaders are looking for additional streams of revenue instead of working to cut the incredible waste, bloat and unnecessary (or immoral) government programs like the millions of dollars going to pay for Medicaid abortions, expanded and approved by the previous governor and General Assembly.

To make matters worse, our state lawmakers are considering a number of proposals that would only exacerbate the anti-family environment in our state. Please pray through the following proposals, asking God to change the hearts and minds of our state lawmakers. We do this because we are fully convinced that “with God, all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26, Mark 10:27) Please pray that all these bills fail:

• Abortion Expansion: the two extreme abortion bills that we alerted you to back in February have stalled. Praise God! However, Planned Parenthood and their allies are working overtime to jump start them.

• Legalized Marijuana: During his campaign, Gov. JB Pritzker promised to legalize recreational pot. Political pundits claim that Illinois’ FY 2020 budget desperately needs the millions of dollars in tax revenue from marijuana. However, reports from Colorado indicate that the costs far outweigh the new revenue source.

• LGBT History Mandate: HB 246 has already passed the Illinois House and is pending a vote in the Illinois Senate. This legislation will require that all students in K-12 public schools be taught about the “roles and contributions” of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators and that textbooks purchased include discussions of the roles and contributions of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators.

• Mandatory Kindergarten: SB 2075 has already passed the Illinois Senate and is pending in the Illinois House. This bill would lower the compulsory school age from 6 to 5 years of age, usurping parental rights on when to start formal education for their young children.

• Gambling Expansion: State lawmakers are betting on $200 million in revenue from licensing fees from legalized sports betting licenses. There is also a move to create more casinos in Illinois (e.g., Chicago and Rockford), to expand gambling to the Internet and on smart phones. Too many lawmakers think that this is a harmless way to supplement revenues. They don’t seem to understand how addictive gambling can be or that it has costs that could be as high as $3 to $7 for every $1 of revenue.

• More Taxes: According to the Chicago Tribune, Springfield lawmakers may consider other tax schemes to increase revenue to the state coffers: “The governor’s office wants at least $19 million from a statewide tax on plastic shopping bags, $55 million from an increase in the cigarette tax, $10 million from a new tax on e-cigarettes and $89 million from a higher tax on successful video gambling terminals.” They are also considering an increase in gasoline taxes by 19 to 25 cents per gallon. These taxes create an additional burden on working families.

• Please Pray for Springfield Leaders: Gov. JB Pritzker, Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago), Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Burr Ridge).

Pray that the Lord would grant them wisdom and knowledge about the issues they must vote on this month. Pray that they would be bold to do what is right according to the Word of God. Pray that the good Lord would direct their hearts to do His will on earth, as it is in heaven.

By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
~Proverbs 8:15~

If Governor J.B. Pritzker has his way, Illinois will institute a graduated income tax to replace its flat 4.95 percent tax rate. The governor claims that increasing the tax rate will generate billions in new revenue while only raising taxes on the wealthiest 3 percent of taxpayers with income of more than $250,000.

Before legislators can consider the proposal, however, voters must first pass a referendum that removes language in the state constitution mandating a flat income tax rate. They face an uphill battle: though Democrats control the Illinois General Assembly, the rules require that the referendum for a state constitutional amendment pass by an “extraordinary majority.”

Both sides are gearing up for the anticipated fight. As with any battle, there is truth to the adage of the ancient Greek philosopher: “The first casualty when war comes is truth.”  Think Big Illinois, a progressive group that endorses a graduated income tax based upon income, claimed: “In almost every state with an income tax, wealthy people pay a higher tax rate than the middle class.”

The fact-checking organization PolitiFact Illinois begged to differ, pointing out that “Even by the most conservative definition, there are 19 states with income taxes that do not apply higher rates to the earnings of the wealthy—nine flat tax states and 10 with graduated taxes with rates that top out at income below $25,000. Add in another eight states where top rates for married couples kick in somewhere between $31,000 and $104,000, and the Think Big claim becomes even more dubious.” The reality is far from the assertion that “‘almost every’ income-taxing state levies a higher rate on top earners, earning this claim a rating of Mostly False.”

But how much would a graduated income tax improve the state’s dire financial condition? By September 2017, Illinois was in arrears to the tune of $16 billion and has accumulated the worst unfunded pension debt in the nation. At best the referendum would only partially address the shortfall.

Far from “plugging Illinois’ fiscal hole,” the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability estimates that the tax increase would at most decrease that debt by only $5 billion per year (other estimates put the figure as low as $3.4 billion), let alone solve the pension crisis and provide needed additional funding for the cash-strapped school system, healthcare, etc. In fact, the additional income would be quickly swallowed up by the growing $4.7 billion shortfall per year accumulated by the state’s five major pensions.

And the new revenue wouldn’t begin to address the hundreds of local pension funds in the state that are drowning in debt. In fact, Moody’s estimates that Illinois has a stratospheric–and frankly unimaginable–$234 billion in unfunded liabilities.

Any additional revenue generated by increasing income taxes would have minimal effect. According to an article posted by the Illinois watchdog group Wirepoints: “The new revenue would barely dent our problems and only further enrage the Illinoisans who are already fed up and ready to leave.”

The bill is coming due for a state which for decades has been run by free-spending politicians who annually approve ever-ballooning budgets that have routinely raided the state’s pension funds and driven up debt to unsustainable levels. Yet many politicians appear to be constitutionally incapable of accepting blame or recognizing that grave financial improprieties have become the norm in the state, giving new meaning to the biblical admonition about those who brazenly wipe their mouths and say: “I have done no wrong.”

Again, to quote Wirepoints, such politicians “ignore growing debts and count borrowed money, asset sales and raids on segregated funds as income.”  There are no easy solutions, but there is no escaping the looming abyss, and we can only hope and pray that the Prairie State will find the courage to enact fiscal revolution, beginning with pension reform and making the hard choices necessary to–as most families have learned to do–live within its budget, as Illinois’ Constitution requires.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to ask the governor and your state lawmakers to vote against any legislative proposal that would increase tax burdens for Illinois citizens.

More taxes, more spending, more debt and more bleeding of Illinois families.  That’s the message too many state lawmakers are advancing for the citizens of Illinois.

Let them know that you oppose any new tax increases when they refuse to cut government waste and bloat. You can also call your lawmakers through the Capitol Switchboard at (217) 782-2000.

Last week ten lawmakers from the Jewish Caucus in Springfield sponsored a resolution condemning Illinois Family Action (IFA) and Illinois Family Institute (IFI) for engaging in what they call “hate speech,” because IFA compared the abortion holocaust to the Jewish Holocaust. Titled “Illinois Family Action-Hate Speech” (HJR 55), the resolution uses subjective hyperbole, disreputable sources and unreasonable inferences that make the alleged offense seem overtly sinister.

If you want an exhaustive, well-argued refutation of the resolution, read “Left-Wing Partisans File Stunning Resolution Against Illinois Family.” HJR 55 is stunning for all the reasons that author Laurie Higgins identifies but also because of its glaring omission: any mention of abortion, the topic of the article that started it all.

There are always hazards when invoking the Holocaust, not least of which is overstating the parallel to a current situation. But that’s not the case here. It is indisputable that the Nazis dehumanized an entire class of human beings defined solely by their ethnoreligious heritage, then rounded them up and shipped them off to be exterminated with lethal efficiency in death camps across Europe.

It’s also indisputable that abortion providers—most notably Planned Parenthood—are also in the extermination business. They and their enablers—most notably regressive Democrats, who increasingly champion infanticide—have dehumanized an entire class of human beings defined solely by their stage of development in situ.

One significant difference between the Jewish Holocaust and our modern holocaust is that abortion clinics don’t have to round up babies and send them to a centralized abortion mill. Instead, Planned Parenthood has conveniently dotted the country with more than 600 of their own little death camps for easy access. It’s the children’s own mothers who—whether they gleefully “shout their abortion” or enter a clinic in desperation—play the role of Hitler’s Schutzstaffel.

The parallels between the two holocausts, made so often as to be in danger of becoming cliché, are strong and obvious—except to the willfully blind.

So why the extraordinary step of a resolution in the Illinois House condemning the comparison? Just this: by making the comparison, Illinois Family conferred personhood on the pro-choicers’ blob of tissue. IFI re-humanized them. The resolution’s assertion that IFI is “recklessly comparing those who disagree with their extreme agenda to Nazis” can only be true if babies aren’t human.

The resolution is a naked halogen bulb blinding observers to their real objective, which is to intimidate and shame IFI into submission. Accusations of unspecified threats, anti-Semitism, “hate speech,” “bigotry,” “homophobia” and “extreme rhetoric” are followed by a call for “a formal investigation” into such speech and asking the Secretary of State to suspend IFI’s lobbying credentials.

One of the resolution’s co-sponsors, State Representative Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook), took to Twitter to express his outrage. “This is hate speech and I demand a retraction. Comparing Democrats to Nazis to to [sic] promote your agenda is disgraceful.” He was later quoted as saying, “We call on the Illinois State Police to do a full investigation of these incidents.”

To summarize: the all-Democrat Jewish Caucus of the Illinois House of Representatives has circled the wagons and called for reinforcements because they don’t like a commonly-used analogy comparing the killing of 61,000,000 babies (and counting) to the killing of 6,000,000 Jews—and allegedly fear that they will now be the victims of violence. To address the threat, they are summoning the power of the state to crush IFI.

How very Hitler-esque.

Meanwhile, the State of Illinois is circling the drain. We are the least fiscally solvent state, but pay the highest state and local taxes in the country; we are the third most corrupt state in the nation and boast the worst-in-nation pension crisis; we’re unlikely to successfully weather a recession, we have one of the worst home foreclosure rates in the nation, and we lead the country in number of residents fleeing the state.

If regressives get their way, they’ll also bestow on Illinois the distinction of having the most radical abortion laws in the land. (We’re number one! We’re number one!)

Instead of wasting their time and taxpayer money weaponizing the state to kick around a tiny pro-family organization that enjoys First Amendment protections, how about getting busy fixing the national embarrassment that the land of Lincoln has become?

Instead of indoctrinating five freshman legislators on the finer points of virtue signaling (“Hate has no home here,” right, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz?), how about challenging Jonathan Carroll, Daniel Didech, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Yehiel Kalish, Karina Villa, Anna Moeller and Bob Morgan to balance a budget by reining in spending? Instead of demonstrating knee jerk outrage, how about demanding an investigation into how the most corrupt big city in the nation let Jussie “O.J.” Smollett skate after slandering half the country’s citizens and lying about it?

Regressives and their junior commies in the Illinois House have more pressing issues to deal with than some petty disagreement about whether legal abortion is like the Jewish Holocaust or not. Judging by the March 20 turnout to protest the proposed abortion legislation that “overtaxed Capitol security,” there are a lot of people who agree that it is.

The Hebrew prophet Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call good evil and evil good, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). Jewish legislators should understand better than anyone the evil of taking innocent life. Rescind the resolution and do what you were elected to do: rescue Illinois.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to contact your state senator and representative to ask them to reject this dangerous resolution. Ask them to vote down HJR 55 and the unprecedented and tyrannical action being taken by extreme partisans in the Illinois General Assembly.

Read more:

Left-Wing Partisans File Stunning Resolution Against Illinois Family (Laurie Higgins)

Truth and Love or Hate? (Rev. Calvin Lindstrom)

SPOTLIGHT: Illinois’ Abortion Holocaust (Podcast)

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Illinois is morally, fiscally, and intellectually bankrupt, and you know what some lawmakers in swampy Springfield are doing with their time and taxpayers’ money? They’ve crafted a stunning resolution titled “Illinois Family Action-Hate Speech” (HJR 55) condemning Illinois Family Action (IFA) and Illinois Family Institute (IFI), falsely accusing us of bigotry and engaging in “hate speech” because in two articles we compared the abortion holocaust to the Nazi Holocaust.

The ten “progressive” sponsors of the resolution falsely accuse IFA of distributing “multiple anti-Semitic, homophobic, threatening, and hateful posts on their official social media page, callously belittling the most appalling tragedies of the Holocaust and recklessly comparing those who disagree with their extreme agenda to Nazis.”

Chicago attorney Joseph A. Morris, who is also a leader in B’nai B’rith and other Jewish and interfaith organizations, served from 1995 through 2001 as the President of B’nai B’rith in the Midwest, and was founder and first Chairman of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Public Policy, said this about the disputed analogy:

I’m Jewish, and not only am I not offended by the comparison between the German Nazi Party’s National Socialism and the U.S. Democratic Party’s Democratic Socialism but I think the comparison is accurate. Wise, principled, and humane Democrats should welcome having their attention arrested by the facts.

The bill’s sponsors filed this resolution just days after a crowd of 4,000 pro-life Illinoisans showed up in Springfield to urge their state senators and representatives to oppose the radical anti-life policies sponsored by these lawmakers and other “progressives”—an event singled out for criticism in the resolution.

Apparently, our anti-constitutionalists in Springfield have forgotten the First Amendment’s protection of speech, assembly, and the right to petition our government for redress of grievances, which is “the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one’s government without fear of punishment or reprisals,”—you know, like hateful resolutions.

The resolution is a crock of unsubstantiated ad hominem attacks glued together with more unsubstantiated ad hominem attacks, innuendo, irrelevant red herrings, non sequiturs, and a risible reference to the ethically impoverished Southern Poverty Law Center—an actual hate group.

The central issue is not whether the Nazi Holocaust is an apt analogue for America’s feticidal holocaust. The central issue is whether humans in the womb are persons with intrinsic and infinite worth. If they are, the analogy does not belittle the extermination of Jews by Nazis. If humans in the womb are persons with intrinsic and infinite worth, calling their extermination “health care”—as the resolution’s sponsors do—is an appalling horror.

Since logic and evidence still matter to some Illinoisans—resolution-signatories excepted—let’s don our rhetorical hazmat suits and waders and trudge through the murky, fallacy-infested resolution.

Resolution’s false allegation of “anti-Semitism”

The posts to which they refer are presumably one by Teri Paulson titled “Why is Legalized Abortion Called a Holocaust” and one by this writer titled “Leftist Hysteria and Their Language Rules” in which there is not one sentence that is anti-Semitic or that “callously belittles” the appalling horrors of the Holocaust. None of the sponsors has explained how comparing the egregious horrors of the slaughter of 61,000,000 humans in the womb to the egregious slaughter of 6,000,000 Jews and others in the Nazi Holocaust constitutes a callous belittlement of the Holocaust.

Quite the contrary, comparing the feticidal holocaust to the Nazi Holocaust does the opposite. It amplifies and illuminates the horrors of both. No one who compares the feticidal holocaust to the Nazi Holocaust would make such a comparison if they did not view the extermination of Jews as an incomprehensible horror. Can the Springfield ten really not comprehend that?

When asked whether he finds the analogy offensive, Orthodox Jew David Blatt said,

No. How is it any different? It baffles me that my liberal co-religionists endorse abortion-on-demand given the legacy of the Shoah.

Will the gang of ten in Springfield condemn Mr. Blatt as an anti-Semite?

The analogy is not reckless, nor is it new. Those who object to it do so because they have concluded that the product of conception between two humans is not a human created in the image and likeness of God and endowed by his or her Creator with certain unalienable rights, chief among them the right not to be exterminated. IFA and IFI reject the ontological and moral assumptions of “progressives” on incipient human life.

We reject the worldview that asserts that women have a moral right to have their offspring killed. We reject the worldview that asserts that mentally or physically imperfect humans are less worthy of life than their mental or physical “superiors.” Perhaps those who are enraged at IFA/IFI can explain how the pro-feticide philosophy regarding “defective” humans in the womb differs from the Nazi principle of  “life unworthy of life”?

Perhaps the sponsors can explain exactly why the comparison of a society in which the government has granted to mothers the absolute legal right to have any or all of their children exterminated for any or no reason to a society in which the government exterminates citizens because of their race is so evil that making it—that is, the comparison—must not be permitted and anyone who does make it should be condemned by the government.

Resolution’s false allegations regarding hatred and “callous belittling”

If there is any callous belittling being done, it’s by “progressives” toward humans in the womb. If there are hateful words being expressed, it’s by “progressives” who shriek “hater” at anyone who dares to challenge their beliefs and actions with the same conviction, boldness, and tenacity that they demonstrate.

Resolution’s false allegation of “homophobia”

Once again for the obtuse and/or demagogic “progressives” among us: no matter how many times you charge conservatives with “homophobia,” criticism of volitional homosexual acts or relationships does not constitute fear or hatred (i.e., “homophobia) of those who identify as homosexual. IFA and IFI hold theologically orthodox views of marriage and homosexual acts and relationships—views that are shared by the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and many Protestant denominations. We have a constitutional right to express those views without being harassed, intimidated, and bullied by Springfield “progressives.”

IFA and IFI even have a right to quote, recite, and post what St. Paul says about homosexuality:

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Resolution’s false allegation of IFA/IFI threats

There’s really nothing to say other than neither of the “posts” that inflamed the resolution’s sponsors or any other posts written for IFA/IFI include any threats. We unequivocally denounce the use of violence. If the resolution sponsors cannot provide evidence to support that pernicious claim, they owe IFA/IFI an apology (Weather reports say it’s still hot in hell, so…).

Resolution’s false allegation of bigotry

The term “bigot” refers to a person who is “obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”

Clearly, there is a distinction between bigotry and moral views. Bigotry cannot simply refer to holding moral views, for if it did, everyone but sociopaths would have to be considered bigots because everyone but sociopaths holds certain behaviors as moral and others as immoral.

The word “obstinacy” in the definition of “bigot” warrants some discussion. First, “obstinate,” according to the American Heritage Dictionary, connotes “unreasonable rigidity.” I would argue that conservative views on, for example, homosexuality are completely reasonable, and that conversely, liberal views are woefully unreasonable.

In order to determine whether a tenaciously held conviction reflects obstinacy requires an evaluation of the content of the belief and the justifications for that belief. For example, few would characterize the act of tenaciously holding the belief that female genital mutilation is wrong to be a manifestation of obstinacy or bigotry.

Moreover, “obstinate” cannot be severed from the other parts of the definition. Bigotry is the obstinate devotion to uninformed inclinations, especially ones that result in hatred of members of a particular group.

The key phrase for distinguishing between bigotry and moral conscience is that a bigot’s opinions are “uninformed,” and the bigot “regards or treats the members of a group… with hatred and intolerance.” Certainly, there are those in society who demonstrate this kind of behavior, but true Christ-followers do not treat anyone with hatred.

I neither treat people who self-identify as homosexual with hatred or intolerance, nor do I feel any hatred for them. My beliefs about homosexual conduct in no way diminish the love I feel for those who self-identify as homosexual, the respect I have for their admirable qualities, the pleasure I take in their company, or the recognition I have of their infinite worth.

I would argue that the views of “progressives” on homosexuality are uninformed, while those of IFA/IFI employees are fully informed.

Tolerating, respecting, or loving people does not require affirming all their feelings, beliefs, or actions. Neither does it require withholding criticism of their beliefs or those actions impelled by their feelings and beliefs.

Resolution’s smelly red herring (or is it a non sequitur?)

The sponsors of the resolution dangle a big, fat, smelly red herring in front of Illinois lawmakers, apparently assuming they’re too foolish to tell the difference between relevant evidence and a big, fat, smelly red herring plumbed from the depths of the swamp where the sponsors live and move and have their being.

The sponsors cite as part of the justification for their resolution the 2004 murder of an unarmed Capitol guard by a  schizophrenic young man who had stopped taking his meds and was hearing “voices and thought members of an underground society in Eastern Europe were controlling him” at the time of the murder as part of the justification for the resolution falsely accusing IFI and IFA of “hate speech and threats.”

Say whaaat?

Let’s see if we can make sense of this: Fourteen years ago, a schizophrenic man who was off his meds murdered an unarmed Capitol guard, so there should be a “formal investigation” into IFA’s/IFI’s non-existent “hate speech and threats,” and our lobbyists’ credentials should be revoked pending the outcome of the investigation.

Nope, can’t do it. Still doesn’t make sense.

Resolution’s risible reference to the Southern Poverty Law Center

Now we come to the resolution sponsors’ appeal to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as some sort of arbiter of moral authority. Yes, that SPLC—the infamous “hate-group” tracker/real hate group—the one embroiled in yet another ethics scandal, the one that makes beaucoup bucks off “progressives” by labelling as “hate groups” any organization that holds theologically orthodox views of sexuality.

In contrast to the aforementioned wholly irrelevant Capitol shooting, the SPLC’s fake hate-groups list has been the actual cause of a shooting. In 2012, Floyd Corkins showed up at the offices of the theologically orthodox Family Research Council, intent on killing the staff. He shot and wounded a security guard who was able to stop him. Corkins said he was inspired to commit acts of violence by the SPLC’s hate-groups list.

Just wondering, does hurling epithets at IFA/IFI employees, falsely accusing them of issuing threats and of being anti-Semitic, homophobic, hateful, and bigoted constitute hate speech? Might it result in violence against us?

Conclusion

It’s a routinely issued diktat that one must never compare the Holocaust or Nazism to, well, anything. I respectfully disagree. Not all analogies that include Nazism, the Holocaust, or Hitler constitute reductio ad Hitlerum fallacies. Some analogies are, as Joseph Morris asserts, accurate.

If we’re permitted to revisit ideas as settled by science and commonsense as women don’t have penises or men can’t become pregnant, surely, we can revisit the arguable claim that there are no points of correspondence between the slaughter of humans in the womb and the Holocaust. And if there are points of correspondence, then surely we can revisit the unwritten law of “progressives” that no one may point them out.

Maybe, just maybe, “progressives” want to censor the comparison of the feticidal holocaust to the Nazi Holocaust because they fear it’s true. What if God wants us to see the abortion holocaust as analogous to the Nazi Holocaust? What if it’s Satan who wants to blind our eyes to the similarities and silence our tongues from identifying them? What if those lawmakers and citizens who react in anger (or tactical faux-anger) are doing the bidding of the father of lies? And what if  conservatives who buckle when “progressives” hurl epithets at them are “now seeking the approval of man” rather than that of God?”

Joliet Diocese Bishop Daniel Conlon requested that all churches in the diocese play a recorded message from him in which he said in part,

The state of Illinois is currently facing a crisis far greater than anything economic. It is truly a matter of life and death. Legislation is being considered in the Illinois General Assembly that would permit abortion anytime during pregnancy; right up to the moment of natural birth all nine months…. I need your help in convincing our elected officials that this proposed legislation is just plain wrong…. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a courageous critic of Nazism wrote, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak, is to speak.”

In the eyes of “progressives” in Springfield, is Bishop Conlon guilty of anti-Semitism and callous belittlement of the appalling tragedies of the Holocaust for his implied comparison of the abortion holocaust to the Holocaust? Will they add his name to the resolution condemning “hate speech”?

This unsubstantiated, malignant resolution constitutes a reprehensible abuse of power by morally corrupt lawmakers to silence speech. Every decent lawmaker, especially those who value the lives of the unborn and the First Amendment, should vote against it.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to contact your state senator and representative to ask them to reject this dangerous resolution. Ask them to vote down HJR 55 and the unprecedented and tyrannical action being taken by extreme partisans in the Illinois General Assembly.

Listen to this article read by Laurie:

https://staging.illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HJR55.mp3

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois! 

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Far too many Christians distance themselves altogether from the political process or choose to cast a ballot only during a presidential election cycle. But it is imperative that followers of the Lord Jesus Christ exercise their God-given right to vote in every election. If we don’t take time to research the candidates and then go to the polls, we effectively concede the outcome of the election to those who don’t reverence God or uphold His principles.

Dr. Eric Wallace and Star Parker detail why Christians must vote for men and women that honor God with their words and actions and why we should also encourage our politically apathetic friends, family, and fellow believers to cast their vote to the glory of God. The future of our state, nation, and judiciary is most definitely at stake! If you’re not sure where the candidates stand on the crucial issues of the day, please check out the Illinois Family Institute Voter Guide.

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Do you believe your vote can make a difference? Do you truly value your right to cast your vote? If you answered “yes,” then you know your vote is valuable and your actions in the voting booth should be consistent with your pro-life, pro-family values!

Please watch as Ann Scheidler, Vice-President of the Pro-Life Action League, discusses the deception and misinformation abortion activists are using to swell the pro-abortion wave in our nation. Scheidler reminds us that it is imperative for life activists to educate themselves about the candidates and then vote to retain pro-life incumbents, as well as elect new legislators who support pro-life, pro-family, and religious liberty values.

Don’t squander your valuable right – vote your values!

Click on the link below to check out the IFI Voter Guide:

The annual 40 Days for Life prayer campaign to end abortion is underway as voters are casting ballots for pro-life and pro-abortion candidates in the midterm elections.

Do you believe your vote can make a difference? Do you truly value your right to cast your vote? Know your vote is valuable and your actions in the voting booth should be consistent with your pro-life, pro-family values!

Check out the IFI Voter Guide here.