In this episode, Joel Davidson, Editor of the Alaska Watchman and a good friend, discusses the reality of how a few Republicans have thwarted the will of conservatives and what can be done about it. Support the show
Kevin McCabe is a Representative in the Alaska House serving Big Lake and surrounding areas. He wrote an article recently in the Alaska Watchman about the Black Robed Regiment...those pastors during the founding of our nation whose words laid the foundations of our Declaration of Independence and ultimately who took of the clerical robes and carried muskets into battle. Excited to chew on this with a man who understands his place in history. Support the show...
Happy New Year ! We hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and were able to zero in on the Christ child with purpose and focus. On today's final 2025 episode of " I'm Glad You Said That ", I get to be the one interviewed. KyLeah Mindala, our Donor Relations team member will be asking me about my background, how & why Alaska Family Council was started and what we hope to accomplish in the coming year. I'm really looking forward to it and am so grateful for KyLeah's passion, commitment a...
Many Alaskans are unaware of how public education unfolded in the history of the Great Land. Russian influences and a man named Sheldon Jackson created an environment that eventually led to a clause in our State Constitution intended to stop forced religious assimilation and unequal treatment of students. As you can read here , there was indeed justification for such language. Today however, in an ironic turn of events, the forced assimilation is still occurring but in a way the founders of our ...
The more you peel back the layers on Jarrett Freeman...the more you like him. Wrestled at Penn State. Uh...can you say discipline and strength. Has 117,000 followers on Instagram . Has influence and charisma and knows how to build networks. Newly elected Chair of the Young Republicans of Alaska . Ready and willing to inject some much needed energy and young blood into the conservative side of the aisle. Super excited and privileged to chat with Jarrett today. I hope you can tune in. Support the ...
When one of the most liberal countries in the world bans puberty blockers , cross sex hormones and surgical mutilation of minors, you have to wonder when states like Alaska will join the mix. Bob McCoskrie , founder of Family First , the equivalent of a nationwide Alaska Family Council in New Zealand, is on the show today to discuss how that just happened and how the Kiwis are doing battle in other areas for life, family and culture. Bob is a good "mate" and I love how he calls me "Jimmah" when ...
Lisa Ekman joins me on " I'm Glad You Said That " today to discuss her transformation from a leftist Democrat to a conservative patriot. She's no dummy with a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University, a master’s in social work from the University of Denver, and a bachelor’s in communication and rhetoric from Northwestern University. For more than 20 years, Lisa worked as a Democrat lobbyist and operative in Washington, D.C. She even cried on the night Donald Trump was elected in 2016. We'll discu...
Voted #1 as the best private school on many different levels , Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage is a beacon of hope, excellence and virtue. I'm thrilled to get to visit today with Principal Marie-Louise Schirda about the role of classical education and why it is needed more today than ever before. From the HRA website , Marie-Louise is "rooted in Alaskan soil, not only by virtue of her family's work as the state's largest producer of farm-to-table produce, but also in her long-term commitment to...
After a visit to the Great Land a few years ago, Cat Cushway, her husband and her parents, all from Michigan, felt the pull to make Alaska their home. Settling in Homer, Cat, now with 2 young toddlers, started feeling another tug, this time from God about the impact she should have in Homer with the strengths and passions she had been blessed with. With an extensive background in education, Cat knew it was going to be something related to schooling but when her husband said, " Go for it. Why don...
The ending of nearly $1 billion in taxpayer funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been greatly celebrated by many of us and seen as a devastating and political blow by those on the Left. Today I'm speaking with Ed Ulman, the President & CEO of Alaska Public Media (AKPM), Alaska’s largest PBS, NPR and statewide news organization. We'll certainly have our disagreements but I'm looking forward to a lively, civil discussion. Hope you can tune in. Support the show...
From a review of Pastor Levi Secord's book " Servant Not Savior " - "God’s design is for the state to be a servant, not our savior. Sadly, as we’ve abandoned God’s instructions, people across the political spectrum treat the state as a potential savior. Today is the day of big government as people consistently cry out to the state for salvation. Politicians take on Messiah-like personas, yet time and again they fail to deliver on their promises. Both history and Scripture teach us that the state...
- Nativity scenes on the lawn at a City Hall. - In God We Trust displayed prominently in public courthouses. - A Ten Commandments poster in public schoolrooms across Alaska. Sound like a memory from the past ? Can't imagine it coming to fruition in today's climate ? Think again. Thanks in large part to the Coach Kennedy case (you can read about that HERE ) where six (6) United States Supreme Court Justices clarified that the so-called Lemon test had long ago been abandoned, there are more opport...
I'm thrilled to have Garry Sigle, Central Regional Director, and Sharon Nelson, Sr. Director of Legal Services for the Association of American Educators (AAE) on the show today. AAE provides professional benefits public school employees desire, like liability insurance and job protection, without funding partisan politics or non-education issues. The cost is $234 per year that includes $2 million in liability coverage. In contrast, the NEA cost is more than $1,400 per year that includes just hal...
Jack Thompson came on board as President of the Turning Point USA Chapter at the University of Alaska Anchorage about a week before its founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated. It has been, as you can imagine, a bit of a whirlwind for the Freshman from Anchorage. I'm humbled and fortunate to have Jack on the show today to discuss his journey, thoughts he has on his generation in light of the significance of this moment in time and why, despite evil being real and present, there is hope. Please t...
Absolutely blessed to have Stacey Jewel on the show today. Her production, 7 Layers Captive , will be in Anchorage on Sunday, October 5th at 5pm in the Discovery Theatre of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Here's the story...I hope you can tune in. " Written and performed by award-winning artist Stacy Jewell, 7 Layers Captive is a globally acclaimed, one-woman theatrical experience based on her real-life abduction into sex trafficking. Mesmerizing and unexpectedly entertaining, this aw...
Going from fighting with Muslims in the Bosnian civil war along with a Pakistani militant group that ultimately had him being convicted and imprisoned for nearly 14 years on weapons charges for violating U.S. neutrality laws is not a background you'd expect for a recently appointed member of President Trump's White House’s Religious Liberty Commission. But that is the story of Ismail Royer. While in prison, Royer abandoned Islamist radicalism and now works with nonprofits to promote peace and co...
Former Legislator Ben Carpenter is on the show today to discuss how Grand Juries in Alaska are being prevented from a Constitutional duty they have been given. The Alaska Constitution grants grand juries broad powers to investigate public welfare and safety matters, but a 2022 Alaska Supreme Court ruling introduced restrictions on these powers, limiting their ability to investigate corrupt officials. This is a big issue. And it's time to shed light on it. Hope you can join us. Support the show...
Hillsdale College could and should be what you see when you look up the word exemplary. They are...on every level. If you haven't heard of this school, I can't recommend highly enough that you check them out and subscribe to Imprimis - their free monthly publication with nearly 7 million readers. If you are a Hillsdale enthusiast, you'll be thrilled to know a Hillsdale-affiliated K-6 school is making roots in Anchorage. Thomas More Classical Academy will be opening in the Fall of 2026. From thei...
John Stonestreet loves a fine cigar coupled with deep dives into theology, philosophy and the meaning of life. I've had the distinct pleasure of enjoying both with him in year's past. As head of the Colson Center , John will be on the show today to chat about how to " Go beyond inviting Jesus into your life, to taking your place in His ." John is an intellectual on a grand scale and will also be discussing the Colson Center's latest project in partnership with Focus on the Family called Truth Ri...
Commissioner Deena Bishop joins the show to discuss the critical state of Alaska's education system, emphasizing the debate between funding increases and measurable student outcomes. She highlights the importance of parental involvement, the effectiveness of the science of reading, and the often-misunderstood success of charter schools. The conversation also delves into parental rights regarding curriculum, particularly concerning LGBTQIA+ content, and the broader spiritual battle for children's hearts and minds in public education.
Time To Get Rid of Ranked Choice Voting For Good ! Bethany Marcum is on the show today talking about the 2nd effort to repeal the highly political and disturbingly complicated ranked choice voting method that Alaskans approved in 2020 after millions of dollars of dark outside funds poured into the state to confuse voters. The former head of Alaska Policy Forum and Americans for Prosperity in Alaska, Marcum has extensive political capabilities and experience having served as legislative aide for ...
U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Parental Rights Plaintiff in Mahmoud v Taylor Case on Show Today In 2022, a Washington, DC public school district told parents they were introducing a bundle of LGBTQIA+ affirming books to students to be more "inclusive." One of the books tasked three- and four-year-olds to search for images from a word list that includes “intersex flag,” “[drag] queen,” “underwear,” “leather,” and the name of a celebrated LGBTQ activist and sex worker. Turns out the school district ki...
Abortion Has Just Changed ADF Attorney Denise Burke on the Show Today A decision recently from the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to redirect taxpayer dollars away from abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood. In Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic , Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represented the director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The high court’s ruling means that the state can direct Medicaid funding—funds intended to help low-income ind...
I'm privileged to chat with my friend Chloe Cole on the show today. We'll discuss the recent landmark victory for children’s health and science-based medicine when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s law protecting minors from harmful and life-altering drugs and surgeries. From personal experience, Chloe has become the leading voice for protecting minors and families from having to go through the trauma of so called "gender affirming care." She is a very special person and her intellect, c...
Parents need all the help they can get to raise resilient, God-honoring, community-contributing kids. In 2010, Eleanor Rodriguez, an elementary school principal in Santa Ana, California, reached out to community leaders for help. Rising poverty, gang violence, drugs, and other high-risk behaviors were impacting the education and well-being of the city’s children. The city’s youth were being lost. Parents and leaders were desperate for long-term solutions. Ultimately, out of her desire to change ...
Host Jim Minnery interviews Dr. Jessica Parker, Superintendent of Mountain City Christian Academy, exploring education issues in Alaska. They discuss Dr. Parker's background in both public and private schools, critical problems in public education like lack of parental involvement and declining scores, and advocate for school choice. The conversation covers legislative funding debates, potential solutions like tax credits and SPED funding for all students, the political barriers, and debunks common myths about private schools.
Congress passed a major piece of legislation on the evening of Wednesday, May 21—the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (HR1) was voted out of the US House of Representatives and moved on to the US Senate. Eric Teetsel , President of Center for Renewing America, joins AFC President Jim Minnery on today's episode of " I'm Glad You Said That " to unpack what the passage of this bill means for families, faith, and freedom. Teetsel also served as Vice President of Government Relations at The Heritage Found...
Can Christians know with certainty if a seminary or Christian college is adhering to fundamental tenets of the faith ? Have Christians entered into a new role politically where "preserving the moral architecture" is more important than elections ? Big questions that are related. I'll converse with Andrew Walker about these and other topics on " I'm Glad You Said Tha t" today. Dr. Walker serves as Associate Dean in the School of Theology, and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public The...
John Daniel Davidson has a wonderfully grounded sense of what is most important. Climbing up the ladder of influence in the literary world on a national stage, he realized that "careerism" isn't what makes us tick as much as finding a place to till and produce and live off the fat of the land with your family. It was Thomas Jefferson who said " Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness. " Davidson took that to heart a...
I love Bob Bird's intellect. I love his feistiness. I love his passion for his ancestry and his family. Have we had our disagreements through the years? Yep. But we're both quick to recognize that we have way more in common than not and we are cut from much the same mold. Speak up with passion about the things that matter. Place your feet firmly on the rock of Jesus Christ crucified and risen. Be quick to forgive. Today, Alaska's recognized Catholic history expert joins me on the show today to t...
