Dane County Considers a Dangerous Resolution

Tgsjmiller - June 15, 2023

June 15, 2023

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Dane County Considers a Dangerous Resolution

Dane County, which includes Madison, is currently deliberating on a resolution that aims to establish sanctuary status for individuals who identify themselves as “transgender and nonbinary,” including children. The proposal has garnered sponsorship from 20 out of the 37 supervisors in the county.

The supervisors in Dane County are set to vote on the resolution at the county board meeting today. The proposal would “declare Dane County a sanctuary for trans and nonbinary individuals” and declare access to gender “transition” treatments and procedures a “fundamental right.”

The resolution goes on to say that “if the state of Wisconsin passes a law that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions on any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to receive gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery, the Dane County Board of Supervisors urges the Sheriff to make enforcement their lowest priority.”

At least one Dane County supervisor has been willing to speak up against the resolution. Supervisor Jeff Weigand sent out an email, alerting his constituents about the danger of the resolution and the upcoming vote.

This Dane County move plays right into what President Biden’s administration is up to. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it plans to work closely with the LGBT community to combat Republican-led legislation and so-called “threats” from “hate groups and domestic violent extremists.”

The DOJ said it is specifically targeting Republican-sponsored bills that restrict biological males from participating in women’s sports, protect children from irreversible gender-transition procedures, and prohibit discussions of sexual and ideological topics in classrooms. In other words, the Biden administration is working against legislators who are doing their job of protecting children.

The safety and well-being of vulnerable children is under serious attack by local and federal governments. Please pray that the Dane County resolution is defeated and stay aware of what is going on in your own county.

Read Wisconsin Family Action’s press release HERE.

WFA Provides Critical Testimony in Assembly Public Hearing

On Tuesday, Wisconsin Family Action (WFA) provided critical testimony in an Assembly public hearing on a bill that, at minimum, threatens the religious freedom and autonomy of private religious schools. Assembly Bill 321 and its senate companion, Senate Bill 329, are essentially the state legislature’s attempt to force schools to do something about the growing illiteracy problem.

The bill, as currently drafted, requires both public schools and private schools participating in a parental choice program (vouchers) to adopt an early reading program that would be approved by a newly created Council on Early Literacy Curricula. The bill is filled with mandates in an effort to force schools to begin teaching reading using phonics and to begin retaining third-grade students who are not reading at an acceptable level.

WFA understands the intent of the bill and certainly agrees we have a reading problem in our public schools. However, our concern is especially for religious schools that are part of one of these choice programs. If this bill becomes law in its current form, then this will be the first time that private schools in Wisconsin have ever had a curricular requirement placed on them. WFA’s testimony addresses this specifically in the context of religious freedom.

The bill is being fast-tracked and will likely be on the floor in both the Senate and the Assembly next week. The Senate is holding a public hearing on its version of the bill today. Jack Hoogendyk, WFA’s Legislative and Policy Director, will again provide testimony. View Jack’s testimony from the Assembly hearing HERE. (He testified about 9 p.m. and the chairman was hurrying him along. The first bill on the agenda took from 1:30 to after 6 p.m.)

WFA has heard an amendment is going to be offered that will address some of our concerns, but at the time of this writing, we have not seen the wording of any amendment related to this bill.

WI Senators Introduce Gun Control Bills

Wisconsin Democrat senators and Democrat Attorney General Josh Kaul are introducing three gun control bills that the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee removed from Governor Evers’ budget bill.

The bills would require background checks on every gun sale, establish an Extreme Risk Protection Order, and create a sales tax exemption for gun safes, barrel locks, and trigger locks to incentivize safe storage of firearms. Democrats hope these bills will create a “gun safe summer” by reducing gun violence and firearm accidents.

Gun violence, especially in our major cities, is a problem. But more restrictions on gun ownership infringe on constitutional rights. The tax exemption ideas could help reduce firearm accidents, but the best antidote to gun violence is married dad-and-mom families. Research shows children who grow up in these homes are less likely to commit crimes or be the victim of a crime.

According to the Washington Examiner, out-of-wedlock births correlate with higher rates of crime. “An increase of 10 out-of-wedlock births for 1000 live births is associated with up to a 5% increase in future murder rates.”

If our senators want to effectively combat violent crime in Wisconsin, they first need to address the high incidence of children born into highly at-risk single-parent families.

Father’s Day 2023
(Written by Anna Morken, a college sophomore interning with Wisconsin Family Council this summer. Anna dedicated this to her father, Steve Morken.)

Through Scripture, we know that God places great value on parents. The fifth of the Ten Commandments instructs us, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” As Ephesians 6 points out, “This is the first commandment with a promise.”

God promised the Israelites that if they honored their parents, he would bless them with long life in the Promised Land. Clearly, our treatment of our parents is important to the Lord, no matter our age or stage of life. With Father’s Day coming up this Sunday, it’s important to reflect on these truths as we prepare to honor fathers.

As the head of the family, a father’s leadership provides stability in the home. Today, many American families are in crisis because of a lack of fathers in the home. Children without a father in the home are more likely to struggle in all areas of life. At a time when the family is under attack, we should take time to honor the fathers and father figures in our lives.

If you have the blessing of still having your father, take time to give your father a call or sit down with him to share memories or just listen to his wisdom. Show him that you care about him and that you value spending time with him.

For those who have lost their fathers or who grew up in homes without fathers, Father’s Day can be a difficult time. For those struggling, I urge you to remember this powerful truth— that God is the greatest Father. In the parable of the prodigal son, the son chose a reprobate lifestyle. However, his father, who represents God, still joyfully welcomed home his wayward son. No matter the disappointments we may face in our earthly fathers or the pain we may experience after their passing, God is the greatest father we could ever hope for, far exceeding any human father.

1 John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

New community event series: Religious Freedom Matters!
Read more about the Religious Freedom Matters! community event series by clicking HERE. Events around Wisconsin are coming soon!

June 28, 2023
“Lunch with a Purpose” Webinar Featuring Author Daniel Weiss
Register here

LEAD WI
July 16th-21st, 2023
Maranatha Baptist University – Watertown, WI
Register here

IN THE MEDIA
WEEKLY RADIO COMMENTARY. “WISCONSIN FAMILY CONNECTION”
Airing this week on over 20 stations statewide. This week: “Father’s Day 2023”

Click HERE to listen to this week’s Wisconsin Family Connection or read the complete radio commentary.
Subscribe to our podcasts HERE!

“WISCONSIN FAMILY MINUTE”
A daily program for Christian radio stations!

Listen on our website HERE
Click HERE to subscribe to your Wisconsin Family Minute podcasts and never miss an episode!
Find your local station to listen live HERE. If the Christian radio station you listen to isn’t carrying “Wisconsin Family Minute,” please encourage them to do so. Contact us at 866-849-2536 or info@wifamilycouncil.org.

STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH – Q90FM
WFC President Julaine Appling was a guest on Thursday, May 18, on q90fm’s “Stand Up for the Truth” podcast, hosted by our friend David Fiorazo. You can listen to the podcast HERE. David, Mary (new co-host), and Julaine had a robust discussion on the issues of the day from a Christian perspective.

HOME FRONT/InFOCUS – VCY AMERICA
WFC President Julaine Appling hosts VCY America’s “Home Front” program every Wednesday afternoon (Sept.-May) at 3:15 p.m. On each program Julaine talks about important events happening in Wisconsin.
Click HERE to listen to archived Home Front programs. The program will resume on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.

Julaine is also a monthly guest on VCY’s TV 30 live call-in program, “InFocus,” hosted by VCY America’s General Manager Jim Schneider. The program is on each Monday evening at 7 p.m., September through May. Julaine most recently joined Jim on Monday, May 15, 2023, the last “InFocus” program for the season. Watch online HERE. “InFocus” will begin a new season on Monday, September 11, 2023, when Julaine will again be Jim’s guest. Archived “InFocus” programs are available HERE.