John W. Giles: The “gift” that keeps on giving – $4 million
I often find myself taking a life inventory at different weigh-points, assessing if I am adequately contributing to leave a positive mark in the world, on my watch. We can never give enough back. I was raised and I taught my children, whatever station assigned in life, or if we borrow something from our neighbor, always return it in better shape, than you received it. This mindset can be found in the “Parable of the Talents,” where Jesus spoke in Matthew 25: 14 – 30. One hallmark icon in my life, where I played a small role, was the approval and implementation of the “Choose Life” automobile tag in Alabama. These tags are a “Gift” that keep on giving, let me explain. As a little background on these tags, it all began in Florida. I was making a speech to the Christian Coalition of Florida about the Republican sweep in the 2000 Alabama Appellant Court races and what affect our Alabama Christian Coalition Judicial Voter Guides made. A nice gentleman, named Russ Amerling, with “Choose Life Florida,” who started the Pro-Life car tags in the country, nabbed me and encouraged us to do the same in Alabama. I told him I was on board with the concept, but needed a quarterback to research this and marshal it through. One week later, I received a call from Robert Burton, an attorney from Prattville, who volunteered to take on the assignment. Bob Foust, Eric Johnston, Bob Burton and I went before the Alabama Oversight Committee on License Plates (AOCLP) to present our tag idea. As a side note, we got this passed through the AOCLP by one vote. After passing this through the oversight committee, we all had to work within a specific time frame to presale 1000 tags before going into production. Thank God we made it, now to the good news. There has been an elevated interest and awareness of the abortion issue in America over the past couple of years. When President Donald Trump appointed Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanagh as Associate Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, Planned Parenthood disgustingly showed out and spent millions attempting to block their confirmation as strict constructionist to the bench. Then, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (Democrat), publicly detailed with his glowing approval of infanticide performed on babies after being born alive. If that was not enough, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (Democrat) in a triumphant news conference celebrated signing into law the further expansion of Roe v. Wade in their state. Abby Johnson, a former employee of Planned Parenthood, was showcased in the film “Unplanned.” This film brought a heightened awareness to the horrifying truths about what happens in an abortion clinic, the way they mistreat vulnerable women and her personal quest to rescue others trapped in that industry of taking lives of unborn children. Currently, there are 24 Democrat candidates running for President in 2020, who are daily trying to out punt each other with outer-space, bazaar Planned Parenthood approved abortion measures. Alabama also banned all abortions with the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, which is now being tested in Federal court. People are now more than ever looking for ways to be supportive of a pro-life position. One of many ways to show support for the babies and expecting mothers, who find themselves in an unplanned crisis pregnancy, is to buy an Alabama Choose Life auto tag. These tags cost an extra $50.00, but a net $41.25 goes to approximately 67 pro-life agencies across the state. Personalized tags are an option as well. Going down the road, these tags serve as a testament of one being prolife. The roll out of the first tags were in 2003. Over the past 16 years, including 2019 we will have distributed right at $4 million. All of these funds are designated to bring assistance to women facing a crisis pregnancy, who choose to have their baby. In most cases, these prolife agencies help with pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, initial prenatal care, adoption, parenting education and so much more including basic nursery needs like a starter supply of diapers. Prolife volunteers truly care and are fully invested to help these mothers who chose to spare their baby from abortion. I am so fortunate to serve as a volunteer on the Board of Directors of the Alabama Prolife Coalition Education Fund (501(c)(3) (Non-Profit organization), which serves as the custodian for the Choose Life tag funds. All of our board members and one administrative assist are volunteers, so the $4.million at $41.25 a tag has an immeasurable impact to help these hurting women. At this weigh-point, my heart is full of gratitude for all of the fine, good-hearted Alabamians, who have purchased approximately 100,000 Choose Life Tags, funding $4 million in needs of women in crisis pregnancies. Choose Life, buy a tag and “Give” a gift that keeps on giving.
John Giles: Restoring ethics in journalism
One of the titanium pillars of our constitution that has clearly distinguished us from other free societies is our First Amendment. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” There is so much we can unpack from this one amendment, but let’s see if we as a nation are still on course as prescribed for this free speech component. There used to be a sacred line drawn in media between journalism-news and opinion-editorials. Today it is rare to not only see these lines substantially blurred, but to the contrary, these lines have merged. The news department, which is basically journalism, refers to the production and distribution of reports on recent events. Editorials and opinion sections are generally just that, an opinion piece written by or on behalf of an editor that gives an opinion on a topical issue. Has the merging of these two components within media outlets been well received by the public, let’s take a look. If a business loses sight of their customer, before long there is no business. The public’s confidence in the media has plummeted into a nose dive. According to Gallup/Knight Foundation Survey, 80% of Americans believe that the news media plays an important role in our democracy. However, 68% in this survey says most news media outlets DO NOT excel in separating fact from opinion, verses in 1984 it was 42%. In this survey, Democrats largely trust the media and Republicans do not. Liberals are smarter than conservatives. Liberals intentionally inject themselves into academia, media, arts and Hollywood. An excerpt from a poem penned by William Ross states, “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World.” It is true, shape the minds of young people and you shape a nation. Liberals know this and today’s thought process of millennials is evident from the rapidly growing love affair with socialism. Polling data suggest that 8o% plus of all media vote Democrat. During my decade at the Christian Coalition of Alabama, we had our share of media attention. On a few occasions, I had news reporters, who would interview me on a topic and print whatever they wanted in terms of my quote. It was my practice to gently handle these folks and get a clear understanding; you can come to me anytime, just quote me verbatim. One time a new reporter with the Selma Times interviewed me and what she printed was miles off course from what I stated. I saw her the next morning at the statehouse and said she was “summarizing.” That never happened again with her. I had another reporter from the Montgomery Advertiser that did this as well, and when corrected, we became friends and I was his go to point man on all public policy family issues. We had several editorial boards in the state write perpetual cynical opinions about us, which is fine, but when they began to espouse our position on as issue without talking to us or even looking at our website, it was very upsetting. Unless you experience it first hand, take my word for it, if you are a Christian Conservative, some members of the media just seethe at seeing your name tag. I remember making a trip to the Birmingham News and Anniston Star when they got on a rampage of summarizing our position without even talking to us. My mode of operation was to go meet with the entire editorial board and plead with them in a stern, yet gentlemanly manner, to at least pick up the phone and get our reasoning on an issue, rather than just inking in their seamless flow of poison. I can recall one gentleman at the Anniston Star and one at the Birmingham News sitting next to me in these meetings, contorting and twisting in their chairs. Their faces were blushing red with anger and their obvious immeasurable distaste of my presence in the same room with them. Bottom line, if you are an economic, social, moral and constitutional conservative, most liberal members of the media have it out for you. I can recall just a few years ago, if we called a press conference, we made sure we had documentation and named sources before a story was written. Not anymore, there are journalist today ignoring the code of ethics of yesterday and will print an untrue story with un-named sources. One day on the 7th floor of the Alabama Senate, two Democrat Senators were taking in the hall and drug me into their discussion. One began to talk real loud in a crowded hall so the echo chambers would rattle all day of their staged floor show. I cannot remember to this day what he claimed, but I asked him on the spot, Senator, where in the world did you hear that outrageous fable? He said to me, “I just said it and I heard myself say it, so that is where I heard it.” Can you believe that, my response to him was in a semi-laughing manner, “so that is the way it works up here?” When I was growing up, Walter Cronkite Jr. served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as “the most trusted man in America” after being so named in an opinion poll. My family was very conservative and we felt the same way about Mr. Cronkite. I remember to this day when he removed his glasses on live television and told us, our President, John F. Kennedy had died in Dallas, Texas. In retirement, he began to speak out on various issues, it was only then; we realized he was a very liberal person. During his
John Giles: Open letter to the Alabama state senate – HB 314 – human life protection act
Senator, I plead with you, if you are dug in, please take off your boxing gloves and put on your white gloves, hit the pause button and allow me five minutes. Dr. James Robinson (Worldwide Evangelist), Jesse Jackson (Civil Rights Leader), Valerie Gatto ( Miss Pennsylvania 2014), Kelly Wright (Former Fox & Friends Anchor), Janet Sheen (Martin Sheens wife), Ethel Waters (Actress & Singer), Eartha Kitt (Singer, Actress & Dancer), Zahara Jollie-Pitt (Angelina Jollie & Brand Pitt’s adopted daughter), Layne Beachley (Seven Time World Champion Surfer), Faith Daniels (NBC Today Show News Anchor) and Tracy Carter (Daughter of Nell Carter – Singer & Actress), just to name a few have three things in common. They were are all born Americans, all made huge impacts on society and all were children SURVIVORS of rape pregnancies. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men were created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted by men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” When taking the oath of office, constitutionally one is bound to use the full force of government to protect the rights given to man by God. In taking the oath of office, it is recognized God is the giver of life, how then can one assume to decide who lives and who dies except our creator, Almighty God. I was President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama (1999 – 2006). Early on, and having raised a daughter, I had to defend one of the planks in our organization platform, “Protecting Innocent Human Life.” I knew I was going to be assaulted by my critics if I took the hypocritical view that I was pro-life except in the case of rape and incest. I had to come to the hard-sobering truth and fact that human life begins as at conception, all human life. I concluded if such a horrific act of rape or incest infected my family, my wife and I knew we would have to see this through. We could not take the life of this child over the heinous crime and sins of the father. What I did realize though as a father, that I needed to step up the protection of my daughter from being recklessly exposed. Today, I have 9 grand daughters, ages 6 months to 20 years of age and their fathers and mothers protect them in the same manner. Around 1976, after three years of marriage, we gave birth to our firstborn. We saw an advertisement on WSFA one night promoting Beacon Abortion Clinic in Montgomery. I thought to myself, when did this become legal, how did this happen and why did I let this happen on my watch. I knew then I needed to get involved and do my part to end this horrific plague that was unleashed on our country. Since that time, eradicating abortion in this country has been personally our number one issue. If you campaigned in Alabama as a Republican for the State Senate during the 2018 election cycle, to get elected you showcased your pro-life position and openly backed President Trump’s quest to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Tuesday will be a historic and defining day in your public career. I can assure you there will never ever be a more important vote in your life. Like the fraudulent Russian Dossier against Trump, Roe vs Wade was a fraud. Norma McCorvy, whom my wife Deborah and I met, was the legal pseudonym as Roe. She was used by some liberal lawyers and as you may recall, she gave birth to this baby and put it up for adoption. Jurist activist on the bench created new law over the penumbra of privacy. Since the 1973 landmark case, 50 million children have died through abortion. According to the Guttmacher Institute (a creation of Planned Parenthood), their own research indicated that less than 1% of all abortions performed were rape, incest or the life of the mother, the other 99% was birth control. If this bill makes it to the U.S. Supreme Court on the merits of its constitutionality, the courts will have to define that human life begins at conception until natural death. If the rape and incest exceptions are put back in this bill, the courts will through it out because of the hypocrisy that human life does not exist in the case of rape and incest. Human life is human life. Please keep in mind, Planned Parenthood spent 7 digits plus in Alabama trying to kill our Human Life Amendment and they used this argument of rape and incest because they know their industry will come to an end. The current bill has only one exception, life of the mother, like in the case of a tubal pregnancy. I have heard for years from politicians, how prolife they are, except in the case of rape, incest and the health of the mother. This is exactly where we are today, and under this notion, Roe vs Wade will NEVER be addresses on the merit of human life. This is right were Planned Parenthood wants you to park. In just a few days, on May 15th twenty years ago, we lost our son Micah in a car accident. We had to come to the hard conclusion that God is Sovereign, he was not asleep at the switch that night on I-65 just north of Montgomery when his car left the road. God was also not asleep when Dr. James Robinson, Jesse Jackson and these others were conceived during these acts of violence. All of us worked to pass the Brody Bill in Alabama making it a double homicide if an expecting mother was murdered. That child in the womb (regardless of how it was conceived), according to Alabama law is a human being and deserves protection by the state. Likewise, an unwanted
Christian Coalition head Randy Brinson announces Senate run
Christian Coalition of Alabama leader Dr. Randy Brinson will be seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, another in the increasingly crowded field to challenge interim Sen. Luther Strange. The Montgomery Advertiser reports that Brinson, who also is the head of Redeem the Vote, made the announcement Monday in a Facebook post, saying he had insight into voter frustrations with “the corruption, self-dealing, and venality of politicians at all levels of our government.” “I am looking forward to working with a pre-eminent campaign team and running a modern, well-funded campaign that will draw a contrast between myself, as a voter advocate and faith leader, and the incumbent, and other career politicians running for this office,” Brinson wrote. To run for the seat, Brinson added he would resign from both the Christian Coalition and Redeem the Vote. Brinson’s advantage in the high-profile race is a connection the state’s faith-based community, but also renew questions about ties between the Christian Coalition of Alabama’s connections and the gambling industry. Brinson founded Redeem the Vote in 2003 to boost turnout among faith-based voters, claiming to have registered 78,000 voters during the 2004 presidential race. Redeem the Vote boasts a substantial mailing list, using it to bolster certain candidates. In March, the group announced a campaign to bring an “anti-corruption message” against then-Gov. Robert Bentley, who stepped down after a scandal involving an illicit affair, and Strange, who some believe received the Senate post as payment for dropping an investigation against Bentley “We have a message, it is this: we are not going to take it anymore,” Brinson told reporters at the time. The Advertiser notes that Brinson became a leader of the Christian Coalition in 2006, after a disagreement between the state and national Christian Coalition. Also, a congressional investigation in 2005 found that the group accepted $850,000 in 2000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who operate casinos in that state, after moving the money through the Washington D.C.-based Americans for Tax Reform. The Christian Coalition of Alabama, under Brinson’s leadership, supported increased penalties for illegal gambling machines, while limiting electronic bingo to dog tracks in Birmingham and Mobile. Brinson said he was endorsing a bill to keep gambling contained, a move that was criticized by Christian Action Alabama, headed by former CCA director John Giles. Giles had accused gambling owners, such as Milton McGregor of VictoryLand, of trying to take over the organization. Brinson later sued Giles to recover old organization assets, a suit that was later dropped. Republican primaries for the Senate special election are Aug. 15; runoffs, if needed, will be Sept. 26. The general election is scheduled Dec. 12.
