We got Breaking News, Pete Hacksett reveals a final blow to end the war in Iran.
Keeping you informed and engaged, now more than ever, this is Secular.
“We want to hear from you, share and post your comments, or call 1-800-684-3-1100.”
And now your host, Logan, Secular. Welcome to Secular! So, there's today we've made it here so far. I want you to be a part of the show today at 1-800-684-3110. Once again, 1-800-684-31100, we'll hands in studio with me as well.
We're going to take your calls and comments currently right now as we speak live. President Trump and the cabinet are having their cabinet meeting publicly live. They're taking questions right now. We are monitoring it. If there's anything worth breaking into or clipping out to play for you, we'll do that.
So stay tuned. Make sure that you know that we are following and right now. We have our team making sure that there is nothing really of substance that we need to make sure you guys know. And if there is, we will certainly cover it.
One of the things, though, that we were going to cover today, comes from Pete Heggsett. It comes from the ongoing war in Iran. What does it look like? Are we actually headed towards an end day? Only a few weeks in.
And of course, there has been talks since the very beginning that this was not going to be a long-term effort. This was going to be fairly short-term, weeks, months, but not years. But it looks like, and maybe it's due to the American people, are you starting to weigh in a little bit with their want to keep, so it, as we've seen, troops die.
We've seen things happen. Maybe there is push back. What it could it be?
But also, this was never planned to be that long of a moment and they are currently discussing
the way it could end right now. We're talking about stopping the madness this week, that's kind of the theme of a lot of the things we've talked about, even the work here at the ACLJ. But I hope this stops the madness of some of the war theory that's been going along with this country, with the military commanders for more than 50 years, I'd say.
The fact that on day one, February 28th, we're not even a month yet. This is March 26th when we are talking to you today, that there are already calling it another forever war. They've already told us that the entire Gulf region was going to break out in sectarian violence and that it was going to be this massive forever war started by President Trump.
But what you're seeing is that when President Trump picked people like Marco Rubio, a Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, when he picked Pete Heggsett to be the Secretary of War, that this is a different game now. They're not relying on the old theory that placed America in these forever wars.
“They said at the beginning, four to six weeks, that's what we're looking at.”
What are we talking about now? We're coming up on the end of the fourth week. And they're already talking, Pentagon is preparing for a massive blow of the final blow of the Iran war, basically saying that they are going to hit them with one final thing. There are options on the table they're reviewing, but then it's done.
Then they pull out, obviously there will be things that continue as far as restructuring the ways even negotiations with the Iranians.
But this military operation was never meant to be another Iraq.
And I think what you're seeing is them being transparent this whole time, while Democrats and others on the right that have decided this is the end of American Republic as you know it are just going to have a lot of egg on their face realizing that they know nothing anymore. Yeah, of course there's that debate of whether there will be a deal.
President Trump even said today, you know, they may want to deal now, but then maybe too late. What do you think? I want you to put in the chat right now, it can be very simple. Do you think we should be making a deal to end this war if that deal is with the current
Iranian regime? Just put yes or no in the comments right now if you're watching on YouTube or on rumble or Facebook, wherever it may be, let me know during the break.
“Also, if you want to put where you're watching from, that's always fun as well.”
We are going to hear we have comments coming in from Pete Heggsett and some of the others that are happening currently in this cabinet meeting. We got some bites to play for you in the next segment. But we are also now wrapping up. We're now at Thursday, our stop the madness week.
You want to be a part of it. These are your donations can be doubled today, go to aclj.org, aclj.org right now and every tax deductible gift is doubled dollar for dollar unlocked, a incredible aclj supporter or champion. And let me know if you're a champion, also in the chat or in the comments or call us
not always tell the phone screener because we like to take care of you right back.
Welcome to the second.
There are some phone lines up and I'm definitely seeing a lot of comments coming in right
now and I said should there be a deal on the table with Iran to in this war. Overwhelmingly, you have all said no that you shouldn't be.
“Now I think that honestly caught me off guard a little bit because I think the press would”
at least lead you to believe right now that even conservatives those that we watching probably this year or those who are in general paying attention to what's going on do want it to be over and are willing to say make a deal to stop this current war situation. Well, here's also the thing Logan, there may not need to be a deal ever with this regime one.
They are extremely weak even today. We saw they took out another Iranian commander this was of there no longer having an AV because all of the ships have been sunk but this was the commander of the IRGC's Navy. So they are able to take out leaders at will but here's the other thing. If we pull back and aren't doing the daily bombings and they have accomplished what they
sought to accomplish remember Operation Midnight Hammer last year that wasn't an entire
armada of American ships in the region will still have we have bases in the region. We still have assets in the region. That will not go away but the B2 bombers took off from Missouri flew to Iran, did their bombing mission, hit their targets and came back home. So just because we leave the theater and aren't engaged in Operation epic fury on the
same way that it has been going for the past four weeks that doesn't mean that if the threat pops up we can't have B2 bombers there overnight bombing their sights and coming back home to the United States of America.
“I said I think we should hear from Secretary Hassel.”
That's what I was going to say. Well I took the words right out of your mouth. Yeah exactly. Here is what he just said in the cabinet meeting with President Trump just before we went on air talking about the objectives of Operation epic fury by 10.
It's a decisive campaign with clear objectives to destroy Iran's military capabilities
and ensure they never obtain a nuclear weapon.
This is stuff for the history books. This is stuff for legacy. Mr. President you are acting now to ensure future generations do not have to live under the threat of a nuclear armed Iran. And now some peace hacks at just moments ago as right before we went on air discussing what
the future implications are of this war in Iran. President Trump also is essentially saying that Iran is begging for a deal right now. Will there be a deal? We will see. Maybe we could pull that bite where he's talking about that specifically whether there
will be a deal. He kind of definitely definitely made it closer to their would not be a deal on the table. Then he has over the last few days again maybe reading the room a little bit. No President Trump certainly pays attention to where the American people are. I want to hear from you though.
Give me a call at 1-800-6-8-431-10. Let's go to a call. Paul's calling in Wisconsin online one. Paul, go ahead. Yeah.
I respectfully disagree with XF because the Iranian regime is in power has proven over and over. They have won agenda and they are not dealing. They allow you to say anything including mass amounts of people to stay in power. They're dealing with the Chinese, they're dealing with Russia and we have to leave them in place.
They are going to re-establish them. Right?
“That's what we had before and we didn't accomplish anything but raise a lot of bullets.”
So I think this thing has to go until you've got a power in place that is trustworthy and different from what they have. Now. I don't disagree with you. I don't know if feedbacks have disagrees with you either.
I think maybe there was some lost in translation there. But no, in general, I agree with you that at this point we've gone this far, I want to see full regime change in Iran. I don't want to see. I've just been taking a deal to in the battle right now, but that doesn't mean those
two things have to be independent of each other. Well, here's also the thing. The deal that the United States would accept, I don't think that anyone that has any sort of remnant of the previous regime or the previous leadership would ever take. It is things like give us every single bit of your enriched uranium, dismantle all of
these programs, get rid of your ballistic missile program. All of these things that I don't think that if the leadership that whomever they may be, that they are talking to, were able to agree with, then they would also show other people within that leadership structure, you're a week, we're going to take over there be an internal coup and that person would no longer be around.
So I agree with you Paul, I think that you cannot make that kind of deal with this regime. But President Trump will keep offering it. He'll keep putting it on the table and they've also shown that they can back up that, hey, this is the strategic determined. If you will not go long and make a deal, we're going to continue to take out your leadership.
Once again, when you go to what Pete Hegsis says, saying this is a legacy typ...
it's a decisive campaign.
Their offensive military capabilities have been destroyed. We know that their air defense systems destroyed. It will take a long time for them to even start to recover what they have built up over 47 years being this Iranian regime. So I think that's the other point here.
We know also in Pete Hegsis also had a sound about this, get bite nine ready. But remember, one of the big things that we hear at the ACLJ was we're very concerned about, and a lot of people were during the JCPOA. You heard from Jake Sullivan yesterday, if you're watching this show talking about how none of this is good.
They didn't even understand the Iranians. I mean, he's slow to JCPOA joint comprehensive plan of action that was the Iran nuclear
deal under President Obama, that Jake Sullivan was the architect of, everyone said, hey,
you can't make a deal with the Iranians without targeting their ballistic missile program. We have seen their ballistic missile program in full force, now it's completely degraded,
“but that's what they were firing at all their Gulf region, neighbors.”
Here's the other thing that we warned about, a lot of other people warned about. They are building ballistic missiles. Their end goal is to build them that are intercontinental that can reach United States. But they are working towards that. You gotta make sure that's a part of the deal.
The Obama team and Jake Sullivan were so naive that they did not do that. They wanted a deal no matter what, sent them pallets of cash and let them continue to build their ballistic missile program. They showed to us the Iranians last week, something that they had lied about for a decade or more.
They had missiles that they launched that we were able to intercept one failed and one was intercepted. They could go 4,000 kilometers. You know what? That would hit London.
“That is an existential threat to the people of the United Kingdom are allies in the European”
Union as well. So when they sat on their hands and wouldn't get off the bench to come help us realize that they were in the crosshairs of this Islamic regime. Let's go ahead and play Bite 9 from Secretary Heggsett just moments ago. Two days ago, they shot two failed missiles on a target 4,000 kilometers away.
For years, they told the world that their missiles could only range two kilometers. Surprise. Yet again, Iran lied, and to the world, I say, London is 4,000 kilometers from Iran. Washington D.C. is 3,300 kilometers from Venezuela, another country, President Trump did something about that partnered for a long time with Iran.
So you're telling us that Iran is not a threat to the world or to the US President Trump knows better.
And here's what success actually looks like now.
You mentioned it, Mr. President, 810 Warthawks, if you know him, you'll love him. And Apache helicopter gunships are flying strike missions inside of Iranian airspace and throughout the state of our moves at will. See, you only send these slow, low-flying, close air support platforms when the enemy has no meaningful air defense's left.
Yeah, of course that is Pete Heggsett again, this is happening right now. I believe they just may be wrapped up the cabinet meeting. Right, where Pete Heggsett was doing, this is a look, you may like the way they speak, you may not like the way you speak, but I think there is some clear plans being laid out here.
“And I think that's important for the American people to know.”
Again, I started this show saying maybe the support for this war in Iran was waning. And I look, I felt that way from some of the way, even President Trump and the administration was talking. Now the chat would make me believe otherwise, the calls were getting, say no, finish the job. We don't need to be stopping right now.
I do want to hear from you. And in the next segment, look, we're stopped the man this week and every day this week, I want you to see what's going on also in the local level in the world of the ACLJ. So there's going to be a bit of a pivot here coming up. But it's actually the perfect time to call in and to get your comments in, because we'll
take them following up after that. 1,800, 6, 8, 4, 3, 1, 1, 0. Because in the next segment, we're talking about what's going on in Iran and they were going to talk about what's happening in our homeland and even the state of Massachusetts again. The ACLJ has such a wide scope.
We deal with situations like what's going on in Iran. We've been dealing with what's happening in Nigeria. We deal with Israel and Gaza and all of these things are the ACLJ work. And then there's the individual street preacher. And then there's a pro-life pregnancy center being targeted by the state of Massachusetts.
All of this is happening simultaneously, because people like you support the work. And of course we are in this special week.
Stop the madness.
Your donations are doubled and look. You'll see in the next segment firsthand how we were able to get this done, how we're able to continue our fight.
Currently, a fight that is ongoing with the state of Massachusetts over its multi-million
dollar ad campaign, that we were able to respond to in many, many different ways. You're going to hear about that coming up in the next segment. But I need your support today. Go to ACLJ.org via part-of-stop-demand as we have, your gift, your tax deductible gift, doubled right now.
Listen, we get back again though I want to hear from you.
“And a bunch of you are joining us right now. Do you support the end of this award?”
Do you want us to keep going? Do you want there to be a deal? Yes or no? All of the back to secular, phone lines are open for you at 1-800-6-8-4-31-10. We are going to take your calls and comments over the next half hour be a part of the
show today again by calling in as well as getting your comments in on YouTube or rumble, wherever you're watching the show, however you get your podcast. We're live by the way each and every day. If you listen to this later on or if you don't know, we're live every day, 12-1 pm Eastern Time, that's an ACLJ.org.
That's however you get streaming YouTube, rumble, Facebook.
We are there always and of course you can get this show at any time on demand, however
you get your podcast. Just search for secular ACLJ. We'll pop right up. That being said, the work of the ACLJ if you're unfamiliar, maybe you're brand new or maybe you've been following us for years.
You continue on such a big scale. Like I said, we deal with situations like what's happening in Israel, what's happening in Iran. We've been working on cases for Iranian citizens, for Israeli citizens, for Americans. We're there at the UN Human Rights Council.
We are so involved in this giant international scale that is hard for me to describe all the work that we do. However, the ACLJ started and was founded to support your religious freedom on the individual basis. A lot of it happened.
A lot of it happened with people, you know, protesting in front of abortion clinics. A lot of those original cases were settled law for so many years. But we've seen a rise in them being questioned and pushed back upon whether you heard about the street preachers. Again, that should be something that we don't even have to think about anymore.
But the ACLJ team has to be there to support the rights. Same with what's going on in a very different scale in the state of Massachusetts. This happened.
“This was for last almost two years now, I believe, year and a half now, where I was”
in Boston. I was in Boston and I noticed that the state of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was running not just pro abortion campaigns, we're running ad campaign specifically targeting pro-life pregnancy centers. And if any of them were worked with a pro-life pregnancy resource center, you know, we're
talking about that used to be called crisis pregnancy centers. You know what they do.
They provide incredible prenatal and lattes postnatal care, whether that's ultrasound,
whether it's baby formula, clothes, diapers, or, you know, counseling for future fathers and mothers, they do incredible work often on a volunteer basis. And the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was trying to shut it down. And the ACLJ got involved in a very multi-product effort because we know it's an uphill battle when you start taking all these very, you know, liberal states that have, uh, they're
coming again, the people aren't this way. I met so many amazing people during this campaign that we were running in the state of Massachusetts. Again, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the likesight that you understand what I'm saying.
“Who are amazing pro-life people, even those who probably vote Democrat, you got a lot”
of pro-life Catholics, a lot of great people in Boston. And they were saying their pro-life pregnancy centers being attacked by their own government. So the ACLJ decided to get involved in a many different ways including our own media campaign. I want you to take a look at this video presentation, our team put in, while you're doing
that, I want you to consider supporting, I want you to pray about it, think about it. And if you feel so obliged, please do it right now, supporting the work of the ACLJ financially, during this week, during stop the madness week. Because when you help us, all your donations this week are doubled because another great group of ACLJ supporters are ready to unlock their pledges.
We're going to get back to what's happening in a run, coming up. So don't worry, that's going to be the next, segments we're going to discuss that, including some more stuff later on. But I want you to see the incredible work the ACLJ is doing. Take a look.
Many of these women come later in pregnancies, some of them are coming three, four weeks into their pregnancy and they just really don't know what to do. They don't know what options are available to them. Many of them are coming to us with no support from family. Maybe they have a hunger need or they're still in school or they have a boyfriend that's
pressuring them or a family member that is pushing them towards a choice that they're not fully informed about or comfortable with. So we really just allow her to stop and to take a moment for herself and to tell us her story. It's a welcoming space, it's a warm space, our clients often tell us that anywhere else
They feel like a number, but here they feel like family.
Massachusetts launching this $1 million taxpayer funded campaign.
“The campaign by Governor Moora Healey tells women to avoid what it terms anti-abortion”
setters, calling them unsafe. The governor's office says the taxpayer funded ads which began running this month are supposed to help women understand their full range of options. But there was no state investigation and no prosecutions after pregnancy resource setters were vandalized in the wake of the dobs decision and pro-life workers say this
new campaign puts their lives in even greater danger. I was walking around Boston all of a sudden I saw all of these billboards from the state from the government saying avoid anti-abortion centers and then you go and it's essentially a severe campaign against pro-life pregnancy resource center that provide food, provide clothes, provide ultra-sounds, a lot of different care that these pro-life pregnancy centers do
offer. But the state has decided to make them the enemy and we are taken into the state you're going to do a massive counter-campaign. My ex told me to take care of it, I felt so alone and then I found a pregnancy resource center.
“When things have been tight, they've provided formula, divers, and even clothes, they become”
a part of my family, our family. To find a pregnancy resource center near you, go to choicebeginshere.org. We are representing one of the PRCs, your options, medical centers and we are filing today in the district court of Massachusetts. We brought a lawsuit in the district court of Massachusetts and unfortunately in the middle
of that fight, the court decided to throw it our case. The fight is not over and we are not done. We appeal to the first circuit court just this week and we are preparing a breeze, arguing for all of the reasons why that court was wrong and we are going to fight this to the bitter end because everyone deserves the chance to know about the child in their womb.
Everyone deserves the chance to have free ultrasound and health care to help that child grow and plan parenthood and abortion clinics are not the only option. We want a choice and yes, that choice is to bring lights. We just filed our notice of appeal last week and we are going to be filing our appellate brief on April 27th.
“Once we start that process, it can take a very long time.”
Some appellate courts could take months even up to a year to make a decision after we hit oral argument. We don't have an exact date for when our oral argument will be. But we are strapping in for a long fight that could take a year or two before we can even get back into the district court for a try.
And this is a long haul fight and we need your help to support this. Again, it's the incredible work of the ACLJ legal team that you've heard about it. And look, it is an uphill battle. But we're able to do it when we put together these teams. Like I said, the media team, the broadcast team, they're in tandem.
We're able to do things like that media counter campaign, we're able to run at only because people like you support. All of that is supported financially by you. We had to buy that billboard space. We had to run that space physically. Those are kind of creative.
I've never as we want to keep doing here at the ACLJ because when even things go slow
or don't go as planned or as hoped, let's just say, in the courtroom, there are new ways we can reach people. And that only happens because people like you support. So again, as we head to break here, this is the end of the first half hour at flu by I want you to be a part of the ACLJ team.
A couple different ways you can do that. If you're brand new, all I ask is that you subscribe on whatever platform you're watching on or listening on, I just said, some of you may be on a dress for radio, but if you're on a YouTube or a rumble or Facebook, whatever it may be, I ask you to follow or subscribe right now.
If you've been with us a while, I want you to think about supporting the work of the ACLJ right now by going to ACLJ.org. So we have a second half hour coming up, not all the local stations carry it.
You can always find us though, live our archive to ACLJ.org ACLJ app, or again, on the
other your favorite podcast player is, we're there. All right now, from the next 20 seconds, scan that QR code if you can. Go to ACLJ.org or directly aclj.org/maneness to have your tax deductible donation doubled. Again, we're fighting that case in the federal appeals court and illegal team is currently preparing our brief, which is due in just a few weeks.
Keeping you informed and in game now more than ever, this is Secular and now your host Logan Secular. Welcome back to Secular. We're going to reset a little bit. Second half hour coming up.
I want to hear from you 1-800-6-8-4-31-10, CCI'll see you in your attorney here at the ACLJ.
I'm going to be joining us, believe in the next segment, so you're not going ...
to miss that.
And I always like to wrap up the show taking your calls and comments.
Now, I have presented you a question because Pete Heggseth and the team, it's morning, cabinet meeting.
“They were talking about all the ways that the success is happening right now with this”
war and Iran, but they have also started to discuss what the future will look like. Not only the positives of the future, but also wrapping up the current campaign. What that looks like is there a deal on the table, President Trump pushed back a little bit on the idea that a deal-- they said that Iran wants a deal. Whether they're going to get one is very, very different.
And I asked you, what do you think should there be a deal with Iran? Take a call real quick, Deb's calling, and all right, again, go ahead. I believe Scripture says never deal with the treacherous because you will only suffer from that if you do. Well, Deb, I think you're spot on there one, especially the leadership of this regime.
We know what happened when President Obama made that terrible deal. What did they do? They spent money to finance terror around the world. We talked yesterday about the sleeper cells that they had and Europe that they've activated. We talked about their role in October 7th.
That was all funded.
“Didn't use those sanctions relief under President Obama to help their people?”
They don't care about the people. They care about power and wielding terror around the world. Why? I say it all the time. They're a genocidal apocalyptic death cult.
Their theology, their 12th year Islam, that specific brand, is all about usuring in the 12th of mom so that they can rule the world. It includes killing Americans and killing Jews and Israelis. That is their entire theology. So yes, I think when you make a deal with the devil like President Obama did, you see what
they're going to do. They're going to continue their terror regime. They're not going to help their people. They're going to lie constantly saying we're not building longer range missiles. But don't we can't talk about this.
We can't talk about our missile program. And we find out they had, oh, well, you know, we had some that could hit London. If we were to position them in Venezuela, which until recently, which by the way, we were big allies with, we could hit Washington, DC with these missiles. By the way, I want to speak up to that as well.
Maduro is the hearing has started. It's underway right now. We start to forget that these things have happened. Yeah, what was last time you heard the word Maduro referenced on the news until today. I think about it often.
You wear his, his, his sweatsuit often. Okay, you need to clarify. I don't wear his sweatsuit. We happen to have the same outfit and look, maybe he's a stylish guy. Okay.
Why you put me on blast here. Well, some people like him like he tracks it. Okay. All right. Phone lines are open for you because we'll just, you know, decided to do that to me.
He's our comparing my appearance to that of a dictator. Yes. He was a successful guy for a long time. A terrible person. Yeah.
But, you know, we also never looked to pivot back president Trump.
President Trump does love making deals. And we know he sits down with world leaders that are less than savory. He is sat down obviously with Putin many times. He is sat down with Kim Jong-un. This is not uncommon for President Trump to make deals with people to make sure we have
safety security in America, but they're not necessarily always with the most outstanding people. This is a little different because we went to war with them.
“They're going to say we didn't go to war, but you know what I mean?”
We are bombing them. We took out their leadership. So, what's that future look like? I want to hear from you, 1 800 6 8 4 31 10, I'll be honest with you folks. We have five lines open right now.
Five big ones. Give me a call. 100 6 8 4 31 1 0 support to work in the ACLJ if you can. We get back CC Hiles senior attorney here at the ACLJ is going to be joining us and then a little bit late.
I want to hear from you, here I go.
I'll come back in a second, a phone line to our still open for you, get on hold right now.
May take some calls in this segment. We're definitely going to take them in the next one. So, 1 800 6 8 4 31 10 again, I was going to talk about the work of the ACLJ and things that are going on in sort of that world and that continual fight for religious freedom not
Only in our country, but also worldwide.
But specifically what's going on in our own country as well.
With that CC Hiles senior attorney here at the ACLJ is joining us, but let will set this up a little bit. That's right. We also, if you followed the ACLJ for a while, but if you're new, you may not know, we have a very great office in DC that deals with government affairs.
So, it's not just the attorneys, but it's also those that talk with the members of Congress, their staff, and are able to help craft legislation sometimes or give advice. But here what we see is Senate Bill 3679 that we have sent a letter to Senator Bud from North Carolina in support of this piece of legislation he's put forward. It's co-signed by Senator Blackburn, Senator Moody, Senator Cotton, Senator Banks, Senator
Kennedy, and Senator Lankford as well as Senator Cruz.
“And CC, this is actually, I think a very important piece of legislation at a time when”
we are in a global conflict like we are, because this specifically amends the Immigration and Nationality Act and go ahead and tell the people what this piece of legislation would do. Sure. So Senate Bill 3679 is actually the title is the banning of perpetrators of religious persecution
act, and it does exactly that. It denies visas. You cannot come to the United States if you have a few responsible for any significant violations of religious freedom, and it's a very good deterrent, because a lot of these people live
in foreign countries, and as we've seen in Nigeria, which has been in the news a lot,
we have people that are literally slaughtering Christians for their faith. And so this act would say, if you do that, not just as a foreign leader, but as an individual, if you participate, if you fund, if you take part in religious persecution, you will not be allowed of visa into the United States, which is great, because once again, the United States is being a global leader of liberty, and we absolutely have religious freedom as one
of our foundational freedoms, and believe it should be respected worldwide. And this is a great way for us to take that global leadership and say, if you engage in religious persecution, you are not welcome in the United States. Is it pretty broad if what religious persecution is, because there is, I'm sure, some people
“concerned about what's happening worldwide, and go, what is the definition of persecution?”
Should the ACLJ, or how should we respond, because obviously limiting free speech, those kinds of things, but we're talking about, of course, murder genocide, those type of issues, yes, a little different. They do have definitions in the act itself, where they define violations of religious freedom, and what they would be.
But then it does go to individuals that people that significantly supported participated in responsible for carried out, particularly severe violations of religious freedom. And again, it's defined in the act of what those violations would be. And that's actually pulling from other law on the books. Its definition is taken from 22 US code, 6402, Section 16, which defines in our law already,
what violations of religious freedom are, and it is things such as violations such as arbitrary prohibitions on restrictions of, or punishment for assembling for peaceful religious
“activities such as worship, preaching, prayer, and including arbitrary registration requirements,”
speaking freely about one's religious beliefs, changing one's religious beliefs and affiliation. So forced conversions, not professing a particular religion or any religion. So punishing people for that possession of our distribution of religious literature, including Bibles, or raising one's children in religious teachings and practices of one's choice. And then there are other things as well about the forced violation of one's consciousness,
the religious practices, as well as enslavement, murder, execution. So it is pretty broad, but it is defined already in the US code. So it's not creating a new definition. It is something that is already relied upon for many other things within US business and such. Yeah, I'll clarify that a little bit, because like, exactly, it's not, it's not just a vague.
If you're a violator of this, and then it can be used by the next administration, if it's a Democrat administration, we don't like Israel. That's exactly. Exactly. You took the words out of mouth.
I mean, that's my concern is that this could be used to get you, but it sounds like that is not the case. Right. And again, typically, is the international legal director here, what I'm doing is protecting and what we do is protecting and defending persecuted Christians around the globe.
Just like you said, will we have, you know, our governor of government affair...
it's always great when the United States takes a stand and stands up for international religious
liberty.
“And that's what this bill does, and so we are very happy to see it being introduced, and”
we support it wholeheartedly, and hopefully it will pass with no problems. Well, I think what's also interesting about something like this is that it is using the example and the model of the United States, our first amendment to say, "Hey, we know that there are people from many countries that are big in persecution. It also make a lot of money from the United States."
So why are some people coming here, maybe it is for vacation, maybe it is for travel. But when you talk about a country like Nigeria, specifically, there is a lot of big business between businesses and different resources and things in Nigeria that they are trying to make deals with big American companies. And what do they have to do?
They have to come here to do business. And we're saying, "Hey, we understand, that's a part of it." But if you are participating in this, in this place where more Christians are killed for their faith than anywhere else in the world, then if you're participating in that, you don't want your business and you're not allowed to do business here and things of
that.
“So that's why this visa thing is such a big thing to hold up.”
This isn't even going after and creating laws that would go in contrary to our first amendment rights, our freedom of speech, our freedom of religion. It is showing that if you want to come here, you cannot be violating what we believe is so precious in God-given the first amendment. Absolutely. And again, I want you to think about the work that we're doing here because
like C.C. said, we have this international team that is continually working and we have a government affairs team, of course, the media team, all of that's happening. And yes, we are in the middle of one of these big fundraising drives. You know this. I'm talking about it pretty openly, pretty publicly right now.
And I see sometimes your comments come in.
But understand, these are months are when it's most important because we are able to offer,
you know, when we say the donations are doubled, they are. There is other ACLJ supporters ready to unlock your donation. So if you're used to giving $20 or $10 here and there, solely fine, most people do. Most people give on a one-time basis, or, you know, they're not subscribing. They're not ACLJ champions.
They give when they can. And we appreciate that. But during these special months, early special weeks, even like right now, we're able to unlock donations that have been pledged. And that can go up to as much as pretty much can be given because we are such an incredible
group of people. And if we ever reach the point where we have topped out what can be matched, that will be a glorious day. And I will let you know. But right now, that matches wide open.
I need you to be a part of it today. I need you to go to ACLJ.org, make your tax deductible donation if you can, right now. I know a lot of you think about your taxes right now. And I know a look that there's not as big of a push as it used to make because what's deductible, of course, but what does it matter?
I understand that.
“So that's why I say, you know, we don't push make your donation.”
Because it's tax deductible. We say make your donation because we're doing important work here. And look at this team that we have, not just a Washington DC, not just here in Nashville, Tennessee, not just in France, in Israel, around the world and places we can't talk about.
The ACLJ is always hard at work.
And again, we do have in the next segment of the show a moment where we're able to hear from you. And I think that's always important to offer that because you do control a lot of what we get done here, a lot of what's important. And look, I was able to do some good intel today.
I asked you a question, then to be honest, you gave me the opposite answer of what I was expecting because the median narrative right now is that everyone is ready for the encouragement whatever's happening right now in Iran, the war, and Iran to be over and for us to make a deal and to call it a day. And I would understand that, but that's not what you guys told me today.
And the calls we have lined up right now aren't telling me that as well, but maybe you feel differently. I want you to call me at 1 8 6 8 4 31 10 because we give a voice, not just to our team here at the ACLJ, you're part of the team as well because again, we are 100% funded by you all the supporters of the ACLJ.
And in the next segment, I want to hear from you. So that's at 1 8 6 8 4 31 10. We got two lines open right now. You can be a part of it today. We only got one minute left in this segment.
Any final words here, well before or something. I just reiterate everything you said, we cannot do this work without every single person who supports us. And that means if it's $1, if it's $10, if it's $100, and like you said in this matching challenge, if you give $10, you're actually giving us $20.
So we can't do it without our supporters, and I thank every one of you. Yeah, absolutely. None of us could do this without you. So make a donation if you can.
If you can't, pray for our team, do the free things, subscribe, go to the web...
the content with your friends.
That is incredibly impactful as well. So don't think just because you can't get financially like I know financially times your tough for a lot of people right now. Go to ACLJ.org. What you're doing today, think about it, you can see the QR code that's on the screen
right now. ACLJ.org, make your donation today when we write back with your calls and comments, calls lines are completely jammed, they'll open up. Welcome back to secular, phone lines are completely jammed right now, but they may open up as we try to get through as many calls as we can.
Some of you have been a hold for as much as 30 plus minutes, so I appreciate that. But I do want to take some calls right off the bat, and we'll have to know you got a question you want to answer, as well, let's take a call then we'll answer that.
Let's go to Guy in Pennsylvania, Guy, go ahead.
Hey, Jay, so good, thank you for taking my call. I definitely believe we should not stop this war and Iran until this regime is completely obliterated.
“There's a great quote that I love that says the only thing that evil needs to be successful”
is for good people to sit back and do nothing. We've seen this under the Obama administration. We've seen it under the Biden administration and unfortunately they dumped this into President Trump's lap, but he's doing a great job of cleaning it up, and he should continue to go until it's totally done.
I've been healthy. He was aggressive there. He was ready. You know what? He said what he needed to say.
I was like, I'm done here.
It's a little too long time, quite some time. I know, but it's refreshing a little bit. A little bit. Yeah, it's like I picked up a pay-fold in the '80s. Right.
We do a couple of lines now. I'll open. Don't appreciate your opinion, Guy. I think a lot of people feel that way. I guess there is will that determination of what is finished.
That's right. And once again, there are the military objectives for this operation. Also, once the military phase is done from the United States military, does that mean that the engagement with Iran, with trying to see if there's a regime change? Whether it's using other militia groups, like the Kurds, are those things going away?
No. I don't think it's just like we're done. We wash our hands of this and we're gone. So I think that is also something to think about as well. This is Operation Epic Fury.
That may end. Does that mean that also there's not another operation if they're not contained. And those are kind of other things to look at as well.
“Do I believe or do I want the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue?”
Do I want that government and that leadership to continue? No. But I also understand what Pete Hegsett is saying, as well as some of the other limitations on the president, where you have the 60 days based off the War Powers Act, then can that change into something else.
We will see, but once again, I think that for the world, best case scenario is there is no longer the Islamic Republic of Iran as it stands. And we will have to see how that pans out as well. All right. Continue on.
Take it. We want to take this YouTube question, before we go, I'll do it quickly. This was from Scott on YouTube and he said, so far, no one has answered my question that if we are energy independent, why do we care about the Persian Gulf and also the straight of our moves?
So when you talk about something that is a commodity like oil, yes, we definitely are energy independent.
“We are a net exporter, we produce enough here in the United States to create, we produce”
more than we consume energy-wise. We also take in oil from other countries as well, even though we are technically energy independent. But when it's a commodity, and we are also exporters, when you talk about the global marketplace, if there is not enough supply to meet global demand, that will increase the prices naturally
everywhere because we are exporters, other people are buying it. And if the demand is still at a certain level that supply can't meet, because oil coming out of the Persian Gulf can't meet that, you know, that you supply 20% of the world's oil, then that is going to naturally drive up prices globally. We are not only producing oil for the United States market, we produce it for other countries.
They buy it from our refineries. It's also not our government producing that. It's an individual company. So I hope that clears it up. We care because it's a global marketplace and supply and demand still affect our prices
Your home.
Yeah, hey, some lines opened up.
“I think we haven't had a glitch there with the phone lines.”
If you did call in, hang up. We call back 1-800-6A-431-10, so I've got four minutes left on the show. Let's go to Jim who's calling online one. Jim, go ahead. Thank you very much for all you're doing at the ACLJ.
You guys are awesome. God bless you. Thank you, Jim. This has kind of been covered, but I want to say one thing that I hope a lot of people will listen to.
And that is this.
Unless you've read the Quran, you don't understand the world view and the position that
these people come from. And as far as negotiation goes, you cannot negotiate with Islam. And as far as, as far as the continuing effort, President Trump and Secretary of War Higgsia, they understand this perfectly. And this is going to be a battle that is going to continue until the end of time.
But we need to keep these people in a position where they cannot hurt us. I don't disagree with you entirely.
“I think what's interesting about, you said, you know, if you studied the Quran, if you've”
ever read the book, I'm currently reading a book and not the Quran, but a book on sort of the history of it. Well, I've studied a lot of this. We spent time in the Middle East. And again, it's not to put all people that follow Islam into the same category.
They're radicals and every religion. That being said, when you do read the Quran, you will probably find as a Westerner. Not even as an American, or not even as a Christian. Maybe just as a Westerner, an American, or European. You will find a lot of the messages that come out of it to feel very foreign to what we've
kind of adapted as the, you know, the Judeo-Christian messages that we've heard. Yes, does, does it exist in the same, you know, timeline a lot of it? Do you hear a lot in some Bible stories that are, obviously, in the Quran, just like there
“are some stories of the Torah that are in our Bible?”
Yes, there is some of that. But there is a worldview shift that is very different that can be found in those texts. And I think what you'll start to realize is how much your own perspective, even not as a religious person necessarily, is through the mindset of those that were brought up in Judaism and Christianity. And it is a very different world.
Well, and when I've had this conversation with people recently, as well, is what separates our faith, our Christian faith, apart from many of the other world religions. A lot of times, after their central character, the rest of the story is about vengeance. It's about getting back and trying to restore something, the after Christ is resurrected. The story is about him, it is about the redemption.
And that is very different from a lot of other religious texts. Yeah. It was going to share it, and then also still get persecuted for it. Exactly. I think that instead of being persecutors, like you see, the wars that happened in the
Quran and the history of the spread of Islam, it is very different than what the redemption is that we have in our Christian story. So, do you do your studying? Take a look at all the world religions and what they're saying and what they're preaching. And it will give you a better perspective of what you're dealing with in the world stage.
We are pretty much out of time for calls today, Matthew and Martin, call me back to borrow. Thank you both, have really good comments, but unfortunately, we have 55 seconds left, and it's just not enough time. So with that, I'm going to encourage you to just take this last minute of the broadcast.
You've heard incredible coverage today.
Our team has done an amazing job. We've heard about the work the ACLJ is doing worldwide, and I need you to help continue that. We are starting to wrap up, stop the madness week. We are starting to wrap up, double your impact, bud.
I encourage you to go to ACLJ.org, heard of the pro-life pregnancy resource centers, they're incredibly important. We are fighting for their right to exist when organizations, states, governments are trying to shut them down from doing the great work that they do in your community because they support life.
Good ACLJ.org today, have your donation matched, have a double dollar for dollar, and ACLJ.org will talk to you tomorrow.

