Family Research Council

Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3 ESV

Americans are having a literal field day calling woke companies on the carpet this summer. Their latest conquest — a corporation that arguably never should have been in this mess — is agricultural icon John Deere. Three weeks after their rural relatives at Tractor Supply Co. did a complete U-turn, disavowing their LGBT activism in a public apology, the famous green and yellow logo has not only felt the heat, it’s seen the light.

You can almost smell the fear in executive board rooms now that conservatives have started pulling back the curtain on the advocacy that a surprising number of heartland CEOs are quietly engaging in. Robby Starbuck, who almost singlehandedly brought Tractor Supply to heel, started digging into the tractor manufacturer’s corporate policies and was stunned to find a deep root of DEI, leftist campaign donations, and climate and trans activism.

According to Starbuck, employees were blunt about the business’s priorities under CEO John May. “I’ve never worked at a company that values DEI more than John Deere,” one admitted. Their shared experiences spanned from “listening to the ‘Experience of the LGBTQ+ community across generations” to “[P]ride photoshoots at the office.” One of the most disturbing measures of the business’s abandonment of its consumer base was the 95% it scored on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2024 pro-trans Equality Index. As if that weren’t enough, the brand went so far as to declare in a recent annual report that “DEI is the only global behavioral performance metric upon which all salaried employees are evaluated.”

No more. Three weeks after Starbuck went public with his findings, May’s failure to read the room has come home to roost. The CEO, who’s been at the helm since 2019 and presided over the brand’s sudden downturn, has at least partially come to his senses. In an X post Wednesday, John Deere wrote, “Our customers’ trust and confidence in us are of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere. We fully intend to earn it every day and in every way we can.”

Based on “ongoing conversations,” the business explains, “we have committed to the following:

-“We will no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events.
-Business Resource Groups will exclusively be focused on professional development, networking, mentoring, and supporting talent recruitment efforts.
-Auditing all company-mandated training materials and policies to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages, while being in compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
-Reaffirming within the business that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy.”

"We fundamentally believe that a diverse workforce enables us to best meet our customers’ needs and because of that we will continue to track and advance the diversity of our organization.”

Starbuck celebrated the victory but argued the company could go further. “Customers want to hear that DEI policies are entirely gone.” That said, he went on, even this “shows that we’re a powerful force to be reckoned with. … This is another massive win.” The pushback is working, he reiterated. “You just need to report the truth to people about what’s happening in corporate America. We have over 1,000 different whistleblowers coming from many different companies. Woke corporate executives all fear that their company is next to be exposed.”

He’s right about that. Ever since shoppers’ shellacking of Target and Bud Light, executives have had a collective panic attack about their radical extra curriculars. As recently as this week, Jim Fielding, a former CEO of Claire’s and a former president of Disney stores, admitted to The Wall Street Journal, “I’m very nervous. Who’s next?”

Adding to the Left’s headaches, this year’s Pride Month was a disaster for the Left, who watched companies flee the tradition in droves — desperate to put some distance between themselves and their LGBT alliances. Then came Tractor Supply’s sweeping mea culpa, the most thorough repudiation of internal wokeness the country has ever seen. “Wall Street is on notice,” Starbuck insisted. “Corporate America is afraid of YOU. Every woke company is wondering if they’re next.”

The full power of the American consumer is on display — and even the media isn’t disputing it. “Your favorite brand no longer cares about being woke,” Vox declared. In fact, this grassroots revolution is such a formidable force, so persistently potent, that Starbuck believes some companies “will drop their programs without us ever doing a story.”

For conservatives who’ve been in these trenches for years, like Strive’s Justin Danhof, this is an especially gratifying moment. The brainchild of presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Strive is the anti-ESG answer to the woke asset management of firms like BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street. “When people invest their money in a company, they should be able to have confidence that the people who run it are making decisions that are what’s best for the value of the company,” Danhof told The Washington Stand. “That’s basic common sense. And to the extent that Strive is helping to convince executives to care about shareholders rather than stakeholders, then I think we’re making progress.”

Here’s hoping. Until then, everyone should heed Robby’s advice: “You really do NOT want to make customers angry. [It’s] just a terrible idea.”

𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑎𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the U.S. next week to meet with President Biden and address a joint session of Congress.

"The political stakes could not be higher." FRC's Jerry Boykin and Lela Gilbert explain in The Washington Stand.

What Comes Next for War-Torn Israel? Today - in mid-summer 2024 - Israel has been in a state of war for more than nine months. The battle continues in the Gaza Strip, where Israel battles Iran-fund

🙌
"Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man." Psalm 66:5 ESV

In volatile times such as these, it is more important than ever that faithful Christians come before God in prayer. Our political discourse as a nation has become too divisive, and as a result there is more talking about one another than talking to each other.

Will you sign the pledge to pray? Our nation needs us!

"I, the undersigned, commit to praying that our nation would unite around truth, that we would see a revival of biblical faith, and a restoration of civility in our public discourse. I pray that our leaders would recognize that we are all Americans, that we all are made in the image and likeness of God, and therefore, everyone has inherent value.

I pledge to respectfully engage with and pray for those on the other side of the political aisle and meet with them to discuss political and cultural issues in a respectful way. Our political landscape has become increasingly hostile, and I pledge to do my part by making sure my social media posts are God-honoring. I will also seek to respectfully engage with those with whom I disagree, treating them as fellow image-bearers of God."

➡️ Add your name to the pledge: frc.org/prayforthenation

Please share & spread the word!

𝐀 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬

As the calls for unity in this nation grow stronger, it is important to think about how this unity can be achieved. When I survey the U.S. social and political landscape, one key attribute I see missing is empathy. If we wish to be unified, we must learn to love the person with opposing views, even if we hate a policy or behavior that person is promoting. I’ll use an example from my background in counseling.

Early in my counseling career, I worked in a trauma clinic that served women and adolescents who had experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, r**e, and other horrific forms of abuse. My clinic was created by grassroots advocates who wanted women to have a safe refuge and a place to heal from the abuse inflicted primarily by male spouses and partners. Most of my colleagues were avid feminists, motivated either by personal experiences with abuse or a desire to support women who were not treated with respect and care.

During my time at this clinic, I led a group for survivors of domestic violence. One of my clients was a Christian woman who worked as a pediatrician. She came to my group after her husband beat her with a baseball bat, nearly killing her. She spent a long time in the hospital recovering, and while she was there, her pastor came to visit her. The pastor looked at her, body casts and all, and said, to my dismay, “Well, you married him, so you’ll have to stay with him.”

Thankfully, my client did not listen to his advice, and she was able to escape a relationship that probably would have killed her.

These types of abusive situations — and the lack of support from the surrounding community — are largely what gave rise to the feminist movement of the 1970s. During this period, there was a renewed understanding of trauma and abuse, an awareness that had gone mostly underground since Sigmund Freud’s time. We now know that Freud initially observed trauma symptoms in his patients that had resulted from in**st and abuse. But Freud experienced much social pressure while formulating his observations and eventually changed his theory to accommodate his critics. Nearly a hundred years later, the domestic violence experiences of women and the war trauma of the mostly male Vietnam veterans gave us renewed impetus to understand the effects of trauma.

In politics, we don’t always understand the reasons for a movement and are prone to only address issues at the surface-level. For example, when discussing matters related to feminism, there is a tendency to only focus on some of the issues that have grown out of the movement, like the abortion question, rather than trying to understand the personal experiences or trauma that might have led the other person to hold a particular opinion. A deeper understanding would enable a more comprehensive, empathetic discussion on the underlying issues rather than just the visible outcomes.

As the nation grapples with the idea of unity, I propose that we hold onto truth but with an empathetic listening ear. Let’s make an effort to understand the circumstances that have led a person to hold a particular social or political position. As we listen, let’s ask God for the kind of wisdom and understanding that sets people free. As Proverbs 21:22 says, “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the trusted stronghold.”

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐷𝑟. 𝐽𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑢𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑠, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 The Washington Stand.

The Bible is clear.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:5–6 ESV

Pray. Vote. Stand.

California Enacts Ban on School Parental Notification Policies

Four of the 12 appropriations bills are done and passed in the U.S. House, but eight whoppers loom over the light at the end of the tunnel: summer recess.

Will Congress avoid an Omnibus this time around?

After the Party in Milwaukee, an Avalanche of Appropriations Await Right now, the country's business feels like background noise to a much bigger American story. But next week, after the RNC confetti is swept up and the balloon

Debate is healthy.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 ESV

On today's "Washington Watch with Tony Perkins," Dr. Albert Mohler and Tony Perkins will discuss a Christian response to the assassination attempt of Donald Trump.

Tune in! 5-6 pm | tonyperkins.com

Dr. Mohler's op-ed in WORLD: https://wng.org/opinions/providence-and-presidents-1720986201

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 ESV

Tonight! Join us for a Night of Prayer for the Nation

6 PM CT | 7 PM ET

Streaming LIVE on the “Stand Firm” App.
Download the app at frc.org/standfirm

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,⁠
a very present help in trouble.⁠
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,⁠
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,⁠
3 though its waters roar and foam,⁠
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah⁠
⁠
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,⁠
the holy habitation of the Most High.⁠
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;⁠
God will help her when morning dawns.⁠
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;⁠
he utters his voice, the earth melts.⁠
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;⁠
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah⁠
⁠
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,⁠
how he has brought desolations on the earth.⁠
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;⁠
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;⁠
he burns the chariots with fire.⁠
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.⁠
I will be exalted among the nations,⁠
I will be exalted in the earth!”⁠
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;⁠
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah⁠
⁠
ESV

An armed assailant attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump Saturday evening at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, apparently superficially wounding the president and apparently killing a Trump supporter before being killed by Secret Service agents.

The president was showing attendees a chart of the record-breaking number of illegal immigrants who have entered the United States during the Biden administration when approximately eight gunshots rippled through the enormous crowd at 6:13 p.m. local time. The president grabbed his ear as Secret Service agents piled on him, driving him down onto the stage behind his podium. The words “shooter down!” sounded through his microphone.

Trump promptly rose, blood spattered on the right side of his face, and began pumping his fist to reassure the crowd, saying, “Fight, fight, fight!” Tens of thousands of observers responded by chanting “USA!” as security led him from the stage.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” said Trump 2024 campaign spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement shortly after the shooting. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The shooter and a Trump supporter attending the rally died, according to the county’s district attorney, Richard Goldinger. “All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” said Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate David McCormick. “There’s lots of blood.” As of this writing, officials have not revealed the shooter’s identity.

“[T]he former [p]resident is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation,” confirmed Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. Law enforcement officials announced the shooting, which took place at Trump’s final campaign stop before the Republican National Convention opens Monday, is being investigated as an attempted assassination.

“God protected President Trump,” said Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) shortly after the shooting.

Joe Biden appeared to have learned about the violent outburst from a reporter, who asked him if he had been briefed about it. As he left Mass at a Roman Catholic parish in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Biden replied tersely, “No.” He subsequently received an update from three Cabinet officials.

The White House released a statement in President Biden’s name at 7:58 p.m., 97 minutes after the shooting.

“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally,” the statement said. “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Rev. Franklin Graham immediately called on his followers to pray for the president. News of the shooting touched off prayers and well wishes from across the political spectrum.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins urged, “Folks, we need to pray. Pray for Donald Trump and pray for our nation.”

“Everyone join me in praying for our President Trump and everyone at that rally,” said Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). “Thank God,” Vance replied after the campaign announced the president emerged without serious injury.

“Kelly and I are praying for President Trump and all the attendees of the campaign rally today in Pennsylvania, and we send our gratitude to the law enforcement who responded at the scene,” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted on the social media platform X. “I have been briefed by law enforcement and am continuing to monitor the developments. This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned.”

“Praying for President Trump,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was shot by a fanatical Bernie Sanders supporter at a congressional baseball game in June 2017.

Democrats also offered prayers and condemnations of the violence. “I thank God that former President Trump is safe,” said former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who tore up the text of Trump's State of the Union address in 2020.

“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). His Republican counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), declared, “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally.”

“Lori and I are praying for President Trump, the Secret Service officers who protected him, those attending the event, and all of the first responders still on the scene,” said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish and increasingly named as a possible replacement for Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump’s supporters said gunshots would not deter the presumptive Republican presidential candidate from trying to make America great again. “He’ll never stop fighting to [s]ave America,” promised the former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., in an online social media post. He added that he had spoken to his father by phone, and the president is “in good spirits.”

“President Trump won’t be stopped. America can’t be broken,” stated Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). “Pray for our country.”

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐵𝑒𝑛 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑛

📖 Stand on the Word.

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Genesis 28:10-17 ESV

Journey through the Bible with us: frc.org/bible

🚨 Great news! The Ohio House voted (65-28) to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of HB 68!

The override effort now moves to the Ohio Senate.