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Dear John,
Thank you!
Last week, we reached out to invite you to join the It Only Takes One Campaign to help educate, equip, and encourage believers to take a stand for biblical truth and change their spheres of influence.
Generous friends of FRC put forward a special 4X Matching Challenge up to $100,000 through midnight Friday, August 11. We're excited to report that thousands of partners like you rose to that challenge and helped us exceed our $125,000 goal!
As we highlighted last week with Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Lorie Smith, it only takes one person standing up for biblical truth to make an outsized impact.
Just look at the world of sports...
In January, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear a rainbow-colored Pride jersey during warm-ups, citing his Christian beliefs. Soon after, six National Hockey League (NHL) teams decided to also ditch wearing Pride jerseys.
For months, FRC's media outlet The Washington Stand published an extensive series of stories about these issues -- coverage that made big-league impact.
On June 22, Gary Bettman, commissioner of the NHL, announced that the league's 13-year official policy of allowing rainbow Pride jerseys would come to an end when hockey games resume in the fall. "It would be appropriate for clubs not to change their jerseys in warm-ups because it's become a distraction," said Bettman in an interview.
The announcement from pro hockey followed a report two weeks earlier revealing that Major League Baseball (MLB) had also banned rainbow-themed caps and uniform patches.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the controversy. "We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases, that we don't think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players."
According to multiple reports, the policy change was decided at an MLB owners' meeting in February -- just as the NHL was sparking controversy that turned away many fans.
Apparently, the extensive coverage that FRC gave these issues -- and subsequently echoed by major news sources -- had more impact than seemed obvious at the time.
Last summer, The Washington Stand reported how five Tampa Bay Rays pitchers refused to wear a rainbow patch on Pride night, citing their Christian faith. "A lot of guys decided that it's just a lifestyle that -- not that they look down on anybody or think differently -- it's just that maybe we don't want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus," said pitcher Jason Adam. Ten other Rays players reportedly joined their stand.
Family Research Council has been at the forefront of pushing back against radical sexual ideologies in all areas of society for the last 40 years. When you partner in FRC's mission, it enables our effective work of mobilization and education to multiply. Your donations and prayers matter in this critical moment!
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The two sports leagues' reversal is more proof that the radical sexual ideology advocated during Pride Month isn't aligned with most Americans' values. For once, the MLB and NHL listened to someone other than the bullies.
In fact, multiple recent surveys reveal Americans increasingly reject the radical LGBTQ agenda. But you might not have heard, because poll results going against "the narrative" didn't make mainstream media's national headlines.
A total of 55% of Americans believe "changing one's gender" is immoral -- up four points from 2021, according to a Gallup poll released June 21. And 65% of U.S. adults believe there are only two genders, according to a June 8 poll from left-leaning Public Religion Research Institute.
Yet much work remains to be done.
For instance, 29 of major league baseball's 30 teams still held Pride Night events in some capacity -- the Texas Rangers being the only holdout. As fans make their voices heard, we believe some of that Lone Star moral courage can spread to other teams.
Because courage breeds courage. If each one of us will answer the call to be salt and light in our culture by standing for biblical truth, we will create ripple effects that turn the tide in our darkening culture.
Your ongoing support plays a critical role in this strategy to expand our Washington Watch TV and radio program airing from coast to coast, The Washington Stand news outlet, the development and distribution of biblical worldview materials, and our advocacy for truth in the halls of power. Thank you for standing with us!
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