Tim Barto: Promoting a conservative social agenda by doing what’s right

By TIM BARTO

It often seems like we’re losing the culture war.

• Boys are playing in – and winning – girls’ sports competitions across the country. 
• June is upon us, meaning we will have to endure a month of people announcing their pride in not knowing what sex they are and demanding we applaud them for it.
• Harvard University, founded in 1636 as a Christian college, is now a bastion of Christianophobia and anti-Semitism.
• Here at home, Alaska Natives comprise 16 percent of the population but are responsible for 29 percent of aborted babies in the state. 
• The Anchorage School District pushes for parental subservience in matters of morality, and increases their DEI spending while complaining about budget deficits and threatening to cut hockey programs.

These are all issues of social concern, and they were all discussed during two Alaska Family Council events last week, where social conservatives met to hear whether there is hope or if we should just go ahead move into our WTSHTF (when the stuff hits the fan) shelters already. 

While it often feels as though we’ve lost the battle against the Left’s all out assault on western civilization, basic biology, and Judeo-Christian values, there are glimmers of hope. 

For example, Representative Jamie Allard (R-Eagle River), who was in attendance at the Anchorage event on Thursday, introduced bills to 1) save girls’ sports for actual girls, and 2) even more audaciously, ban the display in government building of flags that represents political viewpoints, including viewpoints concerning race, sexual orientation, or gender; which means that public school teachers won’t be allowed to fly their multi-colored pride or Black Lives Matter banners in their classrooms. This will, of course, rain more hate and name calling down on Jamie, but that gal takes it as a compliment and converts into energy to push on and fight harder.

One of the guest speakers, Dr. Matt Heilala, a member of the State Medical Board who serves as their legislative liaison, informed the gathering that the Board is doing what they can to make statements of support for issues of morality, but doing so puts them in danger of lawsuits by those who oppose them. 

Nevertheless, in March, the Board unanimously passed a statement opposing hormonal and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria in minors. It included the bold announcement that the Board views these interventions as lacking legitimacy as standard medical practice for those under the age of 18 years old. The statement also indicated what they do support: promoting psychological support and counseling as safer alternatives. 

AFC’s keynote speaker was John Daniel Davidson, senior editor at The Federalist and author of Pagan America: The Decline of Christianity and the Dark Age to Come. Davidson used Harvard University as an example of formerly Christian and patriotic American organizations that have gone off the rails. Harvard, he said, is not salvageable, at least not in our lifetimes. They have strayed too far into the abyss, as have other institutions, notably public schools. 

While the Harvard faculty will not change course, we can change the course of how we educate our children. Make the Anchorage and other school districts powerless by homeschooling your children, advised Davidson. The homeschooling trend peaked during COVID and then receded a bit, only to come back roar back after parents got a reminder of the gross failings of the public schools (no matter how much money is thrown at them by legislators on both sides of the aisle who kowtow to unions). I

t is a way in which the citizenry can make changes by going an alternate route. Run the public schools out of business by not letting our children attend them. Let Harvard fail by not paying $87,000 a year to have your progeny brainwashed into thinking free enterprise is evil, all white people are racist, and Hamas is a righteous organization that welcomes homosexuals with open arms. 

Lastly, AFC president Jim Minnery announced a couple of collaborations that will bring meaningful and positive change to Alaskans. LifeWise Academy is set to open a ministry at Clark Middle School that will allow public school students to attend Bible lessons during school hours. It’s working in 11 other states, helps improve attendance, behavior, and academic performance. It’s perfectly legal and, of course, comes with the ubiquitous  gnashing of teeth and flailing of arms by the Left.

The second cooperative program is Honor The First Breath, a program to curb the high rate of abortions among Alaska Natives by promoting the pro-life legacy of Alaska’s oldest cultures. Supporters include Natives on both sides of the political aisle.

The two events were well attended and included former Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, Attorney General Treg Taylor, Sen. Shelley Hughes, Reps. Jamie Allard and Cathy Tilton, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and the editors of Alaska’s two conservative media organizations – Suzanne Downing of Must Read Alaska, and Joel Davidson of Alaska Watchman (who is also the brother of John Davidson). 

Social conservatives can change a degenerate society by promoting that which is good, that which is moral: saving babies, protecting children, promoting biological differences of the sexes, and emboldening parental rights. 

Tim Barto is vice president of Alaska Family Council.