"I'm Glad You Said That" - Jim Minnery Talks Faith & Politics

When one of the most liberal countries in the world bans puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and surgical mutilation of minors, you have to wonder when states like Alaska will join the mix.

Bob McCoskrie, founder of Family First, the equivalent of a nationwide Alaska Family Council in New Zealand, is on the show today to discuss how that just happened and how the Kiwis are doing battle in other areas for life, family and culture.

Bob is a good "mate" and I love how he calls me "Jimmah" when we're at conferences together. He's usually my biggest and only karaoke fan as well.

I hope you can tune in.

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Lisa Ekman joins me on "I'm Glad You Said That" today to discuss her transformation from a leftist Democrat to a conservative patriot.

She's no dummy with a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University, a master’s in social work from the University of Denver, and a bachelor’s in communication and rhetoric from Northwestern University.

For more than 20 years, Lisa worked as a Democrat lobbyist and operative in Washington, D.C. She even cried on the night Donald Trump was elected in 2016.

We'll discuss the events that opened her eyes to what she now describes as the "progressive cult." Lisa escaped, and now she is showing the way for other liberals. Lisa is the author of "Deprogramming Democrats and unEducating the Elites."

I hope you can tune in.

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Voted #1 as the best private school on many different levels, Holy Rosary Academy in Anchorage is a beacon of hope, excellence and virtue.

I'm thrilled to get to visit today with Principal Marie-Louise Schirda about the role of classical education and why it is needed more today than ever before.

From the HRA website, Marie-Louise is "rooted in Alaskan soil, not only by virtue of her family's work as the state's largest producer of farm-to-table produce, but also in her long-term commitment to delivering a classical K-12 curriculum in the Catholic tradition to Holy Rosary Academy students.

Mrs. Schirda adventured around the globe to achieve her distinctly Catholic education. She attended high school at Trivium School in Massachusetts and then graduated from Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in New Hampshire. While at Thomas More, she spent one semester in Rome, steeped in the art and architecture of many magnificent Catholic churches, backdropped by the grandeur and beauty of the ancient ruins.

She earned her master's degree in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama from University College Dublin, Ireland, and came back to the States to attend Gonzaga University, where she completed her state licensure to teach. "

I hope you can tune in.

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After a visit to the Great Land a few years ago, Cat Cushway, her husband and her parents, all from Michigan, felt the pull to make Alaska their home. Settling in Homer, Cat, now with 2 young toddlers, started feeling another tug, this time from God about the impact she should have in Homer with the strengths and passions she had been blessed with.

With an extensive background in education, Cat knew it was going to be something related to schooling but when her husband said, "Go for it. Why don't you start a school? Our community needs it. Our kids need it.", she was overwhelmed. That is no small task when you're in the middle of changing diapers and managing a household.

But God started giving her reassurances. Things just began falling in place.

Today, I'm privileged to chat with Cat about the establishment of yet another school option opening up in Alaska. Revive Academy, proudly affiliated with the Charlie Kirk's TurningPoint Education, is enrolling students now for a September 2026 launch.

More than 10% of Homer's K-8th grade public school students have signed up. And that number is growing. Mic drop.

I hope you can tune in for the good news.

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The ending of nearly $1 billion in taxpayer funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been greatly celebrated by many of us and seen as a devastating and political blow by those on the Left.

Today I'm speaking with Ed Ulman, the President & CEO of Alaska Public Media (AKPM), Alaska’s largest PBS, NPR and statewide news organization.

We'll certainly have our disagreements but I'm looking forward to a lively, civil discussion. Hope you can tune in. 

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From a review of Pastor Levi Secord's book "Servant Not Savior" -

"God’s design is for the state to be a servant, not our savior. Sadly, as we’ve abandoned God’s instructions, people across the political spectrum treat the state as a potential savior.

Today is the day of big government as people consistently cry out to the state for salvation. Politicians take on Messiah-like personas, yet time and again they fail to deliver on their promises. Both history and Scripture teach us that the state makes a terrible savior.

Christians, of all people, must recognize the frightful implications of turning the state into a savior. To counteract this trend, the church needs a robust political theology."

Levi is the founding pastor of Christ Bible Church in Roseville, Minn. A graduate with both an M.Div and a Doctorate of Educational Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Levi has written for Front Porch Republic, the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Christ Over All, and the Fight, Laugh, Feast Network.

Hope you can tune in for our deliberation on his latest book, Servant Not Savior.

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- Nativity scenes on the lawn at a City Hall.
- In God We Trust displayed prominently in public courthouses.
- A Ten Commandments poster in public schoolrooms across Alaska.

Sound like a memory from the past ? Can't imagine it coming to fruition in today's climate ?

Think again. 

Thanks in large part to the Coach Kennedy case (you can read about that HERE) where six (6) United States Supreme Court Justices clarified that the so-called Lemon test had long ago been abandoned, there are more opportunities now than ever to bring about public displays of our faith in the public marketplace.

On the show today, I'm pleased to chat with Andrea Justus & Matt Krause with First Liberty Institute, one of the country's most impactful legal teams focused on religious freedom. Through their Restoring Faith in America initiative, they're leading communities across America to proactively exercise and celebrate religious liberty.

Hope you can tune in.

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I'm thrilled to have Garry Sigle, Central Regional Director, and Sharon Nelson, Sr. Director of Legal Services for the Association of American Educators (AAE) on the show today.

AAE provides professional benefits public school employees desire, like liability insurance and job protection, without funding partisan politics or non-education issues.

The cost is $234 per year that includes $2 million in liability coverage. In contrast, the NEA cost is more than $1,400 per year that includes just half the liability coverage.

In addition, rather than a group policy, AAE offers a per member, per instance policy, which guarantees each member will receive the benefits they are paying for.

It's time to get the word out. Hope you can tune in.

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Jack Thompson came on board as President of the Turning Point USA Chapter at the University of Alaska Anchorage about a week before its founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated.

It has been, as you can imagine, a bit of a whirlwind for the Freshman from Anchorage.

I'm humbled and fortunate to have Jack on the show today to discuss his journey, thoughts he has on his generation in light of the significance of this moment in time and why, despite evil being real and present, there is hope.

Please tune in and be inspired.

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Absolutely blessed to have Stacey Jewel on the show today.

Her production, 7 Layers Captive, will be in Anchorage on Sunday, October 5th at 5pm in the Discovery Theatre of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. 

Here's the story...I hope you can tune in.

"Written and performed by award-winning artist Stacy Jewell, 7 Layers Captive is a globally acclaimed, one-woman theatrical experience based on her real-life abduction into sex trafficking. Mesmerizing and unexpectedly entertaining, this award-winning play delivers poetic truth and unforgettable storytelling that has earned standing ovations around the world. With original sound design and fierce monologues, Stacy commands the stage with humor, power, and grace—leaving audiences moved, inspired, and uplifted.

Named a Top Scene Stealer by DC Theater Arts—placing second only to The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata” at the Kennedy Center—7 Layers Captive proves that even the heaviest truths can be told with artistry, charisma, and healing joy. Winner of Best Actress, Best Stage Play (2015), and DC Theater Arts’ Scene Stealers Award, this play is not a story of pity—it’s an unflinching celebration of survival, resilience, and redemption."

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