← The World and Everything In It
The World and Everything In It
1.28.25 Pro-life presence, surviving Taliban captivity, and learning to forgive
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- [00:04]
Unknown Speaker A
Good morning.
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Les Sillers
I'm Les Sillers, editor in chief of World News Group. Just a quick reminder, we're looking for focus group volunteers, listeners and readers willing to tell us what you think of our stories, features and commentaries.
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Unknown Speaker A
I hope you'll join us for one.
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Les Sillers
Of our Zoom calls beginning February 11th. To sign up, go to wng.orgfocusgroups that's wng.orgfocusgroups. thanks and we'll see you then.
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Mary Reichert
Good morning. An American businessman held in a Taliban prison for two years is finally home. We'll hear from his father.
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Ryan Corbett
He's just. Dad, Mom. Hi. This is Ryan. I love you. Thanks for all you've done and I can't wait to see you.
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Nick Eicher
Also today, this weekend's march for life in the nation's capital and a profile in forgiveness, how an estranged mother and daughter now help others to reconcile.
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Unknown Speaker F
When I was 23, I was still offended and didn't have what it took because I didn't have Christ to help me truly forgive from the heart.
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Mary Reichert
It's Tuesday, January 28th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.
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Nick Eicher
And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.
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Mary Reichert
Time for the news now with Kent Covington.
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Kent Covington
Morning, everybody.
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Les Sillers
Newly sworn in, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted reporters outside the Pentagon as he arrived for his first day on the job. And the secretary says he and President Trump intended to waste no time making big changes within the Defense Department.
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Unknown Speaker A
Removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of COVID mandates.
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Kent Covington
Iron dome for America. This is happening quickly.
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Les Sillers
The Iron Dome is a nickname given to Israel's missile defense system. President Trump has indicated that he plans also to reinstate a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. Those suffering from gender dysphoria could receive medical discharges. Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran, was confirmed on Friday with Vice President J.D. vance casting the tie breaking vote. And speaking of the vice president, he met on Monday with residents in Damascus, Virginia, which was hard hit by Hurricane Helene. Vance said while it has not gotten as much attention as the damage in western North Carolina, there's also a lot.
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Nick Eicher
Of devastation here in Virginia and also in East Tennessee.
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Unknown Speaker A
So our promise and our focus is going to be on leaving no American behind.
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Les Sillers
Vice President Vance criticized the disaster response under the Biden administration and said more disaster funding must make its way into communities like Damascus quickly. He added that agencies such as Housing and Urban Development will be a part of the recovery in areas struck by powerful storms. The US Senate has approved another member of President Trump's Cabinet.
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Unknown Speaker H
The yeas are 68, the nays are 29.
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Les Sillers
The confirmation is confirmed and with that, billionaire investor Scott Besant was confirmed as Treasury Secretary. Besant has said the US Faces economic calamity if Congress does not renew key provisions of Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of this year. The secretary will be charged with balancing cutting taxes with curbing deficits. The Trump administration says pro growth policies and spending cuts will ultimately be the key. Democrats and some non governmental groups are pushing back against President Trump's immigration and border policies. In Washington State, onlookers celebrated as Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson signed an executive order creating a team that aims to shield residents from Trump's ramped up immigration enforcement. And on the east coast, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, Murad Awada told reporters the lawsuits have started, the fights are going to continue.
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Unknown Speaker A
And we have an enormous amount of work ahead of us.
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Les Sillers
But Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE for short, is undeterred. It has already carried out raids from Chicago to Miami, arrests in Philadelphia, and ICE says New York City is next. Border czar Tom Holman we're going to.
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Unknown Speaker A
Do this job and we're going to.
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Ryan Corbett
Enforce the laws of this country.
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Unknown Speaker A
If they don't like it, then go.
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Unknown Speaker F
To Congress and change the law.
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Les Sillers
Homan says anyone in the country illegally faces deportation, but right now they're concentrating on, in his words, the worst first, meaning gang members and those with criminal records. Meantime, President Trump says he sent a clear message over the weekend after Colombian President Gustavo Petro turned away a deportation flight from the United States. Trump's response was swift, announcing tariffs of up to 50% on all Colombian imports.
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Unknown Speaker H
We've made it clear to every country that they will be taking back people, that we're sending out the criminals, that the illegal aliens coming from their countries were taking them back and they're going to take them back fast. And if they don't, they'll pay a very high economic price.
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Les Sillers
Petro reversed course just hours later, saying his government will allow the deportation flights after all. Trump in turn canceled the planned tariffs, but he said visa sanctions that were announced alongside the tariffs will remain in place until the first flight from the US Is successfully completed. Devastating news out of Israel. Israeli government spokesman David Mentzer Israel has received from the Hamas terrorist organization a.
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Unknown Speaker I
List that includes the status of all.
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Unknown Speaker H
Of the 33 hostages due to be.
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Mary Reichert
Released in this first stage.
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Les Sillers
And of those 33, only 25 of them are still alive. Meantime, in Gaza, thousands of vehicles packed the streets in the Gaza Strip on Monday as displaced Palestinians return to their homes. That comes after Israel lifted its closure of the area as part of the ceasefire with Hamas. One woman says she has mixed feelings as she returns, feelings of hope and joy, but also pain because while she's returning to her homeland, much of the area has been destroyed. I'm Kent Covington and straight ahead, tens of thousands of pro lifers marched in Washington, D.C. this weekend. We'll meet a few of them. Plus, an American businessman spent nearly 900 days detained by the Taliban. And now he's finally home. This is the WORLD and everything in it.
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Mary Reichert
It's Tuesday, the 28th of January. So glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.
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Nick Eicher
And I'm Nick Eicher. On Friday, tens of thousands of people gathered for the annual National March for Life in Washington. They marked 52 years since the U.S. supreme Court discovered a right to abortion in Roe v. Wade. Three years ago, the high court discarded Roe in the case Dobbs v. Jackson, Women's Health, returning abortion regulation power to the states.
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Mary Reichert
The pro life movement has had its victories, but also devastating losses. In some ways, the movement is still finding its way forward in the new post Roe reality World's Leah Savas now with how everyday pro lifers are thinking about where to go from here.
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Unknown Speaker A
The marchers begin gathering on the hill across from the White House before 10am By 11:30, the crowd has grown to thousands. It's cold, though not as cold as Inauguration Day. Everyone is wearing bulky coats and warm hats and most have sunglasses to cut the glare of the sunny January morning. It's nice to know we're not the only ones praying out there. A 14 year old Megan Miller and her mom Stephanie drove up from Atlanta, Georgia, for this, their first march for life. They carry homemade signs that say life is good and God loves you, the same signs they hold in front of abortion facilities back home. And we actually go to the clinics and pray on the sidewalks and throw baby showers for the moms. They've been doing that since Megan was in preschool. And last year the abortion facility they were going to closed. My friend called to see if we could make an appointment for our daughter and they're like, oh, we're closed. And it was so happy, so happy. But when that one closed, they started praying outside of another facility in the area. More than two years after Dobbs, abortions are still happening in The United States. Even in states like Georgia, where the law protects unborn babies after about six weeks, which is why people like Megan and Stephanie are still praying outside of abortion facilities. And pro lifers are still marching pro choice. That's a lie. Babies never choose to. But with a new Republican president, many pro lifers world interviewed are optimistic about the direction the movement is heading, including Franciscan university student Ari Kalpagean. You know, now with Trump back in office, it seems like things are starting to head in the right direction. But, you know, the journey's not over and, you know, we're just getting started. That's what I would say. As pro lifers march down Constitution Avenue towards the Capitol, the big question is, what direction should the pro life movement be heading in? Kalpajian believes the best path forward for the pro life movement is to create a culture that makes it easier for women to keep their babies.
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Kent Covington
We're going to provide women with the resources they need so that they can bring these children to the full term.
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Unknown Speaker A
And whether that means funding pregnancy centers.
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Kent Covington
Rebuilding the adoption system and the child.
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Unknown Speaker A
Care system, whatever we have to do.
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Kent Covington
Just to avoid that these children are.
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Unknown Speaker A
Being killed for no reason in the womb. Many pro lifers at the rally have a similar message. Here's Manuel Cardoza from Aurora, Illinois. And any abortion resources should be diverted more towards helping the working class, which struggle with health care and especially with health insurance, since they can't afford the insurance. Even with insurance, it would still be pricey. Others say the pro abortion culture sends women the message that they can't have a baby if they want to pursue their dreams. Here's Lara McCullough from Alexandria, Virginia. And the truth is that the pro life movement is, yes, you can do it. And it's very encouraging and supportive. And so I love being a part of that because I really do think you can. Maybe not all at once, but you can have it all. But not everyone at the march is optimistic about the movement's future. Some think pro lifers have lost their way. Mason Deschaw is a part of the pro life group known as the White Rose resistance. He points to pro abortion wins at the ballot box as evidence that the pro life movement is losing. Because we're not treating abortion like murder. The left doesn't believe us. They don't believe that we believe the words we say. And so until we actually start doing things to save these babies the way that we are called to in scripture, well, then we're gonna keep losing. No one will ever believe us. Many pro Lifers are satisfied with gradual steps toward protecting unborn babies in the law. But the Whiterose resistance wants to abolish abortion outright, something Julia Storms is concerned many at the march are not demanding. I think sometimes even in events like this, it's easy to be like, oh, this is a big party that we're all together. And yeah, it's great that we all can be unified, but I think we need to keep in mind what are we actually fighting against. It's really children being torn apart in their mother's womb. These pro lifers are calling on the movement to confront the culture and show them how evil abortion actually is. That entails treating abortion as murder in the law, which would subject women who obtain abortions to penalties. Here's White Rose resistance member Elizabeth Just like there's several degrees of murder, I mean, of course the abortionist is the one killing, but the mother has a degree in that as well, choosing for her child to die. I would say that the mother is almost more at fault than the abortionist. The abortionist didn't drive her to his clinic. He's just offering a service. Many marchers World interviewed disagree, including marcher patient Sazi. She says many women are pressured into abortions and those who choose to do so freely often don't know the truth about what they're doing. I think those women need to be counseled. Those women need to be supported and not punished. I think they, too, are victims of abortions. Regardless of what laws the movement pursues, most pro lifers recognize that the battle is for the hearts and minds of Americans. Marcher Bob Urban has been to seven marches and says he's always encouraged to see younger generations speaking up for unborn babies. He hopes it's a matter of time before the culture recognizes the barbarity of abortion. Law isn't going to do it. I mean, law is the second step. You know, you got to get the first step. First step is individual heart changes and then the law will follow from that.
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Ryan Corbett
But just to force it.
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Unknown Speaker A
Too much deception out there, right? Reporting for world, I'm Leah Savvis.
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Nick Eicher
Coming up next on THE World and everything in it. Free at last. The Taliban in Afghanistan freed American Ryan Corbett from prison last week. It was part of a deal negotiated by the US Government. The deal came after Corbett spent nearly two and a half years in captivity, held without charges.
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Mary Reichert
WORLD reporter Travis Kurcher spoke with Corbett's father about what his family has gone through and how his son is doing now.
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Kent Covington
It's a freezing Wednesday night in Louisville Kentucky. But the cold weather doesn't dampen the spirits of the congregation at Cedar Creek Baptist Church tonight. As they sing the classic hymn How Great Thou Art, they know they have reason to celebrate. Pastor Brad Welde explains why early Tuesday.
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Nick Eicher
Morning brought news that Ryan had been freed.
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Les Sillers
Amen.
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Kent Covington
Ryan Corbett, an American businessman wrongly detained by the Taliban for 894 days, was released just two days earlier. Ryan holds a special place in the hearts of this congregation. His parents, Drew and Evie Corbett, are members. During the service, Drew rose to thank his fellow believers.
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Ryan Corbett
And this church has done everything that a church could do and more. You have just been there for us.
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Kent Covington
Ryan moved to Afghanistan in 2010 to help manage humanitarian projects for non governmental organizations. In 2017, he founded Blum Afghanistan, his own organization to help Afghans support themselves financially by showing them how to launch their own small businesses. Drew says for his son, Afghanistan was home.
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Ryan Corbett
He actually looked like he was an Afghan. He got olive skin, big beard, so he fit in really well with the people. He's a kind of. He's not a desk guy. He loves being with people and helping them.
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Kent Covington
Ryan and his family had to evacuate Afghanistan when the US military pulled out in August of 2021. About five months later, Ryan returned to renew his business visa and to take care of his staff. Drew says his son acted responsibly. He made sure all of his documents were in order and government officials welcomed him. But when Ryan returned In August of 2022, Drew received the news that turned their lives upside down.
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Ryan Corbett
I remember we got a text saying, I hate to tell you this, but Ryan has been detained by the Taliban.
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Kent Covington
Drew says the Taliban arrested Ryan simply because he had an American passport. At first they thought he'd be released in a matter of weeks or months, but that didn't happen. During that time, negotiators asked Drew and his wife not to share their son's predicament with anyone, even his fellow church members. Drew says, that was hard.
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Ryan Corbett
You know, you go around, you share requests, and it was great. I mean, everybody shares requests, but when it came around to us. Drew, how are you doing? We're good.
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Kent Covington
They kept the secret for about a year, but some church members could tell something was troubling them. Norm and Deidre Chung were in the Corbett small group. Deidre recalled that they had asked for prayer for Ryan before he left in Afghanistan.
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Unknown Speaker F
And it occurred to me one day.
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Unknown Speaker A
That they had never said, we're thankful Ryan made it home. So I just asked her, I said, you're bearing a burden.
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Mary Reichert
It's a heavy burden.
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Unknown Speaker H
And I just want you to know that.
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Unknown Speaker A
I realized you never said, Ryan came home and she just shook her head and said, no, not yet.
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Kent Covington
As a father, Drew says he felt helpless. He wanted to do something. At one point, he says he broke down and told the Chungs he just couldn't take it anymore.
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Ryan Corbett
And what they did put their arms around me and sorry, right there in the hallway of the church, just put their arms around me and prayed. It was one of the really astounding things that had happened.
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Kent Covington
Drew says several politicians took up Ryan's case, including GOP Representatives Dan Meuser and Claudia Tenney, as well as Democratic Congressman Morgan McGarvey. Then last Monday, the news came. Ryan was coming home as part of a prisoner exchange for Khan Muhammad, a Taliban figure serving a life sentence in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges. On Monday, Ryan Ryan was loaded onto a U.S. plane in Afghanistan and flown to Qatar. At 1:30 Tuesday morning, he reunited with his wife and children in Texas, and Drew received a welcome voicemail.
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Ryan Corbett
He's just, dad, mom, hi, this is Ryan, surprisingly very strong voice and saying I love you. Thanks for all you've done and I can't wait to see you.
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Kent Covington
Drew says his family is still learning what Ryan experienced during his time in captivity. His son spent much of the time locked in a 9 by 9 foot prison cell with four other men, most.
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Ryan Corbett
Of that in the basement, most of that getting out once a month for son for 20 minutes. And a few months ago that changed. He was moved to a different prison and began to flourish a little bit, gained weight. They let him out twice a day.
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Kent Covington
But through it all, Drew says his son's faith sustained him. Drew says Ryan also happens to be a Christian and would often sing hymns in his cell. Ryan also had ideas for three manuscripts and negotiated for writing utensils in prison.
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Ryan Corbett
I just heard that ryan had written 60 poems in jail and they took all that from him when he left.
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Kent Covington
For now, Ryan remains at the Brook Army Medical center in San Antonio, a military facility that specializes in treating recovering POWs.
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Ryan Corbett
As good a shape as he seems to be in, you know, I think there's some things no doubt, to work through just nutrition he had had high blood pressure, ringing in the ears, extremities that burned, kind of head that burned.
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Kent Covington
Back in Louisville, members of Drew and Evie's church say they have a message for Ryan just in case he happens to be listening.
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Les Sillers
We look so forward to seeing you.
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Unknown Speaker A
In person, to hearing about how God.
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Les Sillers
Was faithful to you throughout all these days.
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Kent Covington
So glad you've been reunited with your family.
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Les Sillers
You won't miss any more milestones.
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Unknown Speaker A
So welcome home.
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Kent Covington
And Drew says Ryan's captivity and his church's response has shown their family the importance of being part of a local church. He says they've also learned how to minister to others going through similar trauma.
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Ryan Corbett
We all struggle with trials. It's part of our life. We live in a full fallen world. And it may not be the Taliban for you, but it's something. And I would just say continue to trust God. He's big enough to do the impossible.
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Kent Covington
Reporting for world, I'm Travis Kercher in Louisville, Kentucky.
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Unknown Speaker F
I will see of the goodness of God.
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Unknown Speaker A
I will sing of the goodness of God.
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Les Sillers
Additional Support comes from Abwe, offering the free ebook Seize the Eight Ways Pastors Can Leverage Today's Freedom for Tomorrow's Mission. Abwe.org seizethemoment and from One Life, A Christian Gap year program that allows students to grow in their faith, travel and earn college Credit.
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Kent Covington
More@onelifepath.org.
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Nick Eicher
Romeo's Juliet once said a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But obviously Shakespeare never met the flower they call Putrytia. And that name is earned. Brett Summerall is chief scientist at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, Australia. And here is how he describes what they call the corpse flower.
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Unknown Speaker A
I've always thought it smelt like a dead possum in the roof. I've had the experience, experience of both.
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Nick Eicher
And fairly consecutively, that is vivid. Tens of thousands of brave souls lined up in person to catch a snootful of this extraordinarily stenchy bloom. Millions more tuned in online, not quite sure what the reason there was. Just to imagine what it would smell like. Putrycia wafted this signature stink for only 24 hours. And if you would like a whiff, well, you're gonna have to wait for another seven years or visit your nearest garbage dump. Might be cheaper. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, January 28th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. Hi, I'm Nick Iger.
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Mary Reichert
And I'm Mary Reichard. Coming next on the World and everything in it, forgiveness and healing. Is it possible to experience one without embracing the other World's Myrna Brown brings us the story that wrestles with that question.
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Unknown Speaker F
Do you see any spiderwebs up on the top that I need to get?
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Unknown Speaker I
48 year old are sick.
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Unknown Speaker F
Okay. You didn't get down, did you?
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Unknown Speaker I
And 71 year old Velma Franco are in deep clean mode.
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Unknown Speaker F
So we've got six rooms and we've got a huge, you know, kitchen and the living room area and the dining room area and the front room, three, four bathrooms and then also the utility room. And then there's a storage room between.
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Unknown Speaker I
The two of them. They'll have every room in this house spick and span before lunch.
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Unknown Speaker F
Yes, it's perfect. We kind of seem to read each other's minds and what to do and stuff because it's not the first time we've worked together.
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Unknown Speaker I
But today isn't just about sweeping up floors or wiping down dirty tables.
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Unknown Speaker F
And it's also preparing our hearts and just praying over the home as we know that the girls are being courageous to come here this week.
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Unknown Speaker I
The house Miller and Franco are cleaning is a Christian residential home for girls dealing with trauma, things like abandonment and abuse. Miller and Franco are preparing for a new group of teenage girls on the way.
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Unknown Speaker F
Under his wings, we provide counseling and coaching and professional development for girls that have gone through difficult things. All of us have gone through difficult things.
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Unknown Speaker I
Experiences that are sometimes triggered by images, sounds, and in Miller's case, a particular scent.
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Unknown Speaker F
Well, I have pine salt in my bag right there.
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Unknown Speaker I
The smell of pine takes Miller back to a painful time in her childhood.
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Unknown Speaker F
My dad, he is a Marine and so he pine sol was the thing.
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Unknown Speaker I
Miller says her dad was sort of obsessed with cleaning. When Miller was three years old, her military minded father became a single parent after her mother left.
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Unknown Speaker F
It was very heartbreaking because I knew personally that I couldn't take care of my girls. At the time, I was sick.
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Unknown Speaker I
Velma Franco is Miller's mother. She was married to Miller's father for seven years until her health began to fail in 1978. As Franco tells this part of her story, Miller grabs her hand.
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Unknown Speaker F
They gave me six months to live. I was 25, 26 when that happened. I remember cursing God one time when I was going into emergency surgery because something burst inside me. And I remember going and saying, this is how you treated me. How could you? I didn't think I would ever be able to see my girls again. I never thought that the girls would forgive me.
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Unknown Speaker I
Miller says growing up, forgiving her mom was the last thing on her mind.
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Unknown Speaker F
I knew that my mom was gone and so I felt the feelings of abandonment and confusion and thought that maybe it was my fault. And you just don't understand what's going on. And then you missed her. I missed. I did miss her.
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Unknown Speaker I
But when a now healthy Franco reentered, Miller's life. Five years later, eight year old Miller wanted nothing to do with her mom or her newfound faith because I still.
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Unknown Speaker F
Think I also had anger towards her for leaving. And then even when she shared about Jesus and she bought my first journal that I've ever had and also a Bible, I wasn't interested. It actually would make me like sick that when she would hug me and she would say thank you, Jesus, and I'd be like, ugh. She'd stiffen up in my arms.
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Unknown Speaker A
Yes.
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Unknown Speaker I
Were you at all deterred?
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Unknown Speaker F
No, because.
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Unknown Speaker I
But she says there were plenty of hurtful moments.
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Unknown Speaker F
I think it was at her wedding. I felt left out completely. We were asked if we had anything to say to get up and talk about what we said, remember? And I was stopped by a dirty look. So I did not get up. I was 23. I was still offended and didn't have what it took because I didn't have Christ to help me truly forget from the heart.
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Unknown Speaker I
As a young wife and a mom of two, Miller says she tried forgiving Franco on her own. Then one day at a Mothers of Preschoolers gathering and I just broke down.
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Unknown Speaker F
And couldn't stop crying and the Lord was telling me and showing about how we can hold the sins over people over their head and put them in bondage. And so I just told God, I'm ready. I want to forgive my mom. I know I tried, but I need your help and I'm ready.
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Unknown Speaker I
That was in 2010. That's also when Miller decided to leave her corporate consulting job and move to Alabama. In 2019, Miller started volunteering at the girls home. Then three months later, she was asked to lead the organization. Franco relocated to Alabama in 2023. Not long after, she also started serving the girls as a volunteer. Back at the house, the new arrivals are busy in the kitchen making waffles. Do you want them dog light or fluffy? Whatever you want. After the fellowship.
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Unknown Speaker F
Okay, so we can head over to the table.
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Unknown Speaker I
It's group time and sharing.
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Unknown Speaker F
A lot of times I feel like I'm not worthy. Probably because of how I feel about myself. I immediately think that other people feel the same way. It takes courage on the young lady's part to be able to say, I'm ready. But in order to help them, you have to also enter into the pain that they're going through.
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Unknown Speaker I
Miller says it's because of her own story of forgiveness and healing, she's able to help these girls work through their pain.
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Unknown Speaker F
And this story shows the beauty of what God can do through brokenness and he sees certainly tore these ashes into beauty and it's not done. He's still working. So the goal of this Lesson on page 73 it says, know your value so you can make the Choice.
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Unknown Speaker I
Reporting for World, I'm Erna Brown in Spanish Fort, Alabama.
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Nick Eicher
S.A.
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Mary Reichert
Today is Tuesday, January 28th. Good morning. This is the World and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichardt.
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Nick Eicher
And I'm Nick Eicher. This year's March for Life in the nation's capital was a little different from years past. Here now is World Opinions contributor Hunter Baker.
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Kent Covington
We're so glad that you've joined us.
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Unknown Speaker A
Here in Washington, D.C. thank you.
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Unknown Speaker H
From making the trip at the 2025 March for Life, speaker of the House Mike Johnson told the assembled crowd that he was the result of an unplanned teenage pregnancy. He expressed his eternal gratitude that his parents didn't heed the advice of those who encouraged them to just take care of that problem. Johnson's personal testimony fit well with comments the new vice president, J.D. vance, would deliver several minutes later regarding courage in the face of life's challenges. Johnson's teen parents were brave and ended up raising a national leader. Vance spoke live after President Trump appeared electronically. Trump's message was straightforward and relatively brief compared to many of his appearances where he freestyles at length. He took credit for returning the abortion issue to the states. In addition, he endorsed the work of pregnancy care centers, expressed support for adoption in foster care, and promised an end to the weaponization of law against pro life protesters. Trump appeared to leave the heavy lifting to Vice President Vance, who hit some of the same points but ventured to set forth a more expansive vision of pro life advocacy and policy.
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Unknown Speaker A
Please help me welcome your Vice President of the United States, J.D. vance.
- [32:58]
Unknown Speaker H
Marchers gave him a huge reception as he took the stage, perhaps realizing that Vance represents the likely future of pro life advocacy in the executive branch. Vance talked about how often he'd heard friends in his youth express concerns about the challenges of raising children. They worried about cost and the impact being a parent would have on their lives. The young vice president argued that our country has failed young people by fostering a culture of abortion on demand and promoting radical individualism. During the past few years, we have all seen abortion go from being something that was typically viewed with regret into an occasion for celebration in some circles characterized as an engine of empowerment. Vance said that instead of giving the young the courage to become parents and helping them see the beauty of raising children, we have gone along with those who treat family life as an obstacle.
- [33:51]
Unknown Speaker A
I want more babies in the United States of America.
- [33:58]
Kent Covington
And I want beautiful young men and women, women who are eager to welcome them into the world.
- [34:04]
Unknown Speaker A
And eager to raise them.
- [34:09]
Unknown Speaker H
Vance's direct statements represent a Christian view of life and family. The points he made went beyond an analysis of the American psyche and spirit to indicate a direction in public policy. He said he wants to make it easier for young people to afford to bring kids into the world. He wants to see strollers, cribs and a celebration of life. For Vance, human flourishing is better measured by whether people feel they can raise families in our country than by the gross domestic product or the stock market. One can't help but notice this less financialized vision of happiness is one often promoted by the left. Vance's attempt to do the same, but much more closely related to the Christian vision, is a positive development. While we can't know at this point exactly what kinds of policies Vance thinks will help bring about a new pronatalism, it is clear his heart and mind are focused there. Toward the end of his remarks, Vance addressed the frustrations many pro lifers have felt since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Vance spoke to the emotions that follow in the wake of recent constitutional amendments and other pro life losses. He encouraged pro lifers this way.
- [35:19]
Unknown Speaker A
It is a blessing to know the truth, to know that that picture on.
- [35:25]
Kent Covington
An ultrasound that is a picture of a baby be with hopes and dreams.
- [35:29]
Les Sillers
And potential to come.
- [35:33]
Unknown Speaker H
One might recall the moral reasoning of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who insisted that a nation could not go on half slave and half free. JD Vance may be subtly making the same point with his reference to an ultrasound. It either portrays a human being or doesn't. Both can't be true. I'm Hunter Baker.
- [36:22]
Nick Eicher
Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. It's week two of an ambitious presidency. Lots going on will hit the highlights on Washington Wednesday and we will meet brave military chaplains who are serving in Sudan. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Eicher.
- [36:37]
Mary Reichert
And I'm Mary Reichard. World's Naomi Balk and Washington producer Harrison Waters reported today's March for Life story. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblical objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. Jesus said, pay attention to what you hear with the measure you use. It will be measured to you and still more will be added to you. Verse 24 of Mark, chapter 4 Go now in grace and peace.