(Editor's Note: This article was first published in the March 2022 print edition of The Stand. Pictured above is Jerry Cox.)
In 1988, just over 50% of Arkansas voters passed Constitutional Amendment 68. The amendment prohibited state-funded abortions and made Arkansas one of the first states to successfully combat the booming abortion business which has been given free rein after the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.
Jerry Cox, president of Arkansas Family Council (AFC) in Little Rock, was part of grassroots efforts to pass that historic amendment, though he never intended to get into politics.
Cox was an Arkansas public school history teacher in the mid-1980s when he began to notice that citizens of faith with deeply held, traditional values aligned with the Christian worldview had no representation or voice in the Arkansas State Capitol.
Choosing to speak
“When I prayed about it,” Cox told The Stand, “I never had a clear or direct mandate from God, but I realized that I could not live with myself if I did not at least try to be that voice.”
From that realization, Cox founded AFC in association with Focus on the Family. For over three decades, AFC has consistently been a strong conservative voice to the legislature, media, and citizens of Arkansas – and to the nation.
AFC has also been a faithful friend to American Family Association (AFA), sharing a desire to speak for Americans with traditional Christian values. Similarly, AFC not only speaks for conservative voters; they act for them as well.
“Arkansas Family Council is a steadfast ally in the ongoing culture war,” said AFA executive vice president, Ed Vitagliano. “We salute their efforts to promote, protect, and strengthen traditional family values found and reflected in the Bible.”
Learning to fight
Before those efforts began to bear fruit, Cox first had to learn how to represent his fellow Arkansans at their state Capitol.
“When we first began this work,” he remarked with a laugh, “I had no clue about reaching legislators, lobbying, or speaking to the media. I literally had to learn everything from scratch.”
For Cox, that learning involved trial and error, a continual process of falling and getting back up to try again.
AFC’s current focus is on impacting public opinion and public policy surrounding pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-family issues. Consequently, the staff reviews state legislation, advises lawmakers, provides committee testimony, and lobbies for bills upholding Christian values.
As a result of the continued efforts of AFC and other pro-life advocacy groups, the Arkansas abortion rate has continually plummeted, with current state abortion numbers less than half of those in 1987. In fact, Americans United for Life named Arkansas the most pro-life state in the nation in 2020 and 2021.
Sadly, in early December 2021, both sides of the Arkansas legislature tabled the proposed Heartbeat Bill (AR SB 13), voting against extending consideration of the bill in a special three-day session.
Undeterred, Cox said the fight for life will continue, as will other AFC advocacy endeavors to preserve biblical values through state legislation.
“As Christians,” Cox explained, “we fight differently than the world because we fight with care and love for others, even those who oppose us.”
Winning some battles
In that Christ-centered campaign, AFC has witnessed some significant legislative victories over the years, though some have been overridden:
- In 2001, Arkansas enacted its Safe Haven Law, allowing parents to place infants up to 30 days after birth with a designated, on-duty agent with no questions asked and without subsequent prosecution, providing the infant had not suffered gross negligence or abuse.
- In 2004, Arkansans voted to ban same-sex marriage through the Arkansas Marriage Act (Constitutional Amendment 83). But in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court violated its constitutional authority by striking down biblical marriage laws in its gay marriage Obergefell v. Hodges
- In 2008, voters approved a statewide ballot initiative making it illegal for anyone without a valid Arkansas marriage license to adopt or foster minors. Regrettably, the state supreme court invalidated the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act in 2011, and the U.S. Supreme Court overreached again and upheld same-sex adoption for all states in 2017.
- In 2021, the No Patient Left Alone Act (Act 311) was signed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson during the early days of the pandemic. Effective immediately, it ensured patients the right to designate a minimum of three support persons, with at least one person allowed to be with the patient in an emergency room, hospital, doctor’s office, or hospice facility. It also permitted clergy members to visit patients.
Taking more territory
According to Cox, AFC is also reviewing critical race theory and other educational initiatives adversely impacting public schools.
“Unfortunately, the average American is living in an illusion about their local school system,” said Cox. “They all think that the bad schools they hear about are not their own schools.
“But that’s just not the case. If we stop and look at what our teachers are being taught in our nation’s colleges and universities, we can quickly identify the false narratives being carried from their professors right down to our youngest students.”
Cox also challenges citizens to assess the books in local school libraries as well as the children’s sections of public libraries. Then, if needed, do something to change or at least add to materials offered to children.
He believes taxpayers in every community should initiate or join efforts to publicly fund parental choice to educate children in public, private, parochial, or home-based schools.
Continuing the war
Of course, AFC’s original battle on the pro-life front will continue.
“We can’t stop fighting now,” declared Cox. “Yes, with the heartbeat cases coming before the Supreme Court, we are finally looking at the real possibility of a nation without abortion on demand. But, as Christians, we need to make plans now to put our faith into action.”
Cox questioned whether Christians are prepared to help women who might be alone, poor, and pregnant in a post-Roe world. He suggested churches and faith-based organizations begin strategizing ways to minister to those women in need.
“If Christians fail to help those women and their babies, if our churches can offer no aid, then our entire pro-life fight will have been in vain.”
Cox paused before adding, “Have no doubt; the world will be watching. We must be ready!”
(Editor's note: Find additional information at: afaaction.net, ivoterguide.com, and familycouncil.org.)
