Aaron Rice, the Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute, joined the Todd Starnes along with Rep. Dana Criswell to talk about our new lawsuit against the city of Jackson's attempt to suspend open carry rights.

By Forest Thigpen

To hear this commentary click here.

Governor Bryant is drawing some criticism for saying he was driven by his Christian faith to sign a particular law. Let's think about that.

All public officials have a reason for the position they take on a piece of legislation. In some cases, it's a desire to be re-elected; in other cases, they might want to reflect the majority of constituents they've heard from. But often, their votes are driven by a philosophy or ideology that reflects their understanding of the purpose of government.

The reality is that such a philosophy or ideology has been influenced by someone else. Maybe a professor in college, or a favorite philosopher or writer. Bernie Sanders, as a self-proclaimed socialist, presumably was influenced by the writings of Karl Marx.

The idea that being motivated by faith is a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state reflects a significant misunderstanding of that concept, which is a subject for another time. But today's question comes down to this: Why would it be constitutional to be influenced by Karl Marx but not by Jesus Christ?

For more on this and other principles of governing, go to GoverningByPrinciple.org.

Air Date: August 8, 2016

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What do you think would happen in our society if we treated people with respect when we disagree
with them politically? Instead of name-calling, which is common on social media, or saying their disagreement with us is driven by hatred, what if we actually listened to them to find out why they believe what they believe?

I'll take it a step further. What if we were to accept those people as they are, and even accept their viewpoint? I don't mean we adopt their viewpoint as our own, or approve of their behaviors or their beliefs. Acceptance does not mean approval.

Accepting others is like finding them on a map. Where they're going, or what they want to do with their beliefs is important, but accepting the reality of where they are right now, and how they got there, is an important starting point for a productive discussion.

Whether it's a political disagreement, or disagreement with a spouse or anyone else for that matter, if we listen before we speak, we might be surprised to find ways we can work together to solve some of our biggest problems.

By Forest Thigpen

To hear this commentary click here.

What happens when two Constitutional rights are in conflict?

After the Roe v. Wade abortion decision, the federal government and almost all states enacted conscience protections for health professionals whose deeply-held beliefs or moral convictions would not allow them to assist in performing an abortion.

Last year, another Supreme Court decision created potential conflicts for people of faith. There now exists the freedom of religion and the freedom of same-sex couples to marry. What happens when those two rights conflict?

HB 1523 provides the framework for addressing that question so that both of those rights can be exercised.

If bakers and florists choose not to be involved in a same-sex wedding, the same-sex couple will still be able to exercise their right to get married. But if the government were to force the bakers and florists to participate, those business owners would not be allowed to exercise their right to the free exercise of religion.

For more perspective on this issue, and to read the bill for yourself, go to mspolicy.org.

MCPP Commentary By Forest Thigpen
To hear this commentary click here.

For 23 years, our organization has worked to help legislators write laws to guard the liberty of the people of our state, (more…)

By Forest Thigpen

To hear this commentary click here.

High school students in Mississippi are required to take a US History test before graduating. But you won’t find George Washington or Abraham Lincoln on that test.

Many of the great problems we face in our country stem from a lack of appreciation for our unique role in human history. Whether they followed them perfectly or not, our nation's Founders built our country on a set of principles that recognized the inherent value of the individual, created by God, with certain rights and powers.

It's critical that our high school graduates have a basic understanding of these principles. The current U.S. History test should be replaced with the Civics Test given to immigrants who want to become U.S. citizens. Its 100 questions cover some current facts, such as the name of the president, and a good smattering of questions that cover the whole span of U.S. History.

Let your legislators know you think students should be tested on all U.S. History.

MCPP President Forest Thigpen issued the following statement regarding the ruling by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves which overturned Mississippi's Constitutional provision defining marriage: (more…)

Before the year began, many legislators were expecting a relatively noncontroversial session. This was, perhaps, wishful thinking. But one bill that did not seem controversial was SB 2681, the Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act (MS-RFRA). Indeed, SB 2681 sailed through the Senate with little debate and even seemed an appropriate vehicle for the governor's proposal to add "In God We Trust" to the state seal. (more…)