The Eagles Soar in Nashville

Last week, grassroots activists from across the nation gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, for Eagle Council 54 — our annual leadership and training conference — to celebrate our legacy of liberty! Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Ps. 33:12) was our theme, and the weekend was full of faith, friendship, and tons of information. Whether attendees were experiencing Eagle Council for the first time or had attended dozens of times, they came away equipped to address the most pressing issues in politics, culture, and family.

More than 200 people of all ages attended the event. It was especially heartwarming to see mothers and grandparents rocking babies while listening to the speakers, parents sharing lessons about history and culture with their young children, and young adults engaging in critical conversations about the future of our country. Families came together not only to learn, but also to encourage one another and consider how each generation can play a role in preserving the principles and values that have shaped our nation. Seeing multiple generations standing side by side was a powerful reminder that the responsibility of passing these values on to the next generation begins in the home and is strengthened when families participate in civic engagement.

 First-time attendee, Terri L., described her experience:

I loved the scope of issues covered – from parental rights in education, AI, IVF, and the abortion pill to existential threats to freedom from Islam, socialism, and China — each presented by well-qualified and inspirational leaders in their field. All this combined with a healthy dose of patriotism and hope for a power-packed two days. This was my first Eagle Forum Council, but it certainly won’t be my last! 

For the first time in Eagle Council history, Eagles congregated in the capitol of Tennessee. Nashville is known for its music, entertainment, and country-style culture. Even Dolly Parton was celebrated while we were there, as tributes were held on September 25th — in tribute to her 1980 song “9 to 5.” Eagle Council attendees were able to visit the home of an even more important figure in Tennessee and American history, America’s 7th president, Andrew Jackson.  Before leaving for his estate, the Hermitage, Student Eagle Leader Francis Arthur briefed the crowd about the influence of Jacksonian democracy on political participation and the modern presidency, as well as his complicated legacy and what it teaches us about leadership, constitutional authority, and the responsibility of citizens.

Attendees enjoyed two days of dynamic speakers who covered topics relating to constitutional government, healthcare that preserves life from womb to tomb, discussions over artificial intelligence and data centers, how current generations can influence future generations, and protecting vulnerable minds from addictive behaviors.

Our speakers emphasized that our constitutional republic is worth protecting. Eagle Council’s Friday banquet speaker was author and political commentator Eric Metaxas. After humorously singing Where Oh Where Are You Tonight from the 1970s show Hee Haw, he got down to business. He spoke on the blood, sweat, and tears that made America and reminded attendees that America is worth fighting for. His new book Revolution tells the entire story of the circumstances and the heroes before, during, and after the American Revolution. He said:

It is a happy, extraordinary story. You want to cheer, and then you realize, somehow by the grace of God, you get to live in this country, and somehow, it’s also your story.

Daniel DiMartino, an economist and native of Venezuela, is a living embodiment of the American Dream. He spoke about the stark difference between his home country before and after socialism and reminded us why we must champion American constitutional principles. Corrupt government leaders in Venezuela took over farms, businesses, banks, and utilities. Although Hugo Chávez was duly elected for a first term, his crooked cronies began rigging elections to ensure future wins. Because of this extortion, eight million people left the country, and the remaining families faced extreme poverty. With support for socialism at an all-time high and many socialist candidates running for office, DiMartino is dedicating his life to educating young Americans about the perils of socialism. Because of his talk, an attendee was able to share this information with someone who needed to hear it, saying:

Daniel DiMartino explained the historic impact of socialism in his country so well, I was able to repeat it to a fellow bus passenger who asked me what exactly socialism was. When I finished a quick comparison of capitalism versus Venezuelan socialism, he said, “That’s a gang! I want to get involved. I want to help fight this in our country!” 

Similarly, Gordon Chang, a political analyst and Saturday’s keynote speaker, spoke about the dangers of communist China. His timely address was just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. Chang highlighted the goals of China’s leader Xi, which include the complete domination of the United States. He implored all Americans to stop buying Chinese products, ban Chinese-owned farms, and root out Confucius schools in K-12 education and in universities.

Chang’s wife accompanied him to Eagle Council and was honored with the Homemaker of the Year Award. Lydia Chang truly embodies a supportive wife and a Godly woman. She not only stands by her husband’s side but also adds color to his commentary. Her remarks resonated with the wives in the crowd:

The Chinese character for the word peace and stability is a woman underneath a roof. A woman provides stability at home. A woman is the foundation of family, and family is the foundation of society. Marriage is not only a commitment between two people. It is a covenant with God. And I pray that I always remember I am His instrument, and I serve His purpose.

Eagle Forum knows and honors the importance of husbands, as well. This year, two men were honored with the Fred Schlafly Award named after Phyllis Schlafly’s husband, who was her greatest encourager. Floyd Zabel, husband to Pennsylvania Eagle Forum President Judy Zabel, and Gary Honcoop, husband to Washington Eagle Forum President Cindy Honcoop, both received this award for their continual financial, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual support.

Protecting the family unit has been a central topic at every Eagle Council, and everyone can play a part. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined the event to share his stories of fighting destructive policies and preserving those that are beneficial. The Supreme Court case he argued that bears his name, United States v. Skrmetti, upheld the Tennessee law prohibiting medical professionals from administering puberty blockers and performing gender transition procedures. This decision impacted other states with life-preserving statutes as well and is one of the pro-family movement’s greatest victories this year.

Even though AG Skrmetti is in Tennessee, the issues he works on are similar to those being addressed in other states. Texas Eagle Forum President Cindi Castilla highlighted why it is so important to have those who hold these positions represented at Eagle Council. She stated afterward: 

I like hearing from good Attorneys General because they remind me how hard we have to work in this race to get good ones. This is a reminder of how good Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is and why we need to send him to the Senate.

Child advocate Katy Faust was another keynote speaker who gave a powerful discussion on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy. She emphasized that both artificial reproduction methods put the wants of adults above the needs of children. In a healthy culture, adults make sacrifices for their children instead of asking children to make sacrifices, including permanent loss of a mother, to fulfill an adult’s desire. She reminded the audience that during IVF, embryos are destroyed because of less attractive traits or simply the creation of too many little lives that are never implanted. Contrasting this with adoption, Faust argued that this process does not involve the buying or selling of children but fills the necessity of that child to have a loving family.

Other timely issues were dealt with during our time together in Nashville. Right on the heels of the President’s AI event in Washington, D.C., Tim Estes spoke on the good, bad, and ugly sides of artificial intelligence. Margaret Byfield with Bethany Jarrell described the actions they have taken to keep data centers out of their communities. Charles Faltenovich and Magan McCreary exposed fraudulent election schemes in assisted living facilities, and Tim Daughtry followed up that discussion with tips on how to message our issues better in the upcoming midterm elections. Others included Mark Christian on the rise of Islam, Tyler O’Neil who exposed the dark money of the Left, Marc Wheat on the dangers of the abortion pill, Kavita Fischer on the gamblification of everything, and Randy Osborne on anti-Israel propaganda. Dr. Omar Hamada, a local Nashville physician and longtime friend of Tennessee Eagle Forum President Bobbie Patray, pointed out the problems with today’s healthcare model and offered simple ways to stay healthy. Victor Nieves, Joy Pullman, and Rhyen Staley discussed ways for people of all ages to be involved in defending our nation.

One of the highlights of Eagle Council was listening to Tony Award Nominee and Broadway star Laura Osnes. Her patriotism and love for God were shown while she sang God Bless America, America the Beautiful, and The Impossible Dream — a favorite of Phyllis Schlafly’s.

Eagle Forum Founder Phyllis Schlafly was very successful in rallying patriotic women and men from across the nation to defend our nation’s foundation, faith, and the institution of the family. Because of her work, Eagles are making their voices heard from school board meetings to state houses to our nation’s capital. Phyllis’s goal in mobilizing the pro-family movement can be contained in her quote:

I do not think much of success; I pursue faithfulness.

 Faithfulness to God, to family, and to country will produce a legacy of liberty for generations to come.

First-time attendee Cindy B. summarized her experience this way:

They were all really great speakers, passionate about their area of expertise. I would listen to them all again and expect to learn something new.

 And that is exactly what you can do too! Whether you are an Eagle who flew (or drove) to Nashville or were unable to join us in person, you can watch all our incredible speakers on our website here. We will continue to upload them in the days to come.

Eagle Forum President, Kris Ullman, concluded Eagle Council by encouraging Eagles to soar to new heights in the days, months, and years ahead.

We know that our Faith deserves defending.  We know that the Family deserves defending.  We know that Freedom deserves defending.  We know that our Constitution deserves defending.  And this is why we exist. We are called to get out of our comfort zone, to put ourselves out there, and to make a difference for ourselves, our children, and our nation. 

We invite you to join us in the noble cause of preserving our legacy of liberty for generations to come. 

Eagle Forum Board Member and Oklahoma State Leader Carolyn McLarty wrote a beautiful poem about our time together that you can read here.