Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

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1. CAROLINA JOURNAL: OP-ED: NC Law Being Circumvented with Risky Abortion-Pill Scheme

On March 11th, the Carolina Journal published the following op-ed by Ashley Vaughan, NC Values Press Director, and Mary Summa, NC Values General Counsel, entitled “NC Law Being Circumvented with Risky Abortion-Pill Scheme”:

“Texas attorney Mason Herring told his pregnant wife, Catherine, that she really needed to focus on her hydration. When he brought her a glass of water, she noticed it looked cloudy, but she drank it anyways. Soon, Catherine was in excruciating pain and began bleeding. She delivered their baby girl 10 weeks early. It was later discovered that Herring spiked his wife’s water with misoprostol — a pill that induces abortion.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022, there has been an explosion of abortion drugs being sent to women through the mail and, with that, an explosion of new problems.

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/nc-law-being-circumvented-with-risky-online-abortion-pill-scheme/

Furthermore, earlier this week, the Supreme Court also decided to hear a case called Chiles v. Salazar asking whether Colorado can silence counselors who don’t push gender ideology. To read the brief NCVI filed in that case, click here.

2. NC VALUES: The iVoterGuide Made an Impact

At NC Values, we believe that every election is an opportunity to stand up for life, family, and religious freedom. That’s why we’ve partnered with iVoterGuide, one of the nation’s leading independent organizations, to ensure North Carolinians have access to the most reliable, pro-values voter information available.

Through this partnership, we provide a trusted, data-driven voter guide that evaluates candidates based on their positions, voting records, endorsements, financial contributions, and more. Our goal? To empower values-driven voters like you to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

And it’s working! In 2024 alone:

✅ iVoterGuide voters exceeded the winning margin in 16 key conservative victories, including races for Congress, State House, and local school boards.

✅ Over 20,000 people accessed iVoterGuide through NC Values, impacting an estimated 46,000 voters.

✅ NC Values became the 2nd most searched state-level organization within iVoterGuide nationwide.

Read more: https://ncvalues.org/voterguide/

3. NC VALUES INSTITUTE:  Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond Brief

Our c3 sister organization, the NC Values Institute, has submitted another amicus brief in a major pro-school choice, pro-religious freedom Supreme Court case.

The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond amicus brief supports the argument that St. Isidore Catholic Virtual School should be allowed to operate as a religious charter school without being treated like a government-run school. Just because the school gets government funding and follows some state rules, doesn’t mean it’s part of the government. Charter schools are meant to give parents more choices, not replace public schools, and families should have the right to pick a school that fits their religious beliefs. The brief argues that the Oklahoma Supreme Court got it wrong by saying St. Isidore is a state actor and limiting religious schools’ participation in charter programs.

The brief also argues that blocking religious charter schools is unfair and goes against recent Supreme Court rulings that protect religious freedom. It argues that Oklahoma isn’t avoiding its duty to provide public education but is simply giving families more options, including religious ones. The state’s rule that all charter schools must be non-religious is actually discrimination against religious schools and families. Therefore, the brief asks the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Oklahoma’s decision and allow religious charter schools to exist as part of the state’s education system.

Check out the full brief below to read it for yourself: https://ncvi.org/oklahoma-statewide-charter-school-board-v-drummond-amicus-brief/

4. CBS17: Bill Filed to Avoid Negative Impacts of Social Media on Children

“Advocates of the bill say not only do they think social media free kids will have better social and mental health, but also better academic lives.

‘These algorithms are harming attention spans for children, they are losing the ability to focus, they are losing the ability to do deep work, because their brains are literally being rewired,’ Joseph Blackholm with the NC Values Coalition said.

Sponsors say they’re already getting not only wide bipartisan support but strong support from parents too.

‘Parents are just bombarded with things they have to watch out for and navigate with their kids and so what you hear from parents is this is such a hard battle,’ Representative Zenger said.”

Read more: https://www.cbs17.com/news/capitol-report/children-could-be-banned-from-social-media-entirely-if-nc-house-bill-passes/

5. WRAL: Where Will Helene Relief Money Go? NC House Lawmakers Fill Out Details of $500M Plan

“North Carolina lawmakers on Tuesday resumed debating ways the state can continue supporting Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in western North Carolina, with a Helene-focused committee providing further details on how exactly the legislature might aim the next round of state funding.

A House committee on Helene relief approved a plan to spend another $500 million on relief. State lawmakers have already approved almost $1 billion in aid. The latest proposal now moves to another House committee for further review on Wednesday. It would need approval of the Senate to advance to Gov. Josh Stein’s desk. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans.”

Read more: https://www.wral.com/story/where-will-helene-relief-money-go-nc-house-lawmakers-fill-out-details-of-500m-plan/21853736/

Weekly Prayer: Freedom

LORD, you have blessed us with a spiritual liberty that is so wonderful and beyond description, that it can only be understood through experiencing a life-giving relationship with Christ. However, we also recognize that in your grace, you have blessed our country with a political liberty that enables us to openly proclaim the experience of a life lived in the freedom of the Gospel.

LORD, as individuals and as a nation, may we never take the inalienable right of religious freedom for granted. Right now our country has faced a rapid increase in the number of attacks made against this cherished right. We have seen groups across our public arena increase in boldness and frequency their smears against religious liberty. They claim it is bigotry, when we know it is the security of the greatest of all possible loves.

Be with your people and our country as it continues to protect the constitutional right protected by our nation’s Founders. Be with legislators and the Supreme Court, as they determine through their actions the protection of this particular and fundamental freedom. 

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

“Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (1 Peter 2:16)

Amen

Sincerely,

Tami & Team

NC Values