Gov. Sanders Refuses to Rescind Christmas Proclamation
On Monday, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement refusing to comply with a Freedom From Religion Foundation letter asking her to rescind her Christmas proclamation.
The governor’s proclamation tells the Christmas Story about the birth of Christ, and it ensures State offices will be closed December 25 and 26 in observance of Christmas.
In response, the Wisconsin-based atheist organization sent Gov. Sanders a letter claiming her proclamation violated the First Amendment by sharing the story of Christ’s birth. The group demanded she rescind the proclamation.
In her response, Gov. Sanders told the Freedom From Religion Foundation it would be “impossible” to keep religion out of Christmas.
“Christmas is not simply an ‘end-of-the-year holiday’ with ‘broadly observed secular cultural aspects,'” Sanders wrote. “Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and if we are to honor Him properly, we should tell His miraculous, world-changing story properly, too.”
This is not the first time the Freedom From Religion Foundation has targeted the free exercise of religion in Arkansas.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is currently suing the State of Arkansas to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the Capitol lawn in Little Rock, and it recently joined a lawsuit to prevent public schools and buildings in Arkansas from displaying the Ten Commandments.
In 2022, the atheist group issued a statement celebrating the defeat of religious freedom amendment Issue 3, which narrowly failed at the ballot box in Arkansas.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has opposed public prayer at meetings and gatherings in Arkansas.
In 2017 the group demanded that then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson stop sharing Bible verses on his Facebook page.
In 2016 the foundation went after Washington County election officials for using churches as polling places.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has even complained about the fact that that Arkansas’ public school students can study the Bible academically — even though it is one of the oldest texts in existence and has had a profound influence on human history.
Gov. Sanders is right when she says Christmas is about Christ. There shouldn’t be anything controversial about acknowledging that.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
Kansas Attorney General Takes on Big Tech, Dangerous AI Chatbots
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is demanding answers from Big Tech companies over their dangerous AI companion chatbots that are harming children and families.
In a strongly worded letter to major AI developers, Kobach put the industry on notice, calling for real safeguards that protect kids.
“We’re seeing a very concerning trend where Big Tech releases AI products without meaningful safeguards,” Kobach said in a statement. Kobach highlighted a Topeka case in which a sexual predator used AI to create thousands of images depicting child abuse. National reports show AI chatbots encouraging teen suicide, promoting self-harm, and engaging in sexualized conversations with minors.
Some AI platforms even market themselves with slogans like “AI girls never say no.” As Kobach said, “That’s not a glitch in AI. It’s a failure of corporate accountability.”
The Kansas Attorney General gave the companies until January 30 to explain how they will ensure user safety and comply with Kansas age verification laws. Companies that have misrepresented their products’ safety or provided harmful content to minors may face consequences under Kansas law.
Arkansas families and policymakers should pay close attention to this situation.
Arkansas has been a leader when it comes to protecting children online, passing laws to verify ages and restrict harmful content. But AI chatbots can engage children in conversations that seem real but may encourage dangerous behaviors or expose them to inappropriate content.
Arkansas parents need to know what their children are accessing online. They should ask tough questions about any AI apps or chatbots their kids might be using.
Our friends at the Daily Citizen said it very well last summer:
When it comes to keeping children safe online, parents have their work cut out for them. Companies like xAI shouldn’t compound the problem by adding sexualized A.I. features to an app children use. But, unfortunately, there’s nothing stopping them from doing so.
No company is going to work harder than you to protect your kids. The best solution is to play it safe — keep your kids well away from A.I. chatbots and other dangerous internet traps.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.