Hi, guys. We are so excited today. We have a new season launching, and we're going to have a little bit different format this season than we did last season.
For any of you who followed us last season, you know we came on once a week and had some really good content and had a lot of things to share.
The good news is that we learned a lot together, and the not-so-good news is about warming out.
So, this season, we are going to go to every other week and every other episode, we are going to try to bring on a guest that is relevant to the content that we want to put out.
And I am excited to say that we are launching Season 2 with my friend and hopefully the next Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Ms. Tracy Bradford.
She just announced here in Tyler, Texas, a couple of weeks ago, her candidacy, and we are very excited to have her today.
I do want to read her bio to you because she has quite a bit of experience that led her to this decision.
So, Tracy Bradford is a mother of seven beautiful children, the wife of 31 years, grandmother of three, and a native Texan and faithful citizen of the United States of America.
She served as president of Texas Eagle Forum for the past four and a half years, and before that served as president for Dallas Eagle Forum for four years.
Additionally, she founded the Tarrant County Eagle Forum in 2012.
Tracy has a passion for biblical truth, self-government, the preservation of life, and the freedoms mandated by the Constitution,
and was able to translate those interests into active engagement through Eagle Forum.
During her time as president with Dallas and Tarrant County Eagle Forums, those groups hosted a federal senatorial forum that included all six candidates,
educated group members on critical subjects such as human trafficking issues, pro-life issues, religious liberties, and security for our Texas grid, to name just a few.
Tracy was presented an Outstanding Eagle Award by Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly.
She currently serves as the Eagle Forum National Issues Chairman on Human Trafficking.
So, you can see that we have a lot of very similar issues, and that is how God crossed our paths.
So today, I am so honored and excited to bring you our next Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Tracy Bradford.
Welcome to season two of Truth Talk with Wendy.
We are so excited that you guys are here today.
I have a very, very special guest with me today.
She's not only my friend, but she is going to be the next Lieutenant Governor of the great state of Texas that we live in.
Tracy Bradford, welcome.
Thank you. It's good to be here today.
I am so excited.
I know how God brought us together, and He clearly is not done with our relationship.
Thank you, Lord.
He is so good.
I know that the thing that really connected us was both of our concern for sex trafficking and your amazing work that's led you to this place.
I want to talk a little bit about that first, and then tell everybody what God's doing in your crazy life now.
I'm going to have you, if you don't mind, just give a little bit of background on what even got you involved in being an advocate for sex trafficking victims.
It's really interesting.
I was about five years old.
I know this sounds crazy, but I was having dinner talking to my mom, and I remember this very clearly saying,
And she's like, no, honey.
That ended, and I'm like, no, there are still slaves.
And so there was something planted.
It had to be God planted in my heart.
And so over the years, that just really never left.
And then I started trying to do research, and you couldn't really find anything.
And even, I mean, just as recent as like 15 years ago, I went to my first precinct convention, which is part of the whole process in the Texas government, and you can write resolutions.
And so the resolution I wanted to write on was in regards to trafficking.
I tried to do research.
You couldn't find anything.
And so, I just wrote something that I thought would, you know, come across to try to get people to hear or think about it.
Right, right.
And we did pass it and it went to the state, but when it was part of the state platform, they put it under child abuse.
And at that point, I just remember thinking, okay, game on.
I mean, like, we are going to have to start talking about this and getting people to see that this is really here.
But how do you do that when there's no information?
Yeah, yeah.
And so, that's about the time Amazing Grace, the movie Amazing Grace came out.
Right.
And then there was actually a ministry called, it was called at the time, Good Night, Red Light.
It's Star Seeds.
But that was dealing in Thailand, in India, not here.
Which is what everybody thinks, is this is a third world problem.
This is not something that could ever be in America, much less in Texas, much less we sit here in Tyler.
Like, there's no way in the middle of the Bible Belt we could have a problem such as this, right?
Is that what you're finding when you're talking to people who still want to put their head in the sand?
Yes.
And what's interesting is there's a couple of things you see, people who just don't know.
And I think they really do.
They just don't want to hear it.
I've actually had people say to me, thank you for doing this, because I just can't even think about it.
It hurts too much.
Right.
And then there's also, I know, talking to a group of legislators, they really, same thing.
I mean, they were just like flabbergasted that it was as big a problem as it was.
And it was in Texas.
Yeah.
And so one guy even went down to the paper who had been running a whole series,
because he wanted to go get the material and talk to them.
I mean, it was one of those things I'm like, I know we're friends, so I know you're hearing what I'm saying.
Right.
But I really appreciate the fact it struck in his heart so much.
Yes.
He made the effort to go down and say, I want all the research you have on this.
Absolutely.
The other thing I saw, which was very interesting, is speaking sometimes to women's groups,
there was almost an attitude of like, well, they're making that decision.
Wow.
And once we walk through the presentation, you could watch their faces.
Right.
You could watch the thought process change.
Right.
And I think some people think if I don't know, then I don't have to do anything about it.
Absolutely.
And not that people have to put on their armor and go in and rescue these kids themselves.
But there are so many good ministries and organizations that are making a humongous difference.
And God either tells you to go or give.
And there's a lot of places that people can do that if they're willing to be made aware.
And I do understand as a mom, it's very disturbing to have that kind of information.
However, some moms with no information, it's shown up in their own home.
And so I would rather be prepared and knowledgeable about it to know what to look for
than I would to not be prepared because I just don't want to hear those details or
even think that that could be in my backyard.
Right.
Well, tell me, how did the Lord open doors for you to be as impactful as you have been
in trying to make a dent in this, as we know, worldwide problem,
but specifically here in America and then in Texas?
Well, the key was what you said, how did God open doors.
Right.
Because at the time, homeschool mom, I was starting to get a little more involved in
the governmental realm.
I've always been drawn to that.
But even in that process, they were friends that started kind of coming into ministry
that kind of dropped in their lap.
And so then we started talking about what they were doing, and then it just kept snowballing.
And then my daughter, one of my oldest daughters worked for Sower Seeds.
Oh, wow.
So we did a lot of research first.
I always, I come from Eagle Forum background.
Right.
People, Bill Shaffley, you study.
Yes.
And you know the issue.
And so as it kept unfolding and I was working in Austin, he started opening doors with people.
The left talked about it.
Oh, wow.
But the conservatives, we weren't talking about it.
No, not the Christians.
And even the women's groups like Eagle Forum, we were not addressing it.
Wow.
And so he gave me an opportunity and they were very open once we started.
Yeah, they were receptive to that.
That's so good.
And then just getting those opportunities to talk to legislators.
Right.
And then starting to go, wait a minute.
Because again, it had been something driven by specific people on the left.
And some of the policies were good.
Right.
And some of them were dangerous.
Right.
For everybody.
Right.
And so when God started opening that door, it was like talking to these folks saying,
we, first of all, this is not.
look good. Right. Christian conservatives and women and we're totally missing from this discussion.
Yeah, so those doors started opening and then just happened to have a connection
Ganagod thing with the attorney general and we did, that was very much on his heart when he
came in. His team, that's always been something on their heart. They do some great work. Are you
referring to Dan Paxton? Ken Paxton. I mean, Ken Paxton. Yes, not Dan Patrick. We'll get to him
later. We'll get to him later. Yeah, Ken Paxton. Yes. And he was already prepped when he became
attorney general with this issue and had a desire to help there. So that's good. That's obviously,
I love how when the Lord goes before us, he tells us to do something, put something on our heart and
we're, you know, and trying to talk to people and nobody even knows what you're talking about. But
then he's already been doing this work over here and then that person comes across your path and
you're like, okay, all right, now we're getting somewhere, you know. He really tied the strings
together. A young lady I'd worked with in Austin went to go work for that office, the attorney
general's office, and that was kind of her niche she was given to organize. And we had an event
and it gave him the opportunity to speak to just, so this just shows you talked about earlier,
go or give. Right. They pulled together, we were able to just in the DFW area, bring a hundred
groups together in like 10 days. Oh, wow. That's how much is out there. And one of the things that
we were kind of sparked by that is like, if we did a grid of what is being worked on from
who's reaching, because sometimes people do this, but who's talking to or reaching out to
the trafficker? Right. Yes. The buyer. Yes. And then, of course, we want to reach the victims. Yes.
And the women and the children. Right. And have true restoration. Absolutely. Absolutely.
But the demand, everybody's like, nobody's going to talk to them. Nobody's going to help them.
But if we could stop the demand, it would definitely stop the abuse for sure. Yes,
that you're going to have to come back and we're going to have to do a whole episode on that
because that's definitely something that God has awakened in my heart with the pedophiles
that are involved in the abuse of small kids. And yeah, nobody wants to think about them
from a perspective of how can we help them? But that's God's heart. Right. Well, actually, I went
to do kind of a long time to ponder what we can do next and what piece of legislation and what
can we do to outreach? And he just hit me with, who's praying for the trafficker? Yeah. And I was like,
I don't want that. My first reaction was like, I'm for the victim. Wait a minute. You do this all the time.
I know. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Yes. That is his heart. It is his heart. You know, that doesn't mean
that there doesn't need to be penalties or consequences. Absolutely. They'll just keep
replicating. If we don't make some effort to go to that place. Right. It's never going to end.
I totally agree. I have so much to say on that. And I know we don't have 20 hours to go into that
today, but that is God's heart. And until we wrap our brains around that there are human levels of
sin, but to God, it is all sin and we all fall short, then we're never going to fix these ginormous
problems of trafficking, childhood sexual abuse. I mean, the list is long because we don't want to
associate ourselves with the lowest of the low. But what is the Bible talking about? If you did
this for the least of these, you did it for me. Man, that's a whole nother episode. Oh, my goodness
gracious. Okay. There's a lot. There is so much. I know. This can't be a three hour show. No, anyway.
Okay. Let's do this. Let me have you give me a couple of examples of how working in the government
in political arena has impacted the fight against trafficking. Because like you said, when you first
got involved, like people weren't even they didn't know what you're talking about. But then you were
able to get some doors open. People started listening. You got some attention. What then
was the impact that you were able to have? One of the ones I remember very clearly, and it was again
almost one of those like, oh, wow, bump bump into somebody and God again is opening the door. We ran
into a person from the AG's office. It was the very end of session. And we knew we were fighting a bill.
And where it was trying to get the social media groups to bring down bad content, to bring down the content.
They can somehow make someone disappear that they don't want on there, but they were wanting months to remove this material.
You're talking about Internet stuff.
Like Facebook and all that.
Right.
And so we ran into one of the guys from the Attorney General's office, and he just so happened to have some, just some insight for us.
And so we went over really quickly, found an office, did a flyer, and started going to the conferencing committee offices, which is where the bill comes to the final place.
And they have to agree because they've made changes in one or other house.
Right.
And so being there and just kind of having this opportunity to hear some insight he had, we were able to get the information out, and it ended up helping with the bill.
Oh, wow.
But that also, another fellow walked up that was the outreach guy from the governor's office, and he's like, what else are y'all working on?
We didn't know about this.
Wow.
So we got the opportunity to go back later and meet with them on that and a couple other bills.
The governor actually ended up vetoing one of those bills because we had our time.
To me, it's like perfect timing.
We couldn't have arranged that.
Right.
No, no.
Trying to get a meeting, not going to happen.
Yeah, that's God ordering your steps exactly when you're supposed to be there.
Yeah, that is amazing.
Have you, obviously, I know just from reading the Bible that trafficking is not a new thing.
Right.
It might be new to us as far as our awareness of it, and especially that it's in our backyard, literally in our backyard.
But have you seen, do you feel like in 2021 that we are in a better position to fight trafficking than we were when you first got involved?
Do you feel like it's been fruitful?
Your efforts have been fruitful because it's a big problem.
Some people have the attitude of this is like you go to Africa and you see tons of starving children and you're like, okay, so I can't make a dent here.
Right.
But do you feel like that your efforts are making a dent, basically?
I think when you see these legislators make the effort to go find out more information, when you see you can actually be there to kill bad legislation.
Right.
It can be frustrating when there's hollow legislation passed, and sometimes that happens more often than not because somebody wants to go back and say, I passed a bill against trafficking.
Right.
And what it is, is maybe they added two years on a sentence for the trafficker, but the trafficker never goes to court anyway.
It's not doing anything.
So that can be frustrating.
However, I do believe more people are aware of it.
I do see we had a dad this last session, and I was shocked.
This was a God thing.
Okay.
His daughter was trafficked.
She was one that was basically scouted out on social media.
This really, I mean, I knew some of this was happening, but to hear him and tell the story, good family.
She was doing great in school, everything.
They lived in a good area in Houston, loved her life.
She went on a church camp trip.
Well, guess what?
The groomer, as a young woman, went on the trip and befriended her.
A woman?
A church camp trip.
Looked like a teenager.
They became buddies.
She introduced her to the boyfriend.
Right.
And from there you have, and the dad had to go with a private investor.
They had to go rescue her.
Unbelievable.
But that man has been consistent in working on legislation.
In this last session, he worked incredibly hard with his own funds, with his own time.
Wow.
And they passed a bill that would hold sexually oriented businesses responsible and deep penalties for serving minors,
for employing minors, for allowing minors alcohol, you name it.
And we thought, I mean, just having worked in the legislature, you start to see things, you go, they'll never.
That's so, I mean, the penalties, you're going, yes, this would be fabulous if I could lose their liquor license after one or two offenses.
Not just a, don't do that.
Exactly.
So I thought, man, I just, I don't see this moving, but we're praying.
And we prayed and prayed.
And a couple of weird events happened to some of the people holding the bill back.
Oh, wow.
Very interesting, actually, for one man in particular.
And it was that Friday, a bunch of us were praying, either remove him or remove him.
Yeah.
All I know is the next Monday, those bills were shooting out of that committee.
Wow.
And they ended up passing this legislation with all the strong penalties.
And that's against the liquor board.
I mean, you think about the liquor lobby.
yeah that's crazy that was a god thing that was a god thing yeah that's why when people are like
oh this is just impossible you know you're just like the more you hear those kinds of stories
you're like yeah no no it really is not impossible and we can't think that ever as believers yeah no
we can't i mean there's sometimes we have to re-strategize or he pulls us back exactly
refocus exactly we can't give up on that exactly absolutely
okay so i'm gonna get into some of the like nitty-gritty here tell me what role does human
trafficking or child rape which is what it is play in the current climate of where we are of
our country right now i think this is probably the hardest thing for people to hear right and
i look back sometimes in not a joking way but when i do presentations on things i talk about
issues that were considered conspiracy theories right and have been proven to be true and
trafficking is one of those right that people are like that's not like you said that's not
happening here that's not even a thing it's not only a thing it is intentional
it's intentional from the standpoint if you look at what they're targeting against our kids
it's to normalize all of this and it's to normalize pedophilia exactly and we want to think
oh my gosh that would never happen take a look right at what are in school these books in junior
high that kids are having to read but some of the stuff i mean we had to prove some of this i'm like
i don't even know what that is right someone explain that and this is you know i don't know
about you but growing up there was a lot of you're just you think about your children they're
children right there to be playing and swinging and you're creating not not being driven in a
sexual way god has designed us for that to come to life when it's time when it's in his timing
absolutely not not normalizing the most we're going to talk about normalizing a girl and boy
relationship we're talking the more perverted it is the more it's being pushed right to kids
right yeah it is something where i have to really check myself because when it comes to my kids i
have a i'll kill first and ask questions later mentality as i think most moms do and as a victim
of childhood sexual abuse and especially by my father who was also my pastor there's no one on
this planet who is outside my radar when they're looking at my child in a way that gives me pause
right i don't care who they are don't care who they are and um and especially with the role models
that we seem to have nowadays with um little nos x yes and you know these these people who their
whole platform is to reach reaching out to try to get kids in and then he comes out with this in
ridiculous i mean i don't it's so frustrating i'll get fired up when i think about it but yes it is
trying to normalize and and then these same people who are preaching to us to follow the science
put this guy on the front of people magazine like he's pregnant i i was so shocked when i saw that
i'm like okay well did i miss where he's actually a transgender because that you know that could
happen if he's really a girl but then when i researched him i know he's he's a guy and this is
like a stunt that he's pulling but but people are they just they laugh they think that's funny
and our kids are not they they they are being influenced in these ways where it is just
it's it's what they see everywhere so for conservative christian
parents that are trying to set examples of godliness in their home it just becomes harder
and harder and harder and um i'm just oh my goodness it's so difficult because i see these
people going to um school board meetings and they're just trying to have a voice that this is
not what we agree with please stop making my child read this they're not in positions to pull their
kids out of school they're not in positions to homeschool or they don't have the money for a
private school and i think lord what in the world i would probably be in jail somewhere if i was in a
position like that because i know that the effects of abuse on a child or making a child do something
they're they're really not ready for or not willing to do i remember sitting down and trying
to have a conversation with my children you know when it's when it was age appropriate and time
in their faces just
read as a beat, mom, do we have to talk about this?
And it's not something that they're naturally drawn to.
And you have so-called psychologists,
and I just call them the professional pervs,
that are trying to make others think that this is,
you know, the last article I read was,
they are sexual from birth,
and there's actual information where they did a study
while they were raping children
to see how many orgasms they could have.
It's like, people have the most sick and perverted minds,
and those of us who know that it's from the pit of hell,
if we are silent, this will become the norm.
And if we don't speak up,
then this is going to get to every living room.
So whether you want to know about it,
or you want to recognize that it's there,
you're going to have no choice at some point, right?
Is that what you're seeing, or is-
So much in what you just said,
and my mind's just racing,
because I'm thinking, you know, it is where we are today.
And the first thing, as you were talking,
that I thought was, we're created in God's image.
Whether people want to agree with that or not,
or acknowledge it or not, he created male and female.
There are two sexes, and that is the end of it.
And so we cannot allow, as believers,
ourselves to be canceled, to be shut down,
because someone has to speak the truth.
And the bottom line here is, the truth is out of love.
Absolutely. The truth is,
God's truth is to reach these people that are hurt,
that are broken, that are in need of truth,
not to aid and abet a lie.
I mean, we're loving people to hell.
Right, absolutely.
Because we're not, and we can't speak the truth.
Right.
And when I was listening to a woman,
her name is Dr. Michelle Kurtella,
and she started an alternative pediatric association,
because the current one decided to full-on push
every perverted thing that you could do to a child.
Well, yeah, we're going to go for that.
We're going to go for the mutilation surgery.
We're going to go for the hormone therapy.
And she did a presentation.
We were at Eagle Forum, and I remember we knew,
we know this is bad, right?
We know this is wrong.
We know these are children.
God's pretty clear on protecting children.
Yes, that whole millstone thing, yeah.
And I have to stop.
I mean, just as a human, why?
What would drive you, anyone, to do any of this to a child?
Like, it's not, let's just take it away,
even from the church.
What would make anyone want to,
you're not getting a child's agreement.
Right, no.
And like you said, they're like,
I don't want to talk about that.
You know, they want to play.
Right, right.
So what is driving that?
If you can't stop and ask yourself that,
as a person, well, there's something wrong with that.
Really?
Yeah.
Just don't even put God in this.
Just think, what would make someone want to
cause the child? Common decency.
Yeah, right, just common decency.
You can be an atheist,
and there should just be a common decency
that children should not be taken advantage of
in such a way.
And most of them are having to be drugged
and having to be manipulated in some way
so that they do go along,
because they don't want what is happening.
And when you keep dripping this information,
and then they see their friends get attention,
and then now they're coming in groups
to go get the hormones at the Planned Parenthood facility.
But when I heard her talk about,
when you give the hormone therapy,
and when they hit puberty, and that's the reverse,
so you have to reverse the hormones at puberty.
Right, right.
You sterilize children.
It's not reversible then.
No.
I don't remember what age I was,
but I loved playing football,
and I wanted to be in the backyard with my dad
doing the plays and running,
but it didn't mean I wanted to be a boy.
Yeah, you didn't want all the other stuff,
just the football.
Some of those things.
When you look at how many children are now confused,
I don't think it takes a brain surgeon
to figure out that kids,
if they see anything that's kind of new,
and people get attention for it,
or it's something that, oh, this is interesting.
But when you see it being glorified,
and you look at what,
it's so sad because you look at that,
and they're children.
So they're looking.
Maybe they don't realize it,
but we're the ones to put the boundaries in.
Right.
We're the protectors.
And don't you think it's interesting
how you see so many people
that they have a coming out.
And then there's this big, huge celebration,
like they've done something so great.
Well, these kids, I think that part of what's drawing them,
I don't think they're really confused or homosexual.
I think they're just looking for the acceptance
that these people in these pride groups are celebrating.
It doesn't matter what you wanna call yourself today.
When we did an episode in season one,
there's like an insane number of genders
and what was that called, orientations.
I'm like, I can't even keep up with them.
But it doesn't even really matter what you are.
If you're anything other than heterosexual,
they're gonna throw a party for you.
You're gonna be the coolest kid in the whole class now.
Who would not want that kind of approval and acceptance?
And what's so sad to me is that that is so temporary.
There's nothing in the world that is ever gonna satisfy
for that longing and approval
that can only come from our creator who created us.
But there are so many people that are buying
into that lie of acceptance and approval,
but it's not about that.
You're just helping them further their perverted agenda.
Exactly.
That's the way I have seen it
because these kids are also at an alarming rate
committing suicide.
And so many people that have gone
through that transgender process have such regret
and they can't do anything about it now.
It's just so sad to me.
Well, not wanting parents to live in fear
because we especially are not called
to have a spirit of fear, right?
What can parents do to not traumatize their children,
but to warn their kids to know what to look for
in regards to their children not getting caught up
in some of these different things
that are happening right under our nose?
You know, talking to our kids in age appropriate ways.
Right.
That's always a good start.
But the thing that I think is used to be,
I think hard for parents.
We're seeing a lot more of it and I'm so, so encouraged.
Yes.
The fact that they actually want to put the FBI
on parents trying to be parents
tells you we're on the right track.
Right.
Exactly.
Over the target.
Exactly, yeah.
And what we saw even eight, nine years ago,
it was Fort Worth ISD.
Wow.
They were actually sending home slips of paper
for parents to sign,
but they weren't giving them all the information
of what was being taught.
They were telling teachers that they were needing
to ask kids what pronouns or gender
they wanted to be.
And it was on the teacher.
You're now putting all this on teachers.
Wow.
And not the parents.
So it was eight or nine years ago?
And the parents were not to know.
Right.
And I do believe we saw once that we walked
through the whole issue with what has gone on,
the COVID count.
All these parents came home.
So everybody became homeschoolers.
Right, absolutely.
Yes, we did.
They got to see what was going on.
In the classrooms.
Have you noticed since then the uptick
in parents going, no.
Absolutely.
Not okay.
You are your child's advocate.
Right, right.
It's sometimes not comfortable.
Right.
Now they're trying to make it even dangerous.
Right.
And I think now we are domestic terrorists.
Yes.
Right, yes.
Okay, just want to make sure.
And if that's what we have to be called
and to protect our children.
Oh.
That's not going to stop a parent fighting for their kid.
No, it's going to fire me up even more.
And I think that's what you're going to see even more.
And I do think that we just keep telling people,
look, the system's not going to change.
No, no.
We are the ones to make the change.
Right, absolutely.
And when you see politicians or you see these groups
that are coming for your kids,
I'm going to go, excuse me.
Yeah.
I was in bed rest with every one of my kids.
Where were you?
Right.
Where were you when we were paying the $5,000 bills
for dancing or dental work?
Yes.
You know, where are you when the heart's broken?
Don't pull this, it's up to us now
to fix this gap of learning that happened during COVID.
Or it's up to us to give these children a voice.
It's like, you're not giving them a voice.
Right.
You're brainwashing them.
Exactly, you're giving them a script
of what you want them to say.
You know, parents don't realize
there was the big push for the mental health
that we're in.
And we fought it,
not because we don't care about people's mental health.
Right, absolutely.
But what people understand is a lot of these groups,
the LGBT groups,
I'm talking about these foundations.
Right, right.
Like Meadows and Robert Woods.
And these foundations state
that they want to start tracking a child
and they're kind of what makes them up,
makes their personality.
Yeah, their goal is to track you when you're pregnant.
Wow.
And they have a test that they call
Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs.
Oh, wow.
And they start tracking your child
and they keep a file that you do not have access to.
As the mom?
And it's there till they're 21.
And then the thing is,
if you've ever looked at one of the ACEs forms,
I knew we were in trouble the first question
because it said, have your parents ever hurt your feelings?
Okay, I do research daily
and I've never even heard of this form.
Okay, who are these people keeping this form?
Is this the public school system?
Through the school system, pediatricians.
Pediatricians.
You could have that starting,
their goal right now, it's in the schools.
So you're starting at kindergarten.
Right.
They want to put it to the pediatricians
is what you're saying.
And they get all the way up to where
I do an assessment on you as the mother.
Right.
Like, do you have guns in your house?
Do you, you know, the typical questions
that of course we're over there, yes, yes, yes.
Right, right, because we're protecting our kids.
We think you're helping us.
Right.
And what they don't realize,
what people didn't realize when everybody was pushing this
is now in code.
The ACEs, I just saw a report where they said
the ACEs test isn't quite working
the way they thought it would.
And it's like, really?
Wow.
Because the questions you're asking children,
they're all going to say yes to.
But what about the question where they say,
little Susie, it says, is marriage,
marriage is between whoever,
or marriage is between a man and a woman,
or marriage is between a dog and a person.
Well, if your child checks between a man and a woman,
who's to determine,
who's determined the value of that?
And they could think, Susie, she needs some help
because she's off here.
Wow.
And that's what people don't understand.
And the parents consent, a lot of times,
you don't even know this is going on.
So we were fighting, I'm at the point where anything
that has to do with our children has to be opt in.
Absolutely.
Not opt out.
Absolutely, yes.
And that's to parents.
So you were asking, what can we do?
You have to be on top of all of this.
And don't think of it as I'm just fighting trafficking
or I'm looking for the bad things.
You're fighting for your child.
Right.
At what age, so I have friends that have littles,
and then I have friends that have teenagers,
and then some are empty nesters.
At what age should a parent start having,
as you said, age appropriate?
But I mean, is it necessary to talk to a three-year-old?
Is it necessary to talk to a five-year-old?
I mean, what age do you think we should find
an age appropriate curriculum of some sort
or words that they understand
and actually start some of these conversations?
So as you're talking again, it popped in my head.
First of all, we pray.
We pray when that baby, you're carrying that baby.
Right, right.
From that point on.
Some kids, I think a lot of it is a parent.
You know your child.
Okay.
And I had a couple of children that I felt like early on
needed to hear more than others.
But even when they're younger,
we always the stranger danger.
Right.
I've had some friends that talk more
about the private parts earlier on
where I was kind of, I think maybe probably
because we homeschooled and our kids were with us
all the time.
Right, right.
That, you know, we'll get to that.
Or you really do watch different, your kids.
Right.
Who you see in the environment they're in.
They're in.
Yeah, yeah.
With homeschooling for eight years,
all of the parents were homeschooling
for the same reasons we were
so that we didn't have a lot of,
okay, well, if we don't tell them,
Johnny's gonna tell them at school
because Johnny didn't know either, right?
But one thing you just mentioned to me, stranger danger.
I remember having a conversation with a parent
who had found out it wasn't a stranger.
It was their husband who had, you know,
molested the kids.
And you think, yeah, stranger danger.
That's something we all learned, you know,
even me growing up.
And, but that's not necessarily the danger anymore.
Some of our own dangers are coming from
within our own homes and our own schools.
And they're not strangers.
They are people that you know and trust in a lot of cases.
You're right.
It does blow out the hole.
Look for, I don't know if you remember,
when we were younger, if somebody has a uniform,
fireman, policeman, whatever, you run towards them.
Right, right.
And when you think,
I think the hardest part about any of this,
and I think, of course,
you can speak to this better than anybody,
is that trusted person.
Right.
And how does a child, the damage that that does,
I mean, how do they even go about thinking in their head
how to get help?
Yeah, yeah.
Who do they talk to?
Right, right.
And I know we,
when
Our kids were younger. We actually put cards in their wallets or with them that were a couple of
names with phone numbers. Right. The people they could talk to if they couldn't talk to us. Yeah,
that's a great idea. And these are people we trusted. Right. But we also knew there's going
to be like, I have a couple of kids that will just tell me everything. Sometimes you just want
to go, I don't. I just didn't need to know that. You need to know the details of that. Stomach
good. Yeah. But I had a couple of kids that wanted, you could tell it mattered to them
to do everything right. Right. They didn't want to do that. Because you're always like,
are you upset with me? Right. So that was a way that they could have somebody to talk to
knowing that that person would, we would come back or they would come back to us. It wasn't
to hide something. Right. But at least it let them have a place to ask questions that they
couldn't ask us. Right. And like I said, the other ones will just fly out and ask you and
you're just like, Whoa, okay. Right. But again, knowing each child and how you would handle that,
that particular child. Right. And then there's, it doesn't hurt to ask other people. Right. Right.
Absolutely. You know, there are people that have experiences where they could say,
and you know, you've, you've walked something out beautifully. Right. And you can help other people
by that. That's a place I can't go that I feel like is so critical. I think the hardest thing,
probably, for people to get in their minds, and I'm glad you brought this up, is we're seeing
more and more of the offender is a parent or someone that the child knows and loves. So what
do they do? It's the worst situation for them because they first don't think anybody will
believe them. And secondly, because they know and love them and trust them, they don't want to,
you know, the quote is like rock the boat. You don't want to, you don't want to disrupt the
family. You don't want to get that person in trouble because the child sincerely has
love feelings for them, you know, like actual healthy love feelings, not the way the other
is. So you, you, it's easy to not say anything, not to mention the shame that comes with that.
And you think you're the only person on the planet that's going through something like that. You
don't have the mental capacity to process what's happening. So the easiest thing to do is just not
to say anything. And I know in the classes that we teach, when we are giving children the tool
that they need to recognize child lures that lure them in, which came directly from people in prison
who had been busted for that, and they were interviewed, there are 16 of them. But one of
the things that we tell these kids is you need to pick out two people, just like what you were
saying, one inside the home and one outside the home that you trust and that you know you can
trust no matter what. And, you know, so in my case, maybe my dad would have been one of my
trusted people. Well, that could have changed, right? So in my situation, had I known that and
had a trusted person inside the house, I would have had then a trusted person outside the house
that I could have then gone to. Now, in my case, everybody that I knew was on my dad's payroll. So
that was very difficult for me because there was no trusted adult in my world. So, you know, but
that's again where prayer comes in and you just have to cover your children. You know, I mean,
I remember I used to live in fear of them just checking the mail, you know, just like allowing
my child, you know, when they were little, just leave the front door, go check the mail and come
back and I would stand there and watch and watch. I'm like, Lord, please, please, you know, because it's just,
I mean, a van can come up, pull them in and then you just never see them again. And you don't want
to live in that fear, right? You know, God does not give us the spirit of fear and it is, as my husband
says, the gift that keeps on giving. It's like when you've been through something like this, it is a
daily, hourly, sometimes minute by minute battle to not let the fear overwhelm you, but yet at the
same time to stay alert. So you have to be aware of it so that you can tell your children, but you
can't live in fear of it because as we all know, God orders our steps and he has ordained all of
our days. So there's nothing we can do to add one day or to take away one day from our life. So I
have just learned to rest in that and that is, for me, just been a lifesaver. But okay, let's talk
about what is going on in your life today. I'm so excited. Okay, what would you do as the new
Lieutenant Governor, which we know you will be, in regards to changing our approach on this?
War of trafficking both both, you know sex trafficking and labor trafficking as well. What what what is your plan there? I
Think just is again. So I was listening to you. I thought wow when people
Speak truth. Mm-hmm
The healing that can come right and I think one of the things is and just about any
Serious issue we have to be willing to get down to the truth, right? And and the truth is
Trafficking is big business. It is
Trafficking is not a left or right issue
It is they send issue across the board right and we have to treat it that way and we have to start with
If you have an offender
They need to have consequences
Absolutely, because the message you're sending
To the victim and I almost take referring but they are victims right at the same time for them to overcome that right?
They don't have to be a victim forever don't write right and that even speaks to how we would
Work with I I believe you know, I think there are people with good intentions that have been working in these
Facilities and in agencies within the government, but I really do believe
restoration comes
Because of the love and grace of Jesus and for those kids who really do want that need that
I would love to see more partnering and and driving more of that piece of it actually
Honestly, except for going to jail all those pieces right all the pieces of this this process
I think would be better served through churches. Yeah, and through these places just I mean listening to you share
Imagine how that would help
Someone
Versus a program where I don't know if you've heard this but a lot of these kids are repeating this program six and seven
times Wow
so I
My personality. I just thought I wonder do they feel like they're failing right?
Right, how many of them leave and just say forget it? Yeah, and what we know and I know it's government people
Church and government, right? No. No. Yeah
What when you're a business you're gonna look for the best person to partner with if you write something
So why wouldn't we go to that? Right? Yes, you can pass laws
Yes, but as we've seen we've passed laws where they're giving stricter sentences, but people aren't being sentenced
Yeah, and then they just find a loophole around exactly
I mean, there's I just read another thing yesterday about a new loophole that they've come up with with all this crazy stuff
Going on at the border, you know, which brings up a whole nother issue
I mean, you know
We're working working working working working to help the kids and there's what is it?
800,000 now that go missing every year just in America
I mean that's just here in you know in our states, but now we've apparently, you know, I guess knock the wall down
I mean, I don't know exactly seven been down there. My husband won't let me go down there
But um, I don't know how in the world
That we can have an open border and they're not being vetted
They are coming from only God knows where with children that clearly do not belong to them
I mean, how how are we supposed to fix this?
well, our
border is
Our it's it's about our sovereignty of our state. Yes, and it's about protecting our state, but it's also about protecting
I I think you're protecting these children
We're absolutely because they're being sold that you know, the labor trafficking I think sometimes can get kind of pushed aside
Sure, but you don't want anyone traffic. No, and I'm not saying that adults don't matter
But right if they think that they aren't trafficking children in the labor end of it. Oh, oh, right
It's it's a boondoggle. They were making up to 14 million dollars a day
Oh my goodness, and I researched this because I'm like that can't be right, right, right and they it's too much and people are trusting
They're thinking. Okay. Here's my life savings. Get me over here or we'll come over work. They become indentured servants
Yeah, yeah, and we're first of all, but I
We cannot depend on the federal government. We see what they're doing, right?
Having saying we're going to put up fencing down there and it's laying down on the side of the road
We have to be serious about the border for a number of reasons right but for if nothing else the fact
These families these people are coming across and they're being sold into labor or just sex trade, right?
Right, and yes, it's all about the money. It's always about however, they can get the money
They can sell sell them sexually they can sell them for work. Whatever it is. It's it's about the money
It is and there have been people who have brought ideas
There was a group we worked with that I actually got to see them show the technology
That they wanted to help on the border and they wanted because they're Patriots
They were like we want to do this as cheap as possible
incredible equipment. These were guys top-notch scientists and nothing
crickets from the Texas government. So they started to use this technology
outside of Super Bowls. Oh wow. It's amazing they are not
giving up. Yeah. Because they know what's going on. Yeah. But the fact that we would
not seek out good solutions for our border. Right. And that's a whole
another show. Yeah. But when you think if nothing else, there's these children
coming across and these people that are being trafficked and there are people
coming through that are being taken thinking they're going to job interviews
legitimately. Yeah. Yeah. That want to work, that want to have, you know,
they want to go through the process. They want to do it right, but then they're being
taken advantage of by the people that are. Yes. Okay. And so I know that there
are other agencies outside of government that are also trying to get involved in
the process so that, you know, they don't have to report to us anymore. So, I mean,
it seems like that this problem is just growing and growing and growing.
It's money. Yes. Yes. It's, you know, we, I mean, we've been talking about this I
think for some years now, but that the cartels switched from drugs because the
drug you can take once. Right. A person can use over and over. Yes. But when you look at
the money they're making and you look at what I told, you know, we were talking earlier
about 20 miles off our border into Mexico. Yes. Where they're like a full army, the
cartel army. And we, we have got to realize this is where it comes back to,
we were talking about our faith. Yes. And what is heartbreaking to me is to realize
that this is a message of hope. Right. And love. Right. And grace and mercy. Right.
And when you pull all that together, you're looking at not punishing people
that want to come to this country. We want people that want to come into our
country to come through the right way. Right. We do have things to work on with
that. Right. Absolutely. But what we've created in this open border, I always
think it's interesting, the very people that want open borders, would they leave
their house unlocked for us to just come anytime I want? No, no, absolutely not. I
remember asking a Harvard professor who was for this. I said, so we can all let
people, let everybody into Harvard. Right. Exactly. No, no, no, no. That's different.
No, it's not. It's not different. It's not. Yeah. And most of them, it's not just
their house that's locked up. It's their whole subdivision. You know, they live
behind these big gates and, you know, they don't want anybody. Well, we're going to
open it up. How about your checking account? Yeah, there you go. I mean,
what else? Because we're paying for everything that they're doing. Yes,
absolutely. Yeah, it does not make sense. And it is very, very frustrating. And for
me, I am so excited for not just myself, but the entire state of Texas, because it
seems as though we have Republican in name only, better known as rhinos, in
these positions that then do use their power to stop all the hard work of
people in these advocacy groups that are really doing the hard work of making
change. And to me, when somebody is given a platform that they then have the
power of, you know, to sign a bill or push a bill or at least get something,
you know, into being able to be voted on and they don't do what they should do,
then it's time for them to be removed. And, you know, the Bible tells us, to whom
much is given, much is required. And the Lord is going to fulfill His purposes
with or without us, with or without them. So those of us who are trying to help
protect children and all the hard work that goes into that, because it is a very,
very, it's a war within itself. It's very, very time consuming. And then to just be
so disrespected that that stuff never even makes it onto the floor for a vote.
And I don't understand, I mean, you're so much more politically, I think we should
have session every week, personally, you know, I'm like, why do we have to wait so
long? I'm like, there's a lot of problems we need to be solving. What do these
people do all day, you know? So, you know, for me, I'm like, why is this so
complicated? It doesn't, I mean, it should just be like we're talking about common
decency. It should just be clear. If we can help save more kids, sign me up.
Right. And that is what I'm so excited about for the state of Texas, because we
need somebody in there who actually will make these things happen and push these
things through. And, you know, because I don't think it is a right or a left
problem. I just don't. I don't think, I think you could find many, many people.
on the other side of whatever side anybody finds himself on that would agree, you know,
because we've all been children and none of us would want those things to happen to us.
And there's atheists that live by the gold rule, you know, treat others how you want
to be treated.
I'm pretty sure there's no child that would sign up for something like that knowingly.
So I do believe it is a an issue that can bring unity among many, many people.
And so on behalf of the entire state of Texas and your future people that you can govern,
I want to say thank you to you because we are we are long past the need for someone
like you and with your boldness and your courage and your tenacity to be in this position
actually getting things done.
So when you get down there, because you will, then I want to be an advocate for you and
get on board with whatever it is that you're doing to help stop this, because it's God's
grace that has gotten me, you know, to this place in my life.
But without his grace, you know, I would be one of those statistics.
Yeah.
And so I am firsthand knowledge of the damage that it can do.
And that's what drives me to want to help other people, you know.
So thank you very much for joining us today.
Thank you for everything that you've done to get to this point and everything that you're
going to do, because we are we are praying for you and we are voting for you.
Everybody needs to vote, Tracy Bradford, Lieutenant Governor, and and if there's ever
anything that we can do to help you, please, please let us know.
Well, thank you.
And I want to thank you for being a beautiful example.
Thank you.
Of what restoration looks like through God.
Yes.
Absolutely.
And there's hope.
There is hope.
And that is the thing that I think so many people are missing today is hope.
They just want to give up.
There is hope on the other side of that cross.
We just have to be willing to take this brokenness and sweep it up there to him, you know, because
he is the only hope that any of us have.
That's right.
So we want to thank you guys for tuning in today and tune in next time for another episode
of Truth Talk.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai