Broadcasting Live from Liberty Road

Tony Perkins Now Reaching 140 Stations

by Woody Jenkins, Editor

CENTRAL — “Liberty Road”  wasn’t named with the intent of having any particular philosophical significance.  State Hwy. 409 just north of Central was, after all, simply the road from Greenwell Springs to Liberty, Mississippi.

But today the word “Liberty” in Liberty Road has special meaning, because Tony Perkins is broadcasting live from Liberty Road to 140 radio stations across America.  His message, currently heard in 30 states during afternoon drive time, is one promoting “religious liberty.”

Perkins has an unusual life.  After serving Central as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for eight years, he accepted a position in Washington as president of the Family Research Council, perhaps the nation’s leading voice for pro-family causes.

Family Research has 500,000 supporters, an annual budget of $17 million, and 80 employees.

He, his wife Lawana, and their five children live on 20 acres just off Liberty Road, but Tony commutes to Washington on Monday evening or Tuesday evening.  By Friday afternoon, he is back at the family’s place on Liberty Road, where their mailing address is Pride, Louisiana.

After almost 10 years of commuting back and forth to Washington plus speaking engagements all over America, Perkins long ago became a member of Delta Airlines’ Million Mile Club.

His commuting schedule is similar to that of members of Congress, who usually arrive in Washington on Monday night and return home on Friday.

Family Research has a 30-year history of success in protecting the family, including the passage of Marriage Amendments in 28 states.

Everything was working well.  Then, a few months ago, Family Research launched a new radio program called Washington Watch: Live Daily with Tony Perkins.  It was to be broadcast Monday through Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. Central Time.

The Family Research Council has a sophisticated radio and television studio at its building near the U. S. Capitol in Washington.

But, in order for Perkins to continue to commute, he would have to find a way to broadcast the daily show live from the Baton Rouge area on Mondays and Fridays.  So he decided to construct a new studio on his property on Liberty Road — including a set that is an exact duplicate of the one in Washington.

The set is important because, in addition to the 140 radio stations, the show streams both audio and video online and to cell phones.

On Tuesday afternoon, Perkins was in the studio on Liberty Road and at precisely 4:05 p.m. — right after local stations broadcast their news — his mike was opened by long-time assistant Randy Burt.  Washington Watch was “on the air”!

Tony celebrated his 50th birthday last week.  For most of the past 25 years, Randy Burt has been his co-worker or assistant, beginning at State Police Training headquarters, continuing through Tony’s work as news director at WBTR-TV, then as Tony’s legislative assistant, and today at Family Research.

Burt, who is married and has four children and two grandchildren, is Perkins’ right hand-man, handles a lot of logistics, helps do the engineering for the radio program, and helps with security.  They met teaching Sunday School at Immanuel Baptist Church.

The new radio program, Washington Watch, is only one of Perkins’ radio broadcasts.  He does a daily one-minute commentary that airs on 400 stations nationwide and a weekend show on 350 stations.  The weekend show includes the best of Washington Watch from the week.

Washington Watch begins with news headlines that the “mainstream” media often ignore.  Then there is usually a live interview with a member of Congress, followed by several in-depth stories.  The last half of the show is devoted to listeners’ calls. Perkins answers their questions or responds to their concerns.

Tuesday’s program followed the usual format.

It opened with “Washington Watch: Live Daily with Tony Perkins.  Your source for what’s really happening in Washington.”

The news headlines were

• The Supreme Court was hearing appeals of California’s decision to ban same-sex marriage and a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

• Growing frustration with the Republican Party.  Perkins cited a statement by Karl Rove that he could see a Republican presidential nominee supporting same-sex marriage.  But Perkins said there might be a Republican candidate who takes that position but he won’t become President.

• The governor of North Dakota signing legislation to prohibit the killing of unborn children if they have a beating heart.  Perkins proclaimed North Dakota as now the most pro-life state in the nation.

Perkins said that, despite the problems in Washington, there are very encouraging things happening at the state level in many states.

“There’s more reason than ever to stay informed and stay involved,” he told the audience.

Switching to international matters, Perkins addressed the Benghazi affair, in which the U. S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were murdered by terrorists.  “There’s growing evidence of a cover up on Benghazi,” he said.

Perkins said it is amazing that, despite promises by President Obama to bring the perpetrators to justice, no one has yet been detained for the crime.

Furthermore, he said, six months after the attack, “We still don’t know who the survivors are!”  He said that neither the Congress nor the media have been able to question the survivors and find out what really happened.

Perkins then did a live interview with Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Virginia) who has been trying to get answers on Benghazi.

After the Wolf interview, Perkins reminded listeners to go to his website, www.tonyperkins.com, to find links to more information.

Perkins then did a segment on Dr. Russell Moore, who has been chosen to replace Dr. Richard Land as head of the Southern Baptists’ Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.  Land has served as chief spokesman for Southern Baptists.  Moore has been a guest host on Washington Watch.

After Perkins opened the call-in line, a listener said he heard Attorney General Eric Holder say that parents don’t have a right to home-school their children.  A controversy arose involving a German family.  Germany prohibits homeschooling and arrests parents who homeschool.  The family sought asylum in America, and the Bush administration allowed them to stay in this country.  Now Holder is deporting the family.  Meanwhile, Perkins said, Holder allows illegal aliens who are convicted felons to roam freely in this country.

Perkins and his wife Lawana
homeschool their children, and he was quick to explain that parents do have the constitutional right to home-

school their children.

Perkins cited the 1927 case Society of Sisters, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which said the states have no right to force a standardized education on all people.  He also cited Wisconsin v. Yoder, involving the Amish, which further protected the right of parents to control the education of their children.

“Homeschooling is on solid legal ground,” Perkins said, “but it is not safe with this administration in power.”

Perkins then reviewed the Supreme Court hearing on same-sex marriage, which was going on Tuesday and Wednesday.  He added that the Family Research Council has filed an amicus brief in the case.

Another listener called to complain about the Republican Party.  “I’ve been a Republican committeeman for years but now I don’t consider this party worthy of my participation!”  He said he finds more agreement with the Constitution Party.

Perkins said, “The Republican Party is teetering on becoming a permanent minority party.”

Jason, a caller from Oklahoma, said the Supreme Court should not have trouble with the decision on same-sex marriage.  “Is it natural?” he asked.  Perkins responded, “Exactly.  It’s not a natural thing.”

Perkins said “We are told, ‘You should be able to marry anyone you love!’ but how far does that go?  Should plural marriages be allowed, as in Moslem countries?  How will you be able to stop polygamy?”

Ron from Georgia said, “This is not just politics.  This is about good and evil.  We are becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Perkins said, “We have 5,000 years of history to justify the marriage of one man and one woman.  Children need a father and a mother.”

In response to a caller concerned about reaching Latin voters, Perkins said, “The best way to reach Latin voters is to promote the traditional family.”  Most Hispanic people believe in the family unit and the importance of marriage between one man and one woman, he said.

An African American caller asked if the GOP would continue to stand for core values.  If not, he would walk away, he said.  Perkins said we need more candidates who stand for those values.  He urged citizens to consider running for office.

In concluding the show, Perkins said, “Remember, you still have the ability to make a difference.  When you’ve done everything you can do, just keep standing!”

The Perkins home on Liberty Road includes 20 acres, and all of the kids have been homeschooled and raised in an unassuming rural lifestyle.  The Perkins children are growing up.  Kendell is 21, Rachel 16, David 14, Grace 12, and Samuel is 5.

The Perkinses raise chickens and have dogs and cats.  They say Liberty Road is a great place to live.

Now the world will get a real taste of the values the Perkins family espouses — Live from Liberty Road!

You can hear “Washington Watch: Live Daily with Tony Perkins” on 88.1 FM in Baton Rouge or by downloading a cellphone “app” called “Washington Watch” or “FRC”.