Articles by David E. Smith
Who Is SCOTUS Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson?
By David E. Smith   |   03.08.22
On January 26th, various news outlets reported that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who was appointed in 1994, planned to announce his retirement. This announcement was followed by multiple reports suggesting that Justice Breyer may have been ushered out by political activists/strategists within the Democratic Party. One report by FoxNews.com claiming that "groups such as Black Lives Matter and Women's March launched an effort calling for the justice's retirement."
IFI Joins SCOTUS Brief in Support of Coach’s Prayer
By David E. Smith   |   03.03.22
IFI, along with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Concern Women for America and thirteen other Christian organizations, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court this week in favor of Coach Joe Kennedy, who was fired from a public school in Washington State because he prayed briefly at the 50-yard line after football games.
Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer at IFI’s 2021 Faith, Family & Freedom Banquet
By David E. Smith   |   01.15.22
Have you ever read a book that was so good, you knew before you reached the end that you wanted to read it again? Or maybe you have a favorite movie that you’ve watched many times over, yet, with each viewing there seems to be a line of dialogue or a particular scene that impacts you in a new way.
Pro-Family Groups Urge SCOTUS To Rule Against OSHA Vaccine Mandate
By David E. Smith   |   01.06.22
More than two dozen pro-family organizations signed onto an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court to oppose the Biden Administration’s tyrannical vaccine mandate. The brief, filed on Monday, January 3, 2022, urges the Court to protect religious liberty and oppose this sweeping and unchecked mandate, which requires COVID-19 vaccination in employers with 100 or more employees with little to no regard for the religious liberty interests of American citizens.
Laser Beam Focus
By David E. Smith   |   01.03.22
If you do an internet search on the phrase “finding your purpose,” Google identifies approximately 1,140,000,000 websites, books, blogs, op-ed pieces, podcasts, academic papers, etc. that might help in the quest to determine what one’s purpose is in life. Without...
With Thanksgiving to Almighty God
By David E. Smith   |   11.25.21
On behalf of the Illinois Family Institute — and my own family — I want to wish a very happy Thanksgiving to you all. As we all prepare to gather together with relatives, friends and neighbors to thank God for...
Thanksgiving, Leprosy, and a Thankful Man
By David E. Smith   |   11.23.21
When I say the word “Thanksgiving,” what comes to mind? For most of us, it would be turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and football. If we go back in our history books, we learn that the early pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving to give God thanks for His goodness. From that time forward...
Warn Your Children About the Religion of Wokeism
By David E. Smith   |   11.19.21
God’s Word is filled with promises, commands, exhortations, and encouragement. Scripture is also replete with warnings. In 1 John 2:15-16, we read: “Do not love the world nor the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love...
Illinois State Lawmakers Rescind Parental Rights, Conscience Rights
By David E. Smith   |   10.28.21
I know we shouldn't be surprised. We know intuitively and intellectually that the nature of Big Government is tyranny. Yet I was stunned to watch Illinois Democratic State Lawmakers intentionally and aggressively pursued an agenda to diminish the civil rights of its people. Not only did they attack health care conscience rights protections, but they also repealed Illinois' last major abortion regulation which ensured the rights of parents/guardians to be notified when their minor daughter seeks to have an abortion.
UPDATED: Illinois General Assembly Approves Parental Notice Repeal
By David E. Smith   |   10.27.21
On Tuesday afternoon, the Illinois Senate Executive Committee heard testimony on HB 370, the legislation to repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. A few hours later, it was sent to the Illinois Senate floor, debated and then passed by...
Parental Notice Repeal in Illinois House Committee
By David E. Smith   |   10.27.21
As we reported earlier, the Illinois Senate passed the pro-abortion, anti-parental rights HB 370 by a vote of 32-22 yesterday. The bill is now in the Illinois House Executive Committee for consideration. We only have a short time to fill out witness slips in opposition to Amendments 1 and 2.
The Health Care Right of Conscience Act & COVID-19
By David E. Smith   |   10.26.21
State Representatives Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), Bob Morgan (D-Highwood) and State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) are sponsoring legislation (SB 1169) to diminish the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act specifically for COVID-19 remediation. In other words, these state lawmakers are heading up the effort to strike down existing legislation protecting citizens' rights to excuse  themselves from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Don’t Jump Out of The Boat
By David E. Smith   |   10.25.21
We recently read a great little sermon illustration in which a young boy asked his father, “Dad, I was watching a TV show about marine biologists. Why do scuba-divers jump backwards into the water?” His father wittily responded, “Because if they jumped forward, they'd still be in the boat!”
Radical Pro-Abortion Bill in Washington D.C.
By David E. Smith   |   09.30.21
Last Friday, by a vote of 218 to 211, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a radical pro-abortion bill that would essentially codify Roe v. Wade. The so-called "Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021" (H.R. 3755) would create an absolute right to abortion in federal law, superseding all state laws. The vote fell along party lines, with only one Democrat—U.S. Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX)—voting against the bill.
It Is Time To Pray!
By David E. Smith   |   09.13.21
These last several weeks have been pretty tough for our nation. In addition to observing the 20 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we’ve seen flooding in Tennessee that left over twenty people dead and we’ve witnessed the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and parts of the northeast. We are devastated at the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan which resulted in the death of thirteen special heroes and countless Afghani allies.
David E. Smith
Executive Director
David  E. Smith

Dave Smith is the executive director of Illinois Family Institute (501c3) and Illinois Family Action (501c4).

Follow Dave on X: @ProFamilyIL

David has almost 35 years of experience in public policy and grass-roots activism that includes countless interviews for numerous radio, television, cable programs and newspaper articles on topics such as the sanctity of life, natural marriage, broadcast decency, sex education, marijuana, gambling, abortion, homosexuality, tax policy, drug decriminalization and pornography.

He and his wife of 31 years are blessed with eight children, many of whom they homeschool. They believe their first God-given responsibility is to disciple their children—cultivating a love for God through faithful teaching and obedient living. Research consistently affirms that parents, ideally a mother and father, are the primary influencers in a child’s life. True discipleship involves sound doctrine, love for God and others, and a life lived in faithful obedience, all with the aim of raising healthy, productive individuals who honor God and love their neighbors.

Dave has also served as a precinct committeeman and served as an elder in his local church.

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