As you can see, a name change is afoot around here. We have a new label for our family advocacy arm, which has been called Focus on the Family Action since we created it in 2004. Henceforth it becomes CitizenLink, which is a name that may be better known to more of our constituents than the former name.
Since these things can easily cause confusion, let me explain.
Changing the name has two primary advantages. First of all, it simplifies things. In our public policy world, CitizenLink is the name we use more often than Focus Action. We have the CitizenLink website and the CitizenLink daily news e-mail update — and of course, the name is rooted in Citizen magazine itself. (Be assured — no name change there.) CitizenLink also is the name heard often on our daily Focus radio program when we need to steer listeners to the website for more information than we can get to during the broadcast.
The second advantage is that the name change avoids confusion. The names of our family help and family advocacy organizations have been nearly identical, and some have wondered why Focus on the Family has gone so “political.” They haven’t realized that it has been Focus Action speaking and not Focus on the Family.
CitizenLink will carry an identifier that says “A Focus on the Family Affiliate,” so the connection will still be clear — a little more distinction in identities and missions, but no camouflage. And, unfortunately, we will al-ways have opponents because we will always take clear positions on those social issues that revolve around the family, the sanctity of life, proper notions of sexuality and the limited role of government. These are the unchanging pillars upon which Dr. Dobson built Focus on the Family, and we will continue to stand for them.
One more thing. The media, with their penchant for classifying and categorizing, usually try to stuff us into the same cubbyhole as Rush, Sean and Laura, and oftentimes the entire Republican Party. But we have a distinctive that none of these other personalities or organizations has. We are distinctly and foremost a biblically Christian organization. Our mission is to honor the Lord and draw people to Him, and even though we wade into the most controversial issues of the day, we want always to keep that Christian brand upon us.That means our tone will respect our opponents. Indeed, we don’t see them as the enemy, but rather as the victims of the Enemy. Sometimes in the heat of the daily struggles on the policy front, it is easy to forget that, especially when the other side is busily flaying us alive in the media. So let me ask you to hold us accountable. Let us know if you ever detect harshness in these pages, or in any communication from Focus, or from CitizenLink.
And most of all, thanks so much for staying in the struggle with us by reading Citizen, by clicking onto our websites and by listening to the daily radio programs. Without your financial support, your prayers and your own labors for the cause of righteousness, our country would be a lot worse off than it is already.
Last month I wrote about a book on the Berlin Airlift, but I neglected to add our usual disclaimer about such books: “Citizen publishes book reviews for informational purposes only and does not necessarily endorse all of the book’s content. This book is not offered by Focus on the Family.” This particular book contains some horrifying descriptions of the reality of war, and its aftermath.
Tom Minnery is senior vice president of government and public policy for CitizenLink.
Send feedback to citizeneditor@family.org.
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