In a classic case of family dynamics gone awry, two descendants of the great Rev. Billy Graham are showcasing how not all apples fall close to the tree. On one side, there’s Franklin Graham, who’s busy doing the good work of helping hurricane survivors and praying for the political stronghold of the GOP, specifically Donald Trump. On the other hand, his granddaughter, Jerushah Duford, is pulling a total 180 by penning pieces espousing support for the left’s poster child for political disasters, Kamala Harris. This month’s family reunion will definitely have some interesting discussions.
While Franklin is out there demonstrating faith-filled leadership and doing what many would expect from a man carrying the mantle of his father’s legacy, Jerushah has apparently decided to forge her own path—one that devotes itself to virtue-signaling about support for the federally mandated rights of abortion. In her recent op-ed for Newsweek, she invokes the memory of “Daddy Bill” to justify her political leanings, which includes cozying up to a woman infamous for her promise to uphold abortion rights on demand. Did someone forget the family values memo?
Jerushah’s past is littered with examples of her using the Graham name to champion causes that would make even the most liberal pastor cringe. Her support for LGBTQ+ rights, among other things, could be seen as a dizzying attempt to win favor within the left while concurrently trying to ride the coattails of her esteemed grandfather. Perhaps she should save the invoking of her lineage for occasions that actually reflect traditional Christian values, instead of fluttering around like a liberal butterfly adorned in disguise.
When Jerushah opines about the need for Christians to “reclaim their values,” one has to wonder exactly which values she’s referring to. The ones that seek to redefine marriage and family, or perhaps the ones that demand a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy right up until the moment of crowning? The views she champions don’t scream “Graham values,” more like a star-studded event at a coastal wine bar.
Duford claims her grandfather stood for unity and compassion, referencing his civil rights movements like it’s a singular badge of honor that absolves potentially conflicting political ideologies. Yes, Billy Graham marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. fighting against injustice. But last time anyone checked, the fight against social injustices doesn’t include pushing for policies that deplete the fabric of family values. It seems Jerushah’s interpretation of unity may be somewhat selective, as she’s aligning herself with politicians whose policies are as far from biblical as one could possibly get.
Our nation is not just about abortion and LGBTQ… . It's VERY MUCH MORE than those two subjects. Our nation WILL descend into tyranny if 'democrats' are elected to office again. It's well on its way down as a result of Biden/Harris & cronies.…
— Rheva Acevedo (@curlymoved) October 24, 2024
Meanwhile, Franklin Graham calls on divine intervention for the future of America, tirelessly praying for a Trump victory ahead of the election. This stark contrast in approach—one that focuses on faith and prayer versus one that seeks political capital through social reform—paints an illuminating picture of two sides of a family coin. While one Graham seeks to uplift through prayer, the other presents a muddled mixture of ideas that could arguably dilute the very values they claim to uphold.
The moral of this story is clear: bilineal inheritance does not guarantee the continuation of values, especially when one half of the family tree is drastically reaching for a political platform that veers wildly from the Christian tenets their patriarch stood firmly on. There’s no denying that the legacy of Billy Graham is up for interpretation, but the contrasting tendencies of his descendants highlight a battle that transcends mere familial ties—one between time-tested values and a modern, often contradictory political agenda.