//Brian Kilmeade Speaks at 11th Annual GCS Benefit Dinner

Brian Kilmeade Speaks at 11th Annual GCS Benefit Dinner

Share with friends

Photo: Georgia Christian School, Robin Postell

VALDOSTA  – Last night, Thursday, October 18, 2018, the 11th Annual Georgia Christian School Benefit Dinner was held at VSU’s Student Union from 6 p.m. till 9 p.m. Each year GCS wows the community with a stellar assemblage of speakers, ranging from George W. Bush, to Barbara Bush, to Terry Bradshaw, Vince Gill, and this year, Fox & Friends morning show co-host and best-selling author Brian Kilmeade.

Prior to Kilmeade’s introduction, GCS announced they were raising money this year to benefit their long-time rival school, Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus, which was hard hit by Hurricane Michael. SGA’s Headmaster told them they thought they were only going to lose four classrooms, but it’s turned out to be eight – and students won’t be able to get back to class until at least October 23.

On GCS’s Facebook page today they posted, “So far, we have collected $2,000! We had a van full of our students go over to help on their campus cleanup day. GCS is continuing to instill the essence of Christianity – service above self!”

The National Anthem was performed by GCS alum Nikki Warren and Matt Malone (’98), Austin Plyler (’07), and Sarah Copeland (’09).

The list of sponsors was wide and long, including Black Crow Media, and luminaries were in abundance – including senators, representatives, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk,  Police Chief Leslie Manahan, and Valdosta Mayor John Gayle.

Kilmeade wasted no time jumping into a full-bodied repartee with Q&A moderator, Dr. Brad Lawson.

Kilmeade delivered sweeping and comprehensive assessments of the state of the U.S., particularly within politics – but also history and sports. His evaluation of America: “Didn’t say it was perfect,” but underscored its unparalleled history and bases of its foundation. “I’m passionate about our country’s beginning,” he said.

Kilmeade has published several books, both fiction and non-fiction, from Thomas Jefferson to sports.

“We are an exceptional country,” he said. “You have an opportunity to be successful – you’re not guaranteed it.”

Kilmeade aptly dismissed the possibility that the political climate in the U.S. is worse than at any other time in history. “You can make sense of today’s news if you can understand history,” he said, adding that we have the number one economy and military in the world. “Things are going so well for us we are starting to fight with each other way too much.”

Kilmeade also used sports as a metaphor for life regarding why they are important for kids. “The way to have trials and tribulations when you’re young is sports,” he said, adding that sports are accessible and easiest to define. “I’m not saying sports is the only way, but it’s an important way.”

Dr. Lawson asked Kilmeade, “Is Trump the cause or effect of current politics?”

This gave Kilmeade real pause. “That’s a good question…”

After a prolonged and thoughtful pause, he conceded that it would have to be a question he would need a couple of years to answer. “Trump is the ultimate fighter,” Kilmeade said, providing a trove of examples why Trump, though antagonistic and controversial, is probably the most honest and transparent President (“…outside of his taxes…”) in history.

When Dr. Lawson asked who he expected to be the first female U.S. President he wasted no time naming former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley – which garnered an eruption of applause from some members of the audience.

“We are a nation everybody wants to come to, and nobody wants to leave,” Kilmeade said. “And when they do, it’s news…We aren’t (a nation) content to be good – we always want to do better.”

The final question of the evening was whether the American Dream was dead or alive, to which Kilmeade responded, “So alive,” elaborating with, “You have the ability to achieve, but you aren’t guaranteed. You can’t guarantee results, you can only guarantee effort. Go after it…if you didn’t score, you didn’t fail because you tried…Don’t put your self-esteem in the wins.”

Dr. Lawson presented a Bible to Kilmeade at the conclusion and the crowd stood with a generous ovation.