| Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal leads off with Jack Miller’s exploration of the creation of the “more perfect union” under the Constitution, which was founded upon the principles of the Declaration of Independence. As Miller notes, that union has never perfectly lived up to those founding promises – in 1776 or in 2022. “But building on what our Founders gave us,” he writes, “we are much, much closer to living up to our Founding principles of equality and liberty for all.” He warns, however, that a “sliver of extremists” today are working to cast aside American principles and practices by pushing a “nihilistic agenda” of teaching critical race theory and enacting free speech codes. Miller calls for “that vast silent majority within those three hundred and thirty million to speak out and push back,” because if “we want to preserve this great nation of ours, silence is no longer an option.” At RealClearPolicy, David Randall of the National Association of Scholars highlights a new framework for K-12 social students instruction, “American Birthright.” This framework looks to equip students with a “solid grasp of history” and the virtues of citizenship so that they can one day be “capable of serving as an officer, a judge, a senator, and president.” At the core of these rigorous standards is an education in the “expansion of American liberty,” which includes studying the lives of important Americans such as Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ronald Reagan. Students will learn about the “contributions that Americans from every walk of life have made to our shared history of liberty, and America’s championship of liberty throughout the world.” Randall writes that “American Birthright” will help policymakers “craft the standards, the curricula, the textbooks, and the lessons that will sustain our republic and our nation.” Adam Carrington returns to the American Civics portal and offers his thoughts on another case from the Supreme Court’s latest term, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen. The Court struck down a New York State law that restricted possession of a handgun to home or work. In Carrington’s view, the 6-3 decision authored by Justice Clarence Thomas that found this law violated the Second Amendment was correctly decided. “Threats to safety – and thus life – don’t occur only in the home or at an office,” Carrington argues. “People often live their lives in various locations and engage in frequent travel. Their right to self-defense against violent crime extends to those places, because they remain the same persons, with the same rights, wherever they go.” Original Posts Adam Carrington, RealClearAmericanCivics Essential Reading Jack Miller, RealClearPolicy Our Constitution begins, “We the People, of the United States.” “We the People,” not some of the people or some groups of... In the News Sarah Pruitt, History.com Wilfred Reilly, National Review William Bennett, Wall Street Journal Ximena Bustillo, NPR Nicholas Giordano, Washington Times Andrea Criswell, Constituting America John Griffin, SB Nation Wendi Hendricks, RealClearPolicy Ana Ceballos & Sommer Brugal, Tampa Bay Times Emma Colton, New York Post Benjamin Kleinerman, Constitutionalist Joe Castle, Columbus Dispatch John McGinnis, City Journal Gary Porter, Constituting America John Fritze, USA Today Chris Burkett & Jeff Sikkenga, American Idea Jeff and Dr. Chris Burkett of Ashland University discuss the ideas and ideals expressed in America's most fundamental document, the Declaration of Independence. Bob Woodson, Ingraham Angle Bob Woodson on 'The Ingraham Angle' reacted to a video of a person saying that they celebrate Juneteenth not 4th of July:"Well, this... PragerU Celebrate America's Independence Day with a fun & easy party idea that symbolizes how our nation won its freedom! At PragerU... David Randall, Nicole Neily, Douglas Norlander, Sue Lucas-Peterson, & Jenna Robinson, NAS Every American student should be educated to be another Harry Truman—a high-school graduate who, without ever graduating... Lucas Morel & Jeff Sikkenga, American Idea Jeff talks with Dr. Lucas Morel about Ralph Ellison, his novel Juneteenth, the role of literature in sociopolitical discourse and... Prager U Alexander Hamilton, the first treasurer of the United States, knew there was a better way for countries to become prosperous than... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories This morning I read a riveting account by baseball historian Frederic Frommer about Larry Doby's beginnings as a professional baseball player. It ... It's Friday, July 1, 2022, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation intended to be uplifting ... It's Friday, June 3, 2022, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation intended to be uplifting ... |
