| This week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal begins with the latest article in our ongoing civic institutions series. American Civics portal editor Mike Sabo highlights Retro Report, a journalism nonprofit that features a vast library of over 250 short films on civics and other topics. Teachers who are trying to put the present conflict in Ukraine into context can show films that give a brief overview of the Cold War, from the Truman Doctrine to the Berlin Airlift, or explore the ongoing threat of nuclear weapons. On the topic of civic education in particular, Retro Report director of education David Olson calls it an “essential” part of a “high quality, rigorous education that students across the country should receive.” He says that civics “involves both analyzing and understanding founding principles and what makes the United States unique” – both of which are important goals in our increasingly polarized times. At Education Next, Paul Peterson reflects on American civics in light of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent address to Congress, which he calls a defining moment that points to the fundamentals of civics: “learning one’s history as a country” and understanding “just how it came to be, why it is as it is,” and “what makes it worthy.” Peterson argues that there are many parallels between America’s fight for independence in 1776 and Ukraine’s present struggle against invading Russian forces. He writes that “when John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, he and his fellow Patriots understood then, like Ukrainian leaders know today,” the truth of Ben Franklin’s famous admonition, “We must all hang together or surely we will hang separately.” Seeing this war unfold in real time will benefit students by “deepening” their “democratic patriotism” because they can see the stark difference between free government and authoritarianism. Finally, at WORLD Mark Tooley responds to Eli Mystal’s blunt criticisms of the Constitution, which he described as “kind of trash.” Calling Mystal’s critique “arrogant presentism, which judges the past by today’s standards,” Tooley counters that Americans today “are not morally superior to past generations.” He continues: “We are by nature as fallen as they were. To the extent our modern ethical standards are superior, such as our near-universal rejection of slavery and our expectation of legal equality for all people, we can only thank previous generations who struggled” to live up to the stated principles of the American Founding and biblical morality. Original Posts Mike Sabo, RealClearWire In the News Paul E. Peterson, Education Next Victor Skinner, Center Square We Are the Mighty Dan McLaughlin, National Review Gillian Brockell, Washington Post Todd Carney & John Waters, RealClearPolicy Jacob Hess, Deseret News Editors, Planned Man Angus McClellan, Law & Liberty Kevin Kosar, The Hill Samuel J. Abrams, American Enterprise Institute Blake Stillwell, Military.com C. Bradley Thompson, Substack Andrew E. Busch, RealClearPolitics Idaho State Journal Natalie Taylor & Jeff Sikkenga, Ashbrook During her lifetime, Susan B. Anthony inspired three generations of women to join her lifelong struggle to secure the right to vote. Mary Grabar & George Leef, James G. Martin Center Dr. Mary Grabar discusses her latest book, Debunking The 1619 Project: Exposing the Plan to Divide America, with George Leef... Dean Nelson, Daily Signal Sitting in the small Baptist church he grew up attending, Dean Nelson recalls stories of his family’s history, including those of... Pierre Asselin, Larry Berman, Mark Lawrence, & David Randall, NAS In the 1960s, concern over the expansion of Soviet ideology through its satellite states led the U.S. to escalate its involvement in the country of Vietnam. Bob Woodson, National Character and Leadership Symposium Robert Woodson, President of the Woodson Center, delivers his keynote lecture at the 29th annual National Character and... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories It's Friday, March 18, 2022, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation meant to be inspiring. ... It's Tuesday, the Ides of March. Twenty-eight years ago today, Bill and Hillary Clinton fled from the drum beat of ... It's Friday, March 11, 2022, the day of the week when I pass along a quotation meant to be inspiring. ... | 