American citizens generally like order, not confusion. We appreciate beauty, aspire to be an exceptional country, and want to see respect given to whom it is due. We don’t see these attributes in the news. It’s like we are being shielded from the good. The world appears lop-sided, and we are bystanders to the fray. […]
Americans Want Personal Freedom
Who wants to be told who, where, and how to associate with other people? Or how to socialize with them? Or have our every word screened and scrutinized? I was given one of these scoldings recently, constantly being corrected and placing motives on me that are not now or ever intended.
Civic Duty
What qualities of citizenship are we passing on to the next generation? Is it not our civic duty? I hear all sorts of interesting adjectives to describe Queen Elizabeth II as people pay tribute to her following her passing. She was the Queen for about 30% of the time our country has existed, as well […]
Name-Calling
What is a semi-fascist? A significant number of people think selected Americans should be labeled with that moniker. I have a philosophy about public name-calling. Such behavior is devoid of intellect, ideas, or personal responsibility. It is character assassination. The way of our American forefathers is to think before you speak or write. When you […]
Who Should Pay Your Debt?
How much is your degree worth? Isn’t that the question Americans should be asking themselves, rather than “Can I get my fellow Americans to pay off some of my debt?” Our younger generation firmly believes that they should study subjects that indulge their passions. So, they attend a college that holds classes only Mondays through […]
Labor Day 2022
Labor Day– a time to celebrate the fruits of your hard work. How will you be celebrating Labor Day? Hats off to all of you who work or give your support to those who do. I looked at a list of occupations and began thinking about the people who make my life easy. Take, for […]
Natural Law
Wrong is wrong. Even if someone declares it right, it is still wrong. Bad is bad, even if it is better than ______________. Do you agree? I mean, how do you know if you’re right and the other person is wrong? Our Founders always returned to “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.” That was […]
You and Your Government: Liberty Under Law
Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. It’s back to school time, and so we begin with lessons in civics basics. This week, I’m using personal experiences to make my point. I know your time is valuable. I hope you find the articles on this site to add to your knowledge and enhance your […]
Back to School, Back to Civics
It’s back-to-school time. We’re catching up with friends we maybe haven’t seen in a few months. The common question is, “So, what have you been up to lately?” While walking on the local exercise path, I ran into some old friends with whom I hadn’t had a personal conversation in a while. One asked that […]
What Ingredients Make Self-Government Work?
Thank you for returning to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship as we take a look this week at what it takes to be a self-governing people. Let’s dive right in. “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” What do you think of that statement by Benjamin Franklin? I was not aware of the heated […]
We Can’t Do Everything; We Can Do Something
Many fellow citizens have expressed deep concerns, like, “Should I take our country seriously? Or languish in feelings of defeat for the almost 250-year-old American Experiment?” Last night, I met “Ash Bay.” Hear the story of an everyday American that decided to do something small and do it with “all-in” effort. The town board asked […]
The Raid and The Law
Thank you for returning to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. What a week! I am looking closely at the events concerning the former President of the United States. My intention is to seek out the facts and the constitutional lens from which this event must be viewed. A raid is a serious matter for any […]
Keep Your Eye on the Fourth Amendment
Are you confused? Hearing or reading all kinds of things that a regular everyday American may find hard to follow? Join the club. I’m not a lawyer, but this is what I have so far. My concern remains to seek out the facts and the constitutional lens from which the event concerning the former President […]
Civil War 2.0??
Do you think America is headed for Civil War 2.0? I get comments from readers that don’t simply question the possibility. They assume it. Or fear it. Or both. So, I’ve been thinking this through and doing some research. Looks like the idea of another Civil War is being promoted as an unquestionable event to happen soon. I’m not buying it. Emotion is not an effective strategy to accomplish goals. Thinking things through to logical outcomes is a better way toward a satisfactory result.
World News Stories to Follow
August is an interesting month. The weather is always a topic. So are the bugs in the backyard. (Cicadas, anyone?) Some people are going on vacation or returning from one in August. Others are emptying their pockets to buy school supplies and clothing. Fall tuitions are due. Work goals don’t go away in August. They […]
