Civics & Citizenship

Candace Donnelly

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Don’t Skip the Vote: The Value of Planning Ahead

Voting early? I tried it for the first time, and it worked beautifully. Our early voting took place in the town area where illicit activities are known to occur. However, at 2:30 in the afternoon, there were no distractions whatsoever. The people lining up to vote were carefully and quietly assembled. The line moved steadily, […]

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Words That Make You Think—and Those That Don’t

Some sayings make me stop and think. I jot these down and let them roll around on my desk and in my mind for some time. Other twistings of the English language irritate me. Join me as we consider these latest missives. Freedom Requires Honesty “A free government requires honesty to remain free.” Why must […]

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Crisis and Citizenship: Teaching Students to ‘Think and Do” Like Americans

I took the opportunity to teach my junior high civics class and my High School U.S. Constitution class some lessons from the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The overriding theme during our discussion was “How to Think Like an American” in a crisis. I used posts from X (formerly Twitter) as a springboard for our […]

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When Disaster Strikes, We the People Step Up

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene is more than a nightmare. Have you seen the devastation being reported? When Disaster Strikes, We the People step up to help. It’s hard to imagine living in those conditions for over a week, let alone indefinitely. But let’s remember Americans are among the most generous people on the planet. […]

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How to Choose a President: It’s More than Looks or Labels

It has always amazed me that people choose a President based on outward appearance rather than their loyalty to the Constitution, fundamental beliefs about America, or contributions to our country. More Than The Look of Apparel For example, about 20 years ago, people gravitated toward the “look” of cornflower blue collared shirts with rolled-up sleeves, […]

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Would You Choose Security Over Liberty?

Would You Choose Security Over Liberty? Is Your choice security over liberty? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Throughout history, people have chosen their security over liberty. History has shown us that it is a choice with disastrous consequences. Once you’ve lived free, you never want to return to the yoke of slavery, […]

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Labor Day Thoughts

Americans don’t seem too excited to talk about Labor Day. Many are out of a job, not by their own choosing. Hard-working people are watching their savings dwindle. Others are sick and tired of the chaos going on in our country. Still others (I talked to a 30-something yesterday) want “this election stuff to be […]

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Now That the Party Conventions Are Behind Us…

With the party conventions behind us, it’s time to focus on the upcoming election. Do you find yourself more sure of your vote or more confused? This week’s featured article serves as a guide to reading political party platforms. I believe that even a small amount of time spent perusing these party platforms will quickly cut through the emotions, and will provide you with an understanding […]