Candace Donnelly

Melania Trump wore stiletto heels to board a plane as she and the President headed to Texas to discuss hurricane relief.  This, apparently, is big news. Not North Korea. Not disaster relief. Not taxes. Not infrastructure. Not defense. No, just stiletto heels. Can we get back to the serious topics of American life, like how […]

Recently, I was taking a walk on the bike path. As I looked up, I saw about 20 young people jogging in a straight, single file line. The sergeant had an army fatigue chest pack strapped on. No one was in uniform. Perhaps these wereArmy National Guard recruits. As they came toward me, the Sergeant […]

Our first amendment right to free speech includes the right to say things that others disagree with vehemently. Our right to free speech depends on our ability to exercise that right responsibly. This includes putting up with people who don’t think, act, or speak about issues the way we do. However, our right to assemble […]

The poem inscribed inside the base of the Statue of Liberty has been a hot topic lately. Coincidentally, I filmed a video (episode 29) on this topic earlier this summer and it is on producer Aaron’s desk, preparing to be edited for my YouTube channel (connect with YouTube videos by clicking on the link on this […]

A favorite time of the summer is when I get an episode topic in mind and begin to write out a script. It’s fun to see it all materialize, start to finish. Today I sent producer Aaron 8 new episodes for Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. It’s been a wild week of filming, testing lighting, […]

We are in the process of filming the third series of “Common Sense Civics and Citizenship with Candace.”  Five new episodes have been taped so far. I plan to send producer Aaron a total of 7 videos by the end of next week. Then, after production and uploading to the YouTube channel, we are off […]

What does it mean when we say that the US is a nation of laws, not men? Since we are reviewing basic civics concepts, I thought Episode 5 would be a great one to revisit. This is an important distinction in governments. Are we a nation of laws? or a nation of men?  Find out […]

While we are preparing a new studio and equipment to film and edit the next season of episodes, we are doing a review of some Common Sense Civics and Citizenship videos. Try this episode that is a quick overview of the US Constitution. If you want to know your rights, you first have to know where […]

Here at Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, we are preparing to film the third set of 12 videos in the series. Today’s responsibilities include finishing up the studio lights assembly. Tomorrow’s fun job is to replace my 6 yr. old Macbook Pro. In the meantime, I’m writing new material. Producer Aaron has signed on for […]

https://civicsandcitizenship.org/2017-6-23-d6zc2mwaez35hs0nm01cws725y84g5/

In episode 22 of Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, I examine a question that has bothered me for some time. Students are taught today that the Christian faith was largely absent in the forming of our country. That is not what I learned in all my years of schooling, both public and private schools. My […]

Americans need to have a serious discussion about growing up into adulthood. I make that case for maturity and adulthood in episode 18. It is unsatisfactory to engage in the current cultural drift and remain there. We all have to dig down deep within sometimes to learn to cope with adversity. The process of digging down deep […]

So, you need a safe space. Seriously? Let’s drop an anchor at the shore of common sense and examine this issue together. Link on homepage or go to @citizenscivics or civicsandcitizenship.org  Note: We are ready to go into production for our next group of episodes. Getting the new studio ready as I write new episodes. […]

What does your Memorial Day observance look like? I remember fondly the May weather, the parade, the celebrations of “Decoration Day” as my mother called it, and the visit to the cemetery to decorate the gravesite of a distant relative who lost his life in World War II.  I also remember that Memorial Day was […]

Common sense dictates that if we own something, we ought to know where to find it, right?  We have rights as American citizens but do you know where to locate those rights? It’s amazing to me that a significant number of Americans know more about their favorite TV shows than about their rights in the  U.S. […]

Americans in previous generations were taught that our nation was to be an example of freedom (including responsibility for oneself) to the rest of the world. They passed that American way of thinking down to me. We were not taught to flaunt freedom in the faces of other countries or to be falsely prideful of […]