Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. It’s always a pleasure to learn together about American civics and how we live out our citizenship. Topics for this week were right in my “wheelhouse.” The more I defend our Founding American Documents, the more I grow in knowledge and respect of what we have been given. I invite you to read on as we take a look at how we can defend the American form of government against popular alternative philosophies being floated around today.
Next, Prince Harry gave us an opportunity to push the pause button on rhetoric concerning our cherished First Amendment. I hope you find my “take” informative as we break down the five freedoms in the First Amendment and decide if they are, indeed, “bonkers.”
As always if you find this newsletter beneficial, please pass it on to a fellow American.
For liberty,
Candace 🇺🇸
Our Founders studied the great thinkers of their time and times past. We are not the first people to contemplate the meaning of life, how to live, or what good governance looks like. But to look at the news today, you would think that no human who preceded us on earth knew anything. The press and the professor would have you trust that they have the answers for life today. It is not en vogue to question these “authorities.” You get called names if you do. You could lose your job if you disagree with your boss’ pop culture thinking. Your child may be ostracized in school and online.
You aren’t sure how to defend yourself or how to teach your family that today’s cultural drift could lead to a meaningless life, depression, or even a tyrannical government that rules over them.
How do you open their eyes?
Stack up the biblical worldview of our Founding Fathers. Their entire premise that they built our government is:
1. There is a God (Creator)
2. Our rights come from Him. (unalienable rights)
3. The purpose of civil government is to protect our God-given rights.
(see the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence)
Line up our Founders’ agreement with those beliefs against an atheist worldview or any other worldview. All other world views have yet to establish a track record like the USA when it comes to having “a more perfect union.” Line up our founders’ personal successes and failures against Marx, Lenin, Stalin, or any other prominent figure. Use their own words, not what others claim about them. Stack up our Constitution against any other. Use facts. Facts are your friend.
When slavery comes up, clarify that the 3/5 compromise had to do ONLY with voting and taxes, not personhood. Those who would bring up the 3/5 compromise as a reason to abandon our constitutional representative republic have never studied the states’ primary source documents and arguments at that time.
What about personhood? Life can begin in a test tube. Therefore, we can know when life begins. Our Founders believed that fact without test tube proof. They also knew slavery was wrong. They had many arguments over it and addressed it in the ratification debates. Those who would defend the slaves’ personhood of yesteryear must also protect the personhood of the unborn, regardless of race, to be consistent.
What about those who would point to capitalism as the root of all evil? Stack capitalism’s ability to gain a better quality of life for more people up against socialism’s attempts to make everyone the same, except for the the ruling class few at the top.
In short, when we defend what we believe with facts from primary source documents, not just our feelings, Truth works its way into a culture dominated by emotions and emptiness.That takes study.
Enroll in a Constitution course online or in person. Look up the 3/5 compromise and read it for yourself, not what some pundit or professor says about it. Read the Declaration of Independence a paragraph at a time until you understand what the Founders were saying and why they said it. Look at the biblical underpinnings of our justice system. Our Founders gave us the most humane justice system on the planet (i.e., no “corruption of blood,” no conviction without the word of at least two witnesses…”). Don’t be offended when people confront your beliefs. When you lose your fear and begin to humbly and confidently ask questions of the opposition, Truth comes out.
We can no longer base our beliefs simply on what others say about our country, our Founders, our way of life, or a biblical worldview. All of life is a search for Truth. When we seek it, we will find it. We will then be able to defend Truth confidently.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
