Welcome! Thank you for returning to Civics and Citizenship as we take a look at a few ideas to prepare for our Independence Day celebrations. Guarding our liberty is no longer the “elephant in the room” but an action item on the minds of many Americans. Also, how do we prepare the conversations that may happen around the backyard barbecue that just might approach the uncomfortable level on the “interactive barometer?” I relate a personal experience in our first article below called, “The Conversation.” Let’s begin.
The Conversation
Forty-Something: “You are trying to keep the old things and resist change. I am for progress- for moving our country forward.”
Me: “I want to conserve the foundations of liberty that built our country, like, “The……..” (Forty-Something cuts me off in conversation).
Forty-Something: “I want to keep us moving forward, not staying stuck in the past, like you.”
Me: Have you ever read anything I’ve written or heard me speak?
Forty-Something: “True” (in other words, no).
As we move closer to our Independence Day celebration, conversational differences may occur. How to navigate the situation? Let’s take a closer look.
What does the above Forty-Something in the conversation believe? She admittedly listens to and reads only progressive media. Therefore, whatever they tell her I believe, she believes about me. She has never indicated an interest in hearing or reading about what I teach using the Founders’ own words and the history from primary source documents, i.e., The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Lesson: Know what the other person believes, and know what they believe about what you believe. Our founding is about principles of liberty, not the different personalities involved.
What do I believe? I believe the self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence, like:
-All men (people) are created equal.
-They are endowed with certain unalienable rights by their Creator.
-Governments are instituted among the people to secure these rights.
-Government gets its just powers from us (the consent of the governed.
Translation:
There is a God. (Creator)
Our rights come from Him.
The purpose of civil government is to protect our God-given rights.
Our government gets its legal powers by our consent.
Lesson: Know what you believe.
Do you listen to or read opposing views? Are you able to sift through the rhetoric and match it up with traditional American civics? Do you give enough respect to the other person to listen to them expound on their beliefs and ask why they believe that way? Upon who or what is their foundation built? If it’s personalities, this is a foundation built on sand. If it’s built on principles, look for solid ground.
Lesson: Know what they believe. Let them talk. Sometimes, they have to hear themselves before they can actually understand what they are saying. If the conversation becomes rude, it’s time to end the conversation, but not the relationship, if possible.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.🇺🇸
Next in this week’s newsletter, we explore another facet of Independence Day- Guarding Liberty.
For liberty,
Candace
