Have words gotten you into trouble lately? It happens. As a family member, neighbor, and as a citizen, my “applecart” has been turned over a few times recently. Let’s take a brief look at the power of words. Words are born in our thoughts. Raw, even wrong words usually stem from thoughts that have been […]
Is It Too Late?
How is it possible to defend criminal behavior in a first world country like ours? I was engaged in conversation with a friend who spoke of her inner struggle to answer that question. She defended criminal behavior in our major cities by trying to understand the criminals’ minds. Hasn’t our government tried empathy, programs, understanding, […]
Cancel Culture-Good for the Culture??
Have you or someone you know been affected by the cancel culture movement? According to dictionary dot com,” cancel culture refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the […]
From the Mailbag
From my mailbag: Let’s take a peek inside my Common Sense Civics and Citizenship mailbag to see what is on a few fellow Americans’ minds. (There’s always a link on this website to “Join the Conversation” if you would like to see the responses and conversations we have on my social media education page). Question: […]
The Best or Worst of Times?
Recently, I heard two different conversations where young men surmised that there was never a time more tumultuous than these past three months. Each man was referring to the pandemic and the recent riots and unrest following the murder of George Floyd. Right away, red flags went up in my brain. For younger people, this […]
Fund? or De-Fund the Police?
Who funds your police department? Well, we know our speeding tickets and parking fines generate income 🙂 We know that a portion of our taxes provides for police protection. The federal government chips in, too. And then there’s the state police. How much of your state and federal tax money funds them? I finally found […]
The American Response
Now and then, we need to discuss our duties and reactions as citizens. Current events compel us to take a look at what’s going on and respond as Americans. The situation: Spray-painted messages appeared all over Kinnick Stadium at the University of Iowa. Same graffiti appeared on the University of Iowa Hospitals property, where employees’ […]
What Do You Think?
Do you think social media companies suppress your free speech? Social media companies enjoyed a liability shield based on the idea that they provided a neutral platform for content. The purpose of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, according to Attorney General Bill Barr, was “to allow websites that were serving as, […]
Picking Produce
I was in the central Oregon high desert last week when I heard the familiar, “Americans would never do THOSE jobs.” (This was a group of travelers, not Oregonians). I felt myself kind of bristle inside when I heard their remarks. I got to thinking… What jobs would an American not do? Usually this conversation […]
