Christmas overnight, December 25-26, 1776. Rain turned to sleet, then ice, into a biting storm from the northeast. Who would brave a night like that with a poorly clad, hungry, tired army and the need to cross the ice-choked Delaware River? General George Washington would. A Stormy Night and a Desperate Plan The army was […]
1776: Christmas Defined America’s Destiny
This time of year always takes me back to the War for Independence, 1776. Without the bravery of those early Americans, you and I would not be celebrating Christmas as Americans today. I came across this article from William J. Federer in his email piece for December 19, 2024, called “The American Minute.” Federer sets […]
A Day That Will Live in Infamy (If We Tell the Story)
Is it a day that lives in infamy? That’s what FDR said concerning December 7, 1941, when ”the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” To live in infamy means that a criminal or evil act will be remembered for time immemorial. Yet, I’m […]
Veterans Day
November 11, Veterans. Day. Conversation about real American heroes is in short supply today, so let’s take a moment to discuss the importance of the Veteran. Why is Veterans Day important? Your first reaction might be, “Who would ask such a thing? Of course, the Veteran is important!” But why should you care? These eternally […]
September 11-What Do You Remember?
(In honor of our first fighters and responders in the War On Terror) About September 11, they say, “We will always remember.” What will we always remember? What memories will we pass down to our posterity? -the shock of villains using our freedoms against us -no longer naive about freedom and safety; we are never […]
Wreaths Across America
(Last year I was so moved by the story of the growing national organization “Wreaths Across America” and our fellow Americans’ patriotism, that I wrote about it. Readers to this page warmly received the information, so here is this year’s update. I was surprised to learn that without truckers donating their time, this beautiful tribute […]
Why Are Veterans Important?
Why is the Veteran important? A first reaction might be, “who would ask such a thing? Of course, Veterans are important! But, have you ever given thought to why this is so? It’s a citizenship issue, so let’s talk about it. I first heard of this subject when it became the VFW’s Voice of Democracy […]
War and Restraint
Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. War is on everyone’s mind. The State of the Union was supposed to take the spotlight but it did not. Since the 1990’s, the President’s first SOTU address had an audience of over 40 million . This year, the audience fell below that mark. Viewership on war […]
President’s Day
As we celebrate Presidents’ Day, I think about some of our defining moments in history and leadership. What comes to mind is The American War for Independence, The Civil War, World War II, and now. I call today’s defining moment the War on Freedom. I believe whatever defining moments we have in our American history, […]
Celebrating Our Military
It’s a big week for our armed forces. You won’t want to miss three opportunities to celebrate our military members. Some special events are underway. First, a heartfelt thank-you and congratulations to our United States Marine Corps as they celebrate 246 years of service to our country. We are deeply grateful to our Marines for […]
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 […]
V-E Day 75th Anniversary
We commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, today, May 8, 2020. Five years ago, I was privileged to visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France. We remember that incredible victory that changed the world and salute the bravery of Americans who gave their lives in the cause of freedom. […]
