A new school year has started across our Commonwealth. Our young people will be studying the basics of topics such as reading, math and science. (I can certainly remember the “3 R’s” of reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic!) Many will not be studying civics, something that should be part of our basic curriculum.
Civics is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a social science dealing with the rights and duties of citizens.” It pertains to the functioning of government in our society and an understanding of our political system, as well as an understanding of how our society functions. Understanding our nation’s history, from a factual standpoint, can expand our knowledge of civics and how we can actively participate in our political process.
Unfortunately, too much of what we see on the internet makes it clear that the vast majority of citizens do not know even the basics of our nation’s history or composition of federal and state governments.
Our forefathers put together a Constitution that sought to right wrongs that had been suffered under a restrictive form of government. Our Constitution established a government that put power in the hands of the people, not one person or body. It set forth a government with three co-equal branches, each with its own responsibilities, but with none being above the others. A system of checks and balances makes this possible.
The power of our government lies with the people. It is up to the citizenry how far government can go with its authority. It is up to the people to keep government in check. Our Constitution embodies our rights to vote, to protest and defend our rights. All of this is to be done in a civil manner, and not with violence.
The democratic form of government established under our Constitution was unheard of 250 years ago. Letting people rule themselves was a relatively new concept. Our living, breathing Constitution has evolved over the decades to adapt to our changing society, and its words should be held as sacred. No one person or group should be allowed to undermine this document.
As for our history, and how it plays into our civics, it is important that we learn it in an unbiased manner. History should be taught based on facts, not perspectives. We can all draw our own perspectives and conclusions once we learn the straight facts. Erasing history or twisting facts is a disservice to our citizens, young and old.
We cannot whitewash facts. There was a revolution that started this country. Each person involved had a different perspective or reason for the war. Maybe it was to get away from a tyrannical government overseas, one that imposed unfair taxes. Maybe it was for the establishment of democratic principles never before seen. Maybe it was for the preservation of an economy that grew apart from that of the mother country. Maybe it was for religious freedom, for one to worship as he or she chose.
We had some very terrible times in our nation’s history and those are facts. We cannot ignore the enslavement of people. We cannot ignore the mistreatment of people native to our land or who came here from other lands. We had a civil war on our own lands. These are facts – things that happened. These facts should not be ignored, just as we must recognize the realities involved. Human beings, God’s creation, have been treated as less than human. The Union of states was challenged by a desire to rip apart the United States of America. A human was treated as only a percentage of a full man. A woman was told she could not vote.
While we cannot ignore the past, we must celebrate the good that happened when we turned the tide on the bad things. When we righted the wrongs. When we stood at the forefront of invention and innovation. When we saw every person as an equal with the same rights as everyone else. When we saw people achieve that “American Dream.” When we sacrificed to support other nations as they fought against tyranny.
People crossed oceans to come here because of the good and the promise that this nation provided. We were a beacon of light to the rest of the world.
Facts are facts. And there is nothing wrong with taking those facts and making our own determinations from them. But we cannot twist the facts for our own means.
Every once in a while, I reread our nation’s Constitution and our Pennsylvania one as well. Every person, whether a student or adult, should read these documents. As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, we should celebrate all the good of our communities, the good of our Commonwealth and the good of our nation. We can do that, and should do that, while acknowledging our history, for the good and the bad. It is what has brought us to where we are today.
For more information, contact my office at 412-264-4260 for assistance.
Be First to Comment