Civics Lessons For A Divided Nation

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I am not a political person. I have served my country for over 25 years and spent countless hours in places most cannot find on a map, defending the American way of life. Not the divided political life we have come to know, but the basic idea that “…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I teach Government and Economics at Water Valley High School and tell my students that while we are far from perfect, we (the United States) are the best thing going in a world that has lost its way. I teach them that “Government” is not political. Government is simply the framework that we live under; the template that was created by the seven articles and 27 amendments of the US Constitution. The “politics” is provided by the party that holds power and while you may not agree with the party in power, it is fleeting and will change.

Sadly, our government today is run by political parties that are only “Election-oriented,” and less focused on issues or principles. Their only goal is to W-I-N and I teach my students that political parties make decisions for two reasons only…to get power or keep power. This is not to denigrate our political system, but to ensure that the truth of the process is exposed so that our young people can make good choices in the future.

I challenge them to learn about what they believe politically so that you can be certain of your principles and positions, not simply parroting what someone told you was true. Be willing to discuss with those who disagree with you, explain why your point of view is worthy of consideration and listen to others who don’t.

Freedom of Speech was the first Amendment for a reason. Without it, we begin to look like…the country we see today. In essence, I do not teach them WHAT to think, but HOW to think. Which brings me to today…

Last week, a young man was assassinated on a college campus for using the First Amendment to debate those who see things differently than him. He was using political discourse and critical thinking to explain his point of view and allow others to prove him wrong. For that, a person decided to kill him because they disagreed with positions he held.

I have learned from teaching this class that many of our issues today are caused by a complete ignorance of the basic principle of US Government and how it really works. We have allowed the dumbing down of the basic understanding of the country we are for the last 30 years, to then allow political parties to fill in the knowledge gaps with fluff that fits any existing bias…all to gain a vote. We teach people that the other side is “evil” because they do not see that we are “right” and they are “wrong”, instead of debating the points in a meaningful way. We are creating the rot that could consume this country.

I’m not sure how we fix things or what we can do to stem the tide, but I challenge everyone to embody the idea that talking to one another is better than fighting one another. I’m concerned for a country that is filled with people who have no idea what Schoolhouse Rock taught me as a second grader, but hopeful that we can all agree that where we are now is NOT the way.