| Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal starts off with an op-ed from Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn at the Wall Street Journal. Arnn responds to a controversial part of J.D. Vance’s speech at the Republican National Convention, where he argued that America is more than an idea – it’s also a home to a particular group of people with a particular way of life. Arnn argues that in this argument, Vance is correct. Arnn centers his piece on teasing out both the universal and the particular in the Declaration of Independence. Arnn notes, of course, the universal political theory of the Declaration – “natural law, consent, and equality before the law” – that “define our nation.” But he also calls our attention to “the particular, highlighting specific charges against the British monarchy” which “directly affected the American people.” Arnn concludes by noting, “Many of our nation’s problems are owing to our lost sense of home and of neighbors. We have also strayed from the ideas that bind us. The two are inextricably linked.” At City Journal, Paul du Quenoy highlights the results of a civics education survey that has some ominous signs for future generations. The survey, which was administered in May and June to over 3,000 college students, is highlighted in “Losing America’s Memory 2.0,” a new report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). The results are alarming. Du Quenoy writes that “only 27 percent appear to know that the president of the Senate is the sitting vice president…while just 31 percent are aware that James Madison is known as ‘The Father of the Constitution.” Just “32 percent know that the Constitution was written in 1787.” Du Quenoy points out that this is not that surprising in light of a previous RAND study that found “only 32 percent of surveyed social studies teachers in public high schools believed that it was ‘absolutely essential’ for their students to ‘know facts’ about American history.” Du Quenoy ends the piece by noting that the results indicate that younger Americans don’t seem to “think they have anything to fight for. And for that, we have only our failing educational system to blame.” In the News David Davenport, Fordham Institute Donald Nieman, New Pittsburgh Courier David Randall, Minding the Campus Sam Negus, Law & Liberty Claudia Winkler, Furman Paul du Quenoy, City Journal Mark Pulliam, Law & Liberty George Garnett, History Today Gabrielle Anglin, ACTA F. Willis Johnson, Fulcrum Ohio State University News Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics Isabela Ocampo Restrepo, Austin American-Statesman Aamer Madhani & Colleen Long, Associated Press C. Bradley Thompson, Substack 1600 Sessions Blair House, known as the president's guest house, is located mere steps from the White House... We the People Georgetown Law Professor Randy Barnett is the author of "A Life for Liberty: The Making of an... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories It's Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, the day of the week when I offer quotations intended to be uplifting or elucidating. ... Good morning. It's Friday, July 26, 2024, the day of the week when I offer quotations intended to be uplifting ... Good morning. It's July 5, 2024, the day after Independence Day – and Friday, the day of the week when ... | 