This week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal starts with a focus on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and revolutionary work in the civil rights movement. John Wood, Jr. argues that we must expand our understanding of King’s legacy: “His pioneering conceptions of democracy give life to a civic understanding that could seed hope for the future, if only Americans knew.” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says that one of King’s most important lessons is the rejection of the “tribalistic notion that right and wrong are interchangeable, depending on the position my side embraces.” He continues: “No matter the politics of the perpetrator, Americans should always come together to condemn political violence of any nature. That is what makes America truly exceptional: that we can peacefully settle our difference of opinion through robust debate and free and fair elections.” Jim Cunningham notes that King saw that Americans’ “longing for a better country could not be realized by abandoning our creed but was possible only as America embraced anew its moral authority.” Importantly, he “called Americans to reunite in their hearts and minds and return to the true meaning of their creed.” Following King’s teachings, Terry Paulson asks if Americans today understand that “America will never truly reach its potential until all of our citizens truly believe that with hard work they too can succeed.” At the American Civics portal, Adam Carrington argues that the Supreme Court got it right in NFIB v. OSHA, which found that the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for businesses with over 100 employees violated the Constitution. He notes that Justice Neil Gorsuch’s concurring opinion touched on a pivotal “question that reached down to the foundations of all political life.” Gorsuch clearly understands that “to decide involves the exercise of power – but not just any power. Political power involves who rules us and for what purposes. In America, we have committed to rule of, by, and for the people. The separation of powers question of who decides ultimately leads to that fundamental point.” Original Posts Adam Carrington, RealClearPublicAffairs In the News Richard Samuelson, Law & Liberty Jonathan Turley, The Hill No Labels, RealClearPolicy Romona McCallister, Central Oregonian Doug Truax, RealClearPolitics Chris Rufo, City Journal J. R. Vidueira, Foundation for Economic Education Nadine Strossen & Greg Lukianoff, FIRE Phillip W. Magness, Independent Institute George Leef, Martin Center for Academic Renewal Kevin Gutzman, Law & Liberty Thomas Bunting, Constitutionalist Stephen Sawchuk, Education Week Jessica Pearce Rotondi, History.com Patrice Onwuka, Philanthropy Daily Judge Jeff Sutton & Garrett Snedeker, Anchoring Truths Join the Anchoring Truths Podcast presented by the James Wilson Institute for a lively hour discussing conflicts in state constitutional... BRI's Homework Help Series This first in our new Homework Help Evidence of History series tells the story of William "Boss" Tweed. Tracing his rise to political... Diana Schaub, Robert Doar, & Pheobe Keller, Banter Diana J. Schaub is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where her work is focused on American political... Kite & Key It took just 4,543 words — about nine, single-spaced pages — to create our entire system of government. That’s the length... Chris Flannery, American Story On New Year’s Day 1863, President Lincoln signed the proclamation he had promised a hundred days before. Lincoln understood... Peter C. Myers & Jeff Sikkenga, Ashbrook In the decades since his death, Martin Luther King Jr. has become a figure of nearly universal admiration, largely due to his dream... Wilfred Reilly & Dan McLaughlin, Break It Down Wilfred Reilly and Dan McLaughlin were on Pete Turner’s Break It Down Show to discuss essays in the latest issue of National Review... Martin Luther King III, USA Today At a low point in his career of activism, Martin Luther King Jr., asked himself a question - one also relevant to the wider Civil Rights... William B. Allen, Daily Signal Is it possible to reconcile America’s past of slavery with the Founding Fathers’ vision of liberty and equality? For William Allen... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories On this date in 1848, a carpenter named James Wilson Marshall discovered gold nuggets in the tailrace of a mill ... Sixty-one years ago today, Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his farewell address to the American people. "Ike," as he was affectionately ... It's Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, and the day of the week when I reprise quotations intended to be uplifting or ... |