The lesson I taught today asked me to write the phrase You are One of God's Greatest Creations on the chalk board, which I did in my best cursive. Imagine the shock I felt when one of the young women exclaimed, "Wow, cursive! You can write like that?"
Apparently she was never taught how to write cursive in school--she had been spared the rigors of learning this 'dying art' along with over 60% of her peers who are unable to read or write the same.
Huh?
Now maybe this is a rare thing--maybe things haven't gone totally bonkers everywhere and the majority of our children are learning to read and write as well as be exposed to the basics in arithmetic, economics, geography and more. I sure hope so. . .
Nonetheless, this experience had me considering what other exemptions are being made in today's curriculum, and assessing what gaps may unknowingly exist in my own. Were there things I wasn't taught, wasn't exposed to that I should have been? Did I miss something? Many things? What were they? How will I know what they are?
One area stood out to me above others after reading the following:
A primary object should be the education of our youth, in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing. . .than. . .communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country? (emphasis added)
-George Washington
When was the last time you read the Constitution? Have you ever? Do you know what system of government we have? Why we have it?
"Today we have become a nation based on a society of rule by man. The Constitution, once held in high esteem, is now often ignored, changed to meet the opinion of a judge, or considered outdated; whereas our Founders revered it and considered it a document written for the ages. In spite of the blessing accrued to the average American, many hate this nation's form of government and are dedicated to destroying it, while others are indifferent, apathetic, and could care less about its rapidly deteriorating condition. They seem to be materialistic and hedonistic with the attitude of letting George do it. (Ronald M. Mann as quoted in The 5,000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen, pg. xix, 2009, NCCS)
It has been a long time since I "refreshed myself at the well-spring of my origin, lest I perish" as the adage goes. Long enough that the fire of freedom that burned in my bosom as a child sitting around the dinner table listening to my parents talk politics and patriotism has dwindled to cooling embers. I don't mean to say that I'm not patriotic. I am. I love this country. But patriotism is not enough. The legacy of liberty our forefathers gave us requires more than a hand on the heart and the hat off our head. It requires proactive citizenship. When did it become okay for us to take another man's word for it? Is the American way a dying art as well?
If you are still reading I am amazed. If you are, I would tell you today that I am grateful for the Constitution, but to be honest I don't think I know what it is I have so how can I truly appreciate it? I will tell you that I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about what it is I have. I plan on doing so alongside the members of my family tomorrow night as we come together for family home evening to read the Constitution. (You can find it here) I invite you to join with us--to question boldly what it is you believe in, and come to a determination if this document our Forefathers gave their lives for is a creed worthy of living yours by. I think it is--but I would rather know.
"The choice before us is plain, Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration. I am rather tired of hearing about our rights and privileges as American citizens. The time is come, it now is, when we ought to hear about the duties and responsibilities of our citizenship. America's future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God's government." (Peter Marshall, The Rebirth of America, pg. 205, 1986, Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation)
Please join us. United we will stand--divided, we will surely fall.
3 comments:
As a history teacher, all I have to say is AMEN!
I definitely need to familiarize myself better with the constitution and the declaration of independence. Those two documents are so important in our nations history and I take it all for granted. I think I might just have a little Constitution family home evening tomorrow!
My father in law stresses the importance to us of being patriotic and standing for what is right in this country, I have been sending him the links to a few posts you have written about our country. Once again, your way with words is amazing!
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