Daily Resource Highlight - 05/23/2022

Posted by on May 25, 2022 at 2:51 PM

Below are the highlights and featured resources of this past week’s Daily* Resource.

May 17, 2022 - Feeling Humbled by America’s Unique Diversity

We live in a very, very diverse nation. To call America a melting pot (or mixed salad!) doesn’t even do it justice, in my opinion, because our diversity extends far beyond our cultures. We have all types of climates, geographies, etc. Everything from “amber waves of grain” to “purple mountain majesties.”

This tremendous diversity humbles me. How can I, as a somebody who grew up in the Philadelphia Suburbs, possibly understand the needs of somebody living in downtown Dallas, TX or in tiny New Meadows, ID? That’s why I greatly appreciate the role organizations like Essential Partners play in helping us understand one another. Their new conversation guide on guns comes at a time when the topic is increasingly divisive, but important.

It also gives me a renewed sense of respect for Listen First Project, which brought together hundreds of organizations for a very successful America Talks. And for Braver Angels, which is working hard to bring together working class Americans from across the nation (if you’re a working class American, remember to sign up for We the People!). 

Finally, our diversity makes me wonder about how states govern themselves. For instance, Bill Track 50 has a breakdown of how often states introduce and pass bills during regular sessions vs. special sessions. What’s the significance of those different approaches? Does it have any impact on what kinds of laws are passed?

When I really dig into the details, there is so much I don’t know about how our country works and how people live. Do you also feel overwhelmed by the incredible diversity of our country? Let me know. And if you don’t, how do you keep it all in perspective?

May 19, 2022 - The Need for a Good Civics Education

One of our main goals at the Bridge Alliance Education Fund is to inform you – the American people – about different possibilities for the future of our democratic republic. But this work comes with the assumption that you have a solid understanding of civics, which isn’t the case for all Americans.

That’s why Bridge Alliance organizations like iCivics, Student Governmental Affairs Program, Citizen University, and others are dedicated to helping Americans understand their place in our nation and fulfill their potential as citizens. It’s also why iCivics, ActiVote, Business for America, CivicsUnplugged, GenUnity, Renew Democracy Initiative, Youth Leadership Initiative, and many, many more – including a bipartisan group of Congressional legislators – are pushing hard for passage of the Civics Secures Democracy (CSD) Act.

The CSD Act would provide support to states, nonprofits, colleges, researchers, fellowship programs, and more to expand and improve civics education in America. If you would like to support passage of the CSD, click here to find out how you can help.

We as a nation have important questions to consider in the coming years. For instance:

You don’t need to be an expert in civics or American history to have an opinion on these topics. However, there’s a lot to be said for knowing where we came from and how we got to where we are today. Our current systems didn’t happen accidentally (for the most part at least), and if you give yourself an opportunity to learn, you might be surprised by what you find.

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