Tag: USA

America Collection/General interest
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Can You Pass the Citizenship Test?

by Fran Johns

A SOBERING INDEPENDENCE DAY EXPERIENCE

Photo by Meadow Marie on Unsplash

Whew, I could be a new citizen of the U.S. Or, if re-tested, maybe I won’t be sent back to Brazil where I was born (to American parents abroad.) For the record, I aced Senior Civics with Mrs. Jackson, Ashland (VA) High School, Class of 1949.

So, I took the sample test published in The Washington Post: ten questions; get six right or you flunk. This is half of the new-citizen test; the other half requires demonstrating you understand English.

Applicants are given a list of 100 questions (whew again;) The Post chose ten.

A history buff who is absolutely, totally absorbed in politics today, I figured this would be a snap. Wrong.

I missed the two longest rivers in the U.S., the one “U.S.-only citizen right,” and most embarrassingly 😱 — who wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Mrs. Jackson is turning over in her grave.

America Collection/General interest
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Constitution & Citizenship Day!

by Fran Johns

INDEED! SEPTEMBER 17th IT IS

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash

Want to join the celebration? It requires nothing but a pause.

Constitution & Citizenship Day celebrates the United States Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia. Along with the Bill of Rights, it’s the foundation of our democracy.

There’s a fascinating history of the celebration, including “I am an American Day” which was made official by President Truman in 1951. (Some of it’s more nationalistic than comfortable today.)

Photo by Alex Meier on Unsplash

So we don’t get a day off, or an excuse to go beach-bumming.

We get, instead, a chance to reflect on Bill of Rights items currently under threat. Reproductive justice, anyone? Freedom to enjoy life without guns everywhere? Gender equality?

Maybe you thought the Equal Rights Amendment (first proposed in 1923) had passed? Nahh. One would think that in 100 years we might get equal rights for, ahem, women; but the ERA is still being battered and batted around. One nonprofit is spearheading interfaith efforts to make it official.

Plenty of Good-Citizen work to do, or support, as part of your celebration.

Happy September 17!

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