Photo by United States Congress. Public Domain.
Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is delivering a stark warning about the state of the nation: the greatest danger America faces today is itself — not a foreign adversary or external threat, but civic ignorance and division at home. Gorsuch has made several media appearances recently to promote his upcoming children’s book The Heroes of 1776. In this work, he traces the strength of our republic back to the Declaration of Independence and its “three radical ideas”: that all men are created equal, that we possess unalienable rights from God (not government), and that the people have the right to rule themselves instead of being subjects of a king. These concepts, Gorsuch says, “shook old Europe” and created a new kind of government. Today, they remain the core of American identity — but they are increasingly taken for granted.
Quoting Thomas Jefferson, Gorsuch emphasizes the consequence of forgetting our history:
“An ignorant people will never remain free for long.” His message is clear that civic education isn’t a niche concern — it’s essential for the republic’s survival. He points to alarming statistics showing that most Americans can’t name the three branches of government and that over half would fail the U.S. citizenship test given to immigrants seeking naturalization.
Gorsuch says that while American society is polarized, there is common ground: the shared history and ideals that once united the nation. “We have to learn how to talk to one another,” and“we need to know our shared history.” If Americans embrace that shared narrative, he argues, “all the things that separate us pale in comparison to the things that unite us” — especially the foundational principles in the Declaration of Independence.
His remarks reflect a broader conservative concern that the decline of civic knowledge — especially in schools — weakens not just individual understanding but the very fabric of American self-government. Without a citizenry grounded in the history and principles of the United States, Gorsuch warns that the country risks losing the freedoms its founders fought to secure.
Justice Gorsuch brings us both a caution and a call to action. Revive civic education. Reconnect Americans with their shared heritage. And guard the ideas that make self-government possible. American civics should never be taken lightly. That’s why you need to go to PhyllisSchlafly.com and be part of the conversation about learning our heritage and preserving our nation! Voice your opinion at PhyllisSchlafly.com. Thanks for listening and join us again for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
