TheAgitator.com
D’oh!
Sunday, February 17th, 2008Apparently significantly more Americans can name two members of the Simpsons family than can name two of the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment.
This kind of thing doesn’t bother me all that much. I’m much more disturbed by polls showing that people think the Bill of Rights goes too far in securing our freedoms. Or the common refrain, even among people who should know better, that we don’t have the freedom to do x because “it’s nowhere to be found in the Constitution.”
Can’t remember where I first read it, but I’ve seen it said in places that if the Bill of Rights were submitted to national vote today, it would lose in a landslide.
That makes me sick. “Do you want the Queen of England to come in your living room and start pushing you around? Do you?!”
You forgot the awful “The constitution shouldn’t be a suicide pact.”
The inherent problem with democracy.
When will people learn? Democracy doesn’t work.
“You don’t have a right to privacy because it’s not said explicitly in the Constitution.”
My reply: *sigh* 9th amendment.
Wesley, I wholeheartedly agree. And I’ll raise you the 10th amendment.
I want to know, historically, when public perception became that the Constitution was a grant of rights to the people instead of a grant of limited powers to government *from* the people.
Okay… I’m going to go cry now…
I got 5 out of 5 Simpsons, and 4 out of 5 freedoms. *sigh*
I always forget the explicitly enumerated “freedom of the press”, because my brain just files that under “freedom of expression”.
gee, that’s odd. so the schools managed, staffed, and administered by the government…… take children into their bosom for 13-17 YEARS…… and in all that time, do an absolutely horrible job of teaching those children about their american heritage and more importantly, their *freedom*.
you don’t think that’s accidental, do you? a mere coincidence?
the children learn from day 1 the importance of “doing as they’re told”, and “lining up in a neat row”, and “stop what teacher told you to do and go do something new when that bell rings” ……
but they don’t know squat about their freedom and rights as americans. it’s almost as if the government and their schools were following some sort of sinister *plan*, or something. as if they were *trying* to create a nation of stupid, obedient sheep. oh, well. i’m sure president mccain/hillary/obama will put a stop to it as soon as they get elected.
“Can any of you seriously say the Bill of Rights could get through Congress today? It wouldn’t even get out of committee.”
-F. Lee Bailey
Wouldn’t it be great/depressing if any of the candidates were asked about their interpritation of the 9th and 10th amendments of the constitution, and what they have done and plan to do to uphold these amendments. (Bonus points if they are asked what the 9th and 10th amendments are.)