Ignorant and free
Ben Franklin, asked what kind of government the 1787 U.S. Constitutional Convention was creating, famously said: “A Republic, if you can keep it.” 219 years later, this morning’s papers tell us:
...only about one in four Americans (28 percent) are able to name more than one of the five fundamental freedoms granted to them by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution... almost twice as many Americans (52 percent) can name at least two members of “The Simpsons” cartoon family. More than four in 10 Americans (41 percent) could name two of the three “American Idol” judges and one in four could name all three. Unfortunately, just 8 percent of Americans could name at least three of their First Amendment freedoms.
Just for the record, they are:
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom of Religion
- Freedom of the Press
- Freedom of Assembly
- Freedom to Petition for Redress of Grievances
OK, to be fair, one or two of those don’t get a whole lot of media attention. (Though, in an ideal America, folks would memorize the First Amendment in elementary school the way they used to memorize the Gettysburg Address). But any sentient American ought to know at least three of these. Meanwhile...
“About one in five Americans (21 percent) agreed that the First Amendment granted them the right to own and raise pets...”
Step back and consider the understanding of law that would lead to that answer...
One in five also believe that the right to drive is guaranteed by the First Amendment, although the car was not invented for another 100 years...”
Doubtless this follows from a careful analysis of all that dreaded “living constitution” judicial activism, huh?
I suppose one could try to defend this level of ignorance by saying that Americans understand the “substance” of their freedoms, even if they don’t know the specific words of the First Amendment. I see little evidence for that proposition.
Findings like these would be appalling if they were in the least surprising. No wonder we have the elected officials we do. In my darker moments, I can’t help suspecting that they’re even slightly better than we deserve. Thomas Jefferson, as is so often the case, has earned the last word on this:
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.
1 Comments:
Speaking of rights under threat and those who fight the good fight:
Robert Freeman, head of New York State's open government commission just sent out his annual reminder to the world about New York's Freedom of Information Law, which is far superior to the one W has rendered almost inoperative since Inauguration I.
Those who work either the ink-stained or government side of New York's thousands of state and local agencies all know Bob because he has literally made a career out of keeping NY records open.
Happy 32nd anniversary to New York's First Keeper of the Flame, on the job since his agency was created in the heady post-Watergate year of 1974.
Too bad the feds don't have and will probably never have you, or some of the dozens of other state official open government enforcers (New Jersey is one of the few states that has neither a real open government/ freedom of information law, nor anyone on the government side really committed to one - take note Gov. Jon Corzine - you are *really* in the minority now!
wtp
"I'm from New Jersey/ I don't expect too much" - John Gorka, I think.
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