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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kodos
They hate us for our Simpsons:
Americans apparently know more about "The Simpsons" than they do about the First Amendment.
Only one in four Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition for redress of grievances.) But more than half can name at least two members of the cartoon family, according to a survey.
The study by the new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum found that 22 percent of Americans could name all five Simpson family members, compared with just one in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms.
We are truly fucked.
ntodd
March 1, 2006 | Permalink
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According to a poll, more people can name cartoon characters Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Maggie Sim [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 1, 2006 2:47:50 PM
Comments
Hey most Americans the Declaration on Independence is really from the Communist Manifesto...
Posted by: The Old Man From Scene 24 | Mar 1, 2006 12:46:12 PM
To be fair, the right to petition Congress for a redress of grievances is much more obscure than Maggie. She's been on the T-V for the last 16 years. It's more of a Wendell (African-American classmate of Bart's).
Posted by: norbizness | Mar 1, 2006 2:32:39 PM
A resurgence of Schoolhouse Rocks! might be in order. New episodes, even.
I learned the Preamble in song before I learned it in school. And those songs linger in my head to this day. . . .
(darn! that's the end.)
Posted by: skywater | Mar 1, 2006 3:33:39 PM
Hell, I'm pretty well read in US history and I'd have gotten all the Simpsons right and missed the right to petition Congress for a redress of grievances. Frankly, given the state of Congress these days it would never occur to me that they might listen.
Posted by: handdrummer | Mar 1, 2006 5:54:05 PM
I doubt I could name five freedoms from the First Amendment. Five freedoms from the entire Bill of Rights, maybe. But really, who keeps tabs on which amendment is which?
This type of survey comes out every few years and there's always a lot of hand-wringing. I think it means little, personally.
Posted by: Zach | Mar 1, 2006 6:17:12 PM
I'll cut 'em some slack.
The First Amendment isn't nearly syndicated as much.
Posted by: Zap Rowsdower | Mar 1, 2006 7:43:06 PM
Yeah, people always forget petition.
Posted by: geoduck2 | Mar 1, 2006 8:19:42 PM
We are truly fucked.
But I totally agree with this.
We're in deep doo doo.
Posted by: geoduck2 | Mar 1, 2006 8:20:53 PM
Fe are fuly trucked.
Posted by: The Heretik | Mar 1, 2006 10:34:56 PM
Well, the way our rights are being taken away on a daily basis, it's not going to be worth knowing in a few years.
Posted by: Lab Kat | Mar 2, 2006 2:25:29 PM
I don't expect people to remember something like 'petition' or to get all 5 freedoms (heck, I usually conflate speech/press myself), but can't people name more than 1?! It's the fucking foundation of the Bill of Rights, fer Jeebus' sake. Small wonder people think Cindy Sheehan has no right to protest, or aren't all that worked up about 4th amendment violations in Bush's wiretapping program, etc.
Ignorance in defense of liberty is a vice.
Posted by: NTodd | Mar 2, 2006 3:55:48 PM
NTodd, perhaps you forget the right to petition because you effectively no longer have it.
Ever try to protest within 10 blocks of a Bush motorcade? How about getting an appointment with your Republican congressman, or even a reply to a letter you wrote him, without having bribed him in advance with campaign contributions?
The right of petition is a right of citizen participation in the process of governing. As far as I can tell, that right has been dumped in the dumpster, along with several other related rights having to do with citizen participation. They don't want your input, thankyouverymuch.
As much as I hate to see it happen, Lab Kat is very likely right about this: soon enough, it won't matter who remembers the First Amendment, or any other. Not that any of us on this site will ever forget...
Posted by: Steve Bates | Mar 2, 2006 4:47:59 PM
Buy me stuff off my 
