markyj987 Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 I wish I could say I'm surprised by this following AP story, but I'm not. It seems to me that we have traded in healthy cynicism towards government for complete ignorance. Unlike the cliche of it's blissfulness, ignorance of our own form of government is more likely a step away from a republican form of government to one of aristocracy or possibly the other way--towards socialism or communism. I've never had much faith in the "average American's" intelligence, but what kind of people do they let graduate from high school these days. And forget high school--most of us had to know this in junior high. Pathetic...just pathetic... -------------- Poll: Americans Need Civics Lesson POSTED: 10:19 am CDT August 8, 2005 CHICAGO -- How well do you know your civics? A survey by a lawyers group suggests many Americans could use a refresher. The American Bar Association poll finds many adults struggle to identify the branches of government -- legislative, executive and judicial -- and have trouble explaining separation of powers. One in five incorrectly said the three branches were Republican, Democrat and independent. Sixteen percent thought the three were local, state and federal. While eight in 10 people said separation of powers is important, fewer than half, when given four choices, correctly picked that "Congress, the president and the federal courts each have different responsibilities." Nearly a third thought it meant different federal departments have different powers. Retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former Sen. Bill Bradley will be honorary co-chairs of a new civic education commission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest INHunterman Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? It doesn't surprise me at all. FOX strikes again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyj987 Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? LMBO...I was abooot to go off on you and then saw your signature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? It doesn't surprise me at all marky, remember back after the election last year when I was railing about this kid that set down next to me in the library at the college, pulled up a news org website with an electoral map on the front page, pointed to New Mexico and asked me if that was TEXAS!! I mean come on, you're in college and you don't know where Texas is. I remember a few years back National Geographic did a study involving teenagers all over the world, you would have been amazed at the amount of kids in this country who don't even know where Mexico or Canada is. When I was in high school I could have told you where each state is, their capitals, and could have held my own on telling you where foreign countries are. Unfortunately, it seems most kids nowadays are too worried about how many songs they can download on their iPod, and who is kissing who to care about things that really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Schmeck Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? Well, that just means that we need to throw more money into a failed education system..........................................................................................................doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? Nope Mark, really doesnt surprise me much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? You know, this post has really started me thinking (scary huh?). I'm about to decide that we need to reinstitute a testing process for voter registration. Nothing tricky or even very difficult. Just 8 or 10 basic questions, from a pool of say 100 questions, regarding government and citizenship. If you can't understand the questions in the language they're written in, which would be English, or if you can't pass with 70% correct, then you don't get to vote this year. And in case anyone wants to accuse this process of being racist, I'll have to ask you why you think minorities aren't as intelligent as others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] And in case anyone wants to accuse this process of being racist, I'll have to ask you why you think minorities aren't as intelligent as others? [/ QUOTE ] That's a good point. 50 years ago, it was more common to find minorities that were illiterate and didn't know certain things about the government because they weren't afforded the same opportunities as far as education goes as whites. There's no excuse for it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? the "no child left behind" act at its finest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuntingInMaine Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? Did you catch the Today show this morning? They have Al Roker out asking people these types of questions....I can't believe how many people think there are 52 states!!! Reminds me of a person from CA I chatted with once....when I told her I lived in Maine she asked what country I was in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] That's a good point. 50 years ago, it was more common to find minorities that were illiterate and didn't know certain things about the government because they weren't afforded the same opportunities as far as education goes as whites. There's no excuse for it now. [/ QUOTE ] There may be no excuses – but I think you point out one glaring problem. The fact that children are only learning what our “government sponsored” school systems are teaching them, and you can bet it doesn’t include a lot of what we learned 20 and 30 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] the "no child left behind" act at its finest [/ QUOTE ] Don't be blinded by one certain bill or act - this is a product that has been growing since the National Education System was adopted. No federally sponsored education plan has ever worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggs Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] And in case anyone wants to accuse this process of being racist, I'll have to ask you why you think minorities aren't as intelligent as others? [/ QUOTE ] That's a good point. 50 years ago, it was more common to find minorities that were illiterate and didn't know certain things about the government because they weren't afforded the same opportunities as far as education goes as whites. There's no excuse for it now. [/ QUOTE ] Those are both good points, but something that liberals would argue to the hilt. They'll say that minorities today aren't afforded the same opportunities today, due their poor education and lack of resources to better their social position for generation to generation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? And what is the liberal reponse to all this muggs? Yup - give them everything to 1 - buy their votes and 2 - to shut them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggs Posted August 10, 2005 Report Share Posted August 10, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? That sounds about right Parrothead. What they'll never admit, is the fact that all the programs that they fight for are hurting this Country's minorities more than anything. If they give them a crutch, they'll keep leaning on it, the whole time cursing Bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyj987 Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] There may be no excuses – but I think you point out one glaring problem. The fact that children are only learning what our “government sponsored” school systems are teaching them, and you can bet it doesn’t include a lot of what we learned 20 and 30 years ago. [/ QUOTE ] I have no problem with public education. I am the product of a fantastic public school and am not ashamed to say so. The problem is that the whole sysem has been corrupted by greedy unions and whiners who (and I know I've said this a ZILLION times before) think "it doesn't matter if little Johnny learns anything as long as he feels good about himself." As far as race goes, I do not think it's a factor. The real factors are socioeconomic status and whether they've had a decent upbringing. I really think the lack of knowledge about government is more widespread than that. It's just complete disinterest. And that disinterest is what scares me the most. People don't keep tabs on the government because they don't know what the government does--and we all give up our rights--and tax dollars. It's getting progressively worse as the feds and state governments intrude further and further into our personal lives. I'm truncating my actual thoughts because I could go on and on here...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? Hey marky, I noticed you're a PoliSci major as well in the thread in the lounge. I can see it now, in about 20 years you and I are gonna be going head to head, you with the Republican nomination and I with the Democratic nomination for President. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyj987 Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? slugshooter...you're too smart of a guy. We'll be running mates on the GOP ticket--you'll come around...LMBO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bexar_county89 Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? That dosn't surprise me a bit!!! I actually remember some of the stuff that they were teaching about that, but as for the responses to polls they were running, it dosn't shock me that everyone is daft about are government and the way it works. Maybe if some of those bad mouthing the nation would learn it's workings they would sound so stupid......... but that's just a 16 year old junior talking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? One comment I will make as far as these polls go, specifically late night shows (ie. Leno, Conan) where they go out on the sidewalks and ask people questions like who is the president and other basic questions, well, obviously, everyone they talk to is a complete idiot concerning matters of government or social issues. I just wonder how much footage they have to cut out from people who actually know what the answers are, I find it hard to believe that people are that friggin stupid, but, then again, it's like marky and others said, and it was true 10 years ago when I graduated high school and it's true today now that I am back in school, most people just don't care and have no concern with matters of our government and it's sad really, because the people who have no knowledge of how our government works are the first to complain when a law is passed that negatively affects them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] slugshooter...you're too smart of a guy. We'll be running mates on the GOP ticket--you'll come around...LMBO! [/ QUOTE ] We ought to still be running mates, me as the Prez and you as the Veep, with our current respective parties. Could you imagine the uproar on the news networks, they wouldn't know whether to run a negative story or not, we'd probably win just because of sheer novelty. And then we'd declare a National Day of Hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyj987 Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? First of all, welcome to the forums, Big--and an excellent first post if I may say so. I realize that I am in the minority having had a great public education experience. Perhaps I should have elaborated in that it wasn't public education that was great--but the teachers who actually gave a darn. It was also a school with heavy parental involvement in a very conservative area of the state. Wisconsin, in general, has a very good public education system save districts in large cities like Milwaukee and Madison. The advantages of attending a small school in a more conservative town where people are raised with values makes all the difference. Now living in the city of Milwaukee, there is no way I could ever send my children (if I ever have any) to public school. They'd certainly be off to a Catholic or Lutheran school--though I am neither--for the fact that they not only provide a quality education, but encourage parental involvement at a level far above and beyond that of public schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] Sure it all looked good on paper but then we involved inadequate educators. [/ QUOTE ] True, there are some teachers who would have been better off had they been bricklayers, but I think they are in the minority. There are probably many, many teachers who have become apathetic to their jobs because of low pay, dangerous districts, lack of support, and lack of funding. But the fact remains that good teachers are under attack because of a kids failing grades. They have done everything that is required of them, taught well, given tests, pounded it into their heads in some instances, but the teachers can't take the tests for them, the only thing they can do is force the kid to stay awake in class, they can't force him to listen, and they can't go home with them and make sure they study and do their homework. That is the parents job, if the kids are failing, I believe the first culprit is un-caring, apathetic, non-existent parents, then possibly a learning disability, and then the teacher. It's just easier for the parent to blame the teacher rather than their own uninvolved self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? [ QUOTE ] Thanks you for the welcome. It seems that the boards are going to be a blast. [/ QUOTE ] Just remember one thing, don't take everything I say as a personal belief, or as serious as some do on here, sometimes I like to explore the other side of the issue as unpopular as it may be. I think I have given some guys ulcers on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Re: How stupid are we? Welcome to the Realtree forums BigAsBoar. slugger said: [ QUOTE ] Just remember one thing, don't take everything I say as a personal belief, or as serious as some do on here, sometimes I like to explore the other side of the issue as unpopular as it may be. I think I have given some guys ulcers on here. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, slugger is our Realtree devils advocate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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