Friday, June 10, 2016

What College Graduates (and anyone else) STILL Don't Know About America


In 2009, I wrote a post entitled "The Civic Impact of College," in which I opined that studies showed that there was practically an inverse relationship between the level of education one has attained and the likelihood of civic involvement after graduation.  At the time, I was making the point that studies showed that homeschoolers were more likely to participate in the political process later in life.

A few years after that, I updated it with new information and it became "What College Graduates Don't Know About America." While it was one of the most depressing things I ever wrote, it was my most popular post ever. This emphasized American students' ignorance of American history and our form of government

Some updated information has come to my attention that does not make me feel any better about the state of modern higher education, or any education.

It does not appear that students are learning very basic things about our country at any stage of their education.

Let's take the First Amendment.


These 45 words describe five freedoms that are critical to our way of life.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Too many big words?  Let me restate:

Congress cannot make laws establishing a national religion, but it also cannot make laws prohibiting anyone from practicing their religion, or make any laws that limit the following freedoms:
  • Freedom of Religion to practice any religion (or no religion) without fear of discrimination
  • Freedom of Speech to be politically incorrect, or to speak out against the government
  • Freedom of the Press to shine a light on corruption, or to write things people disagree with
  • Freedom of Assembly as long as it does not include violence, rioting and looting
  • Freedom to Petition the Government when they do something you don't like
After you read the results of these surveys, you won't think I am just being obnoxious.


Survey Shows 1 in 5 Americans thing the First Amendment gives us too many rights. 

Only 19% of Americans know that First Amendment Guarantees Freedom of Religion

Colleges: The First Amendment is Outdated

Two New Surveys Reveal Concerning Trends for Religious Freedom in the U.S.

And these articles were from last year!  DePaul University recently banned the use of chalk on sidewalks after some students objected to some pro-Trump slogans Donald Trump supporters wrote on the sidewalk. Really? That is typical of what is going on at college campuses this year.

In March of this year, The Atlantic published an article about the threat to free speech on campuses. Don't roll your eyes. It was entitled, "The Glaring Evidence That Free Speech is Threatened on Campus."  A few days ago, it published another one, called "The Chilling Effects of Fear At America's Colleges "

What do you think about the First Amendment? Is the Constitution really "just a g-d piece of paper," as George W. Bush once famously said?

This is a free speech zone. I welcome your comments, as long as there is some evidence you actually read some of the source material here or otherwise educated yourself on the issue. And that they don't include violence, rioting and looting.

Or racism.
Or name calling and bullying.
Or microaggressions.
Or homophobia.
Or anti-Semitism.
Or islamophobia.
Or transphobia.
Or misogyny.

Houston, we have a problem.



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