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By Drew McKissick
As many of us spend time each day becoming more frustrated with the political news and our country’s direction, it is worth noting that our country is (for now) a self-governing democratic-republic, which means that the people who are ultimately responsible for our situation are those who participate in our wonderful little experiment.
Let’s face it, self-government, whether in the personal or political sense of the term, requires some common sense. And our country suffers from an overabundance of stupid people – and too many of them have voter registration cards. There, I said it.
Just how stupid are we? Several years ago a Gallup survey found that: 43% don’t know that the “judicial” is one of the three branches of government; 41% don’t know that their state (and every other state) is represented by two US Senators; 53% don’t know what the “Bill of Rights” is; and 66% can’t identify the document containing the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”.
In 2006 and 2007, a multiple choice civics exam was administered to over 28,000 college freshmen and seniors by the National Civic Literacy Board. The freshmen (AKA, high school graduates) failed each year, and the seniors, after four years of higher education, failed each year as well. In 2008, the same group tested over 2,500 adults of all backgrounds and 71% of them also failed.
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What would be the perecentage that knew the two teams that will play in this year’s “Super Bowl?”
The points being, what is presented to most people most of the time and what knowledge is rewarded in our society?
While there has never been a real “golden age” of civic knowledge and participation, there have been times and places where, at least for some, there was more of both.
If, and that is a very big IF, there was a sincere desire to have a more civically aware and active society, there are real changes that could be made.
Now, this is neither the time nor the place to discuss what changes might be possible. But, perhaps each of us should ask three questions: 1) Are the folks who currently control our society and its information and entertainment (assuming there is a difference) really interested in a knowledgable and involved body of citizens? 2) Are WE interested in those goals? 3) What can we, as individuals in our communities do?
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