Constitutional Ignorance and the ACLU
Posted on September 9, 2005
Are we surprised that the very school system that is failing at teaching math and science is also blowing it when it comes to civics? Could such dereliction of duty by our schools set up the perfect conditions in your child’s mind that would allow the beguiling beliefs of the ACLU to sprout and flourish, as weeds among good-citizen’s thoughts?
After reading a recent column by Nat Hentoff of The Washington Times, I’m thinking: not surprised; and yes, it could. Hentoff brings to the fore his concerns that our educational system is failing our kids in far more ways than you probably could imagine.
This all goes without saying. Anytime I hear one of Sean Hannity’s or Jay Leno’s “man on the street” interviews, I laugh but also cringe at the abject ignorance of folks who can’t name the Vice President, their own senators or representative, or even the number of amendments in the original Bill of Rights. I’m guessing that it would be news to some of those folk that the Bill of Rights is part of the U.S. Constitution, as well.
Hentoff reports some dated though shocking statistics:
Americans, regardless of party or any other affiliation, should be startled to confront the following failure to teach the young how we govern ourselves. As reported by [Sen. Lamar] Alexander and [Sen. Edward] Kennedy, “The 2001 NAEP [National Assessment of Educational Programs] assessment in U.S. history has the largest percentage of students scoring below basic (levels) of any subject that was tested, including mathematics, science and reading.” The assessment found that “75 percent of fourth-grade students could not correctly identify the three parts of the federal government of the United States out of four possible choices; 73 percent of fourth-graders could not identify the Constitution from among four choices as the document that contains the basic rules used to run the U.S. government.” And, “91 percent of eighth-grade students could not list the two issues that were important in causing the Civil War, nor list the Northern and Southern positions on each of these issues.”
[...]
Mr. Alexander adds: “It is disgraceful that high school seniors (in another survey) score lower on U.S. history than on any other subject. Being an American is not based on race or where you came from, but on a few principles that unite us as Americans.” I would suggest, senator, that there are more than a few principles that unite us as Americans, starting with the 10 sections of the Bill of Rights and moving on to the protection of habeas corpus in the body of the Constitution, and, among other parts, the insistence that there be no religious tests for the office.
Score lower on U.S. history than on any other subject. Including mathematics, science and reading — the most often-touted educational failure bugaboos. I wring my hands in frustration at the lack of adequate science education so necessary to keep our country competing globally; I cringe when I hear that the essential value of reading is too often ignored in our TV/videogame-centric society. But I can only shake my head in disgust at the numbers quoted above for basic American history and civics.
Which brings us to the ACLU. This nutrient-poor soil of social studies ignorance is perfect environment within which the proliferation of lies and misleading statements can grow and spread. The more ignorant we become as a people of our own laws, government, and constitution, the more we can be manipulated by the likes of the ACLU into believing that child porn distribution should be legal, that men fondling and sodomizing boys should be a protected activity, that foreign Gitmo detainees from overseas terrorist actions should effectively be given protection under the U.S. Constitution.
Hentoff closes his column thus:
[1776 author and historian David] McCullough makes the fundamental point: “You can’t be a full participant in our democracy if you don’t know our history.” And James Madison, who had much to do with shaping our Constitution, said looking to the future of this nation: “(Only) a well-instructed people can be a permanently free people.” Parents and other adults across the country should vigorously instruct their local school boards to monitor whether the young are as engrossed in the adventures of American history as they are in the adventures of Harry Potter. Therefore, no child will be left behind in their understanding of what it is to be an American.
I would modify that conclusion a bit: “no child will be left behind, and thus allowed to gain understanding of what it is to be an American through the specious arguments of the ACLU.” Indeed, while the mainstream media fail to press the ACLU for answers to some pretty important questions about what they really stand for, it is incumbent on us to prevent their spread as much as possible. A crucial step is effective education about American history, our Founding Fathers’ ideals, and our Constitution — both at home and in our schools.
Cross-posted at TMH’s Bacon Bits
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13 Responses to “Constitutional Ignorance and the ACLU”
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Awesome job. Everyone welcome our newest contributor.
Which brings us to the ACLU. This nutrient-poor soil of social studies ignorance is perfect environment within which the proliferation of lies and misleading statements can grow and spread. The more ignorant we become as a people of our own laws, government, and constitution, the more we can be manipulated by the likes of the ACLU into believing that child porn distribution should be legal…
And how is knowledge of our Constitution or history supposed to convince us that child porn is supposed to be illegal? I don’t recall the First Amendment including the phrase “except for child porn”. In fact, since it wasn’t outlawed on the Federal level since the 1970’s, I don’t see how ignorance of the Constitution or our history plays any role in opposing the continuance of this much more recent law.
I don’t see support anywhere in the Constitution, the early writings of the Founders, or anywhere else for the idea that looking at pictures of a crime can be made a Federal crime, much less that it should be made a Federal crime.
In fact, since it wasn?t outlawed on the Federal level since the 1970?s
That should be “… before the 1970’s”
Well Crazie Eddie, if your opinion is that looking at little naked children having sex should be legal, I really don’t care what you have to think.
Call it close minded if you will, but I have my limits on tolerance. This idea is unacceptable to me, and I if it is your opinion…you will be ignored completely here.
Crazy Eddie… (fitting name!)
Miller v California sets out the “modern” test for obscenity. After years in which no Supreme Court opinion could command majority support, five members of the Court in Miller set out a several-part test for judging obscenity statutes: (1) the proscribed material must depict or describe sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, (2) the conduct must be specifically described in the law, and (3) the work must, taken as a whole, lack serious value and must appeal to a prurient interest in sex. What is patently offensive is to be determined by applying community values, but any jury decision in these cases is subject to independent constitutional review, as the Court’s decision in Jenkins v Georgia makes clear. New York v Ferber underscores the strength of the state’s interest in protecting minors from the harmful effects of pornograpy. Ferber holds that state’s may proscribe sexual material involving minors, even if that material may not meet all of the prongs of the Miller test.
“I don’t recall the First Amendment including the phrase “except for child porn”
Did you read anything in it about ‘gay rights’?
Treason?
Sedition?
How about ‘freedom of expession’?
Did you find that?
Crazy Eddy was a drive-by perv troll.
Well Crazie Eddie, if your opinion is that looking at little naked children having sex should be legal, I really don’t care what you have to think.
It’s my opinion that looking at pictures of that crime, and even looking at pictures of worse crimes such as murder, should be perfectly legal.
Did you read anything in it about ‘gay rights’?
Treason?
Sedition?
How about ‘freedom of expession’?
I did find something about treason. I also found the 9th and 10th Amendment, which clearly implies that the Feds can’t do jack about “gay rights” one way or the other.
And while there’s no mention of “freedom of expression”, there is that bit about “freedom of the press”; Web pages are just a modern version of the press, and should be covered by any reasonable interpretation.
I still haven’t seen any connection between ignorance of the Constitution and early American history and lack of support for a federal ban that came about in much more recent times.
Nutman….looking at pictures of a murder scene whether taken by the authorities investigating the crime or the murderer himself is a far cry from looking at little children engaged in sex acts…..first off the victim is dead in the former, and probably will wish they were dead later in the latter….second, it is well proven that, psychologically, molestation is very damaging, and physically it can kill children…the human childs body is not ready for sexual intercourse, and mentally should not be subjected to this kind of behavior…..every serial killer EVER (that we have records about and interviews with) has said they were molested as a child……having a legal market for child porn will only increase the occurance of it….and if you thinnk otherwise you are mistaken….and let me give you a bit of historical reference….”Provide for the common defense” can certainly be construed to mean protecting children from predators…..
Crazy Eddie…
Um, well, d’uh! I will admit that the Constitution itself doesn’t address child porn… But neither does it address abortion, affirmative action, or estate taxes. *ALL* these things are subject to the State’s jurisdiction, legally.
And, I mean, MY GOD!!! - are you *really* promoting child porn???!!! (sorry, the exclaimations come with the subject) What the hell kind of pervert *are* you? Frankly, with that king of attitude, I would be supportive of hunting down your IP, finding your account, and investigating your shiney [insert color of your choice] ass for child pornography.
Geeeze, get a ride on the Reality Bus&#153, OK?
*sigh* PIMF - except Jay doesn’t HAVE preview… (sulking)
1) “… Frankly, with that KINDDDDDDDD of attitude…”
and
2) “Get a ride on the Reality Bus(tm), OK?”
*grf!*
– R’cat
Crazy Eddie, it was precisely folks such as yourself that I had in mind when I crafted this post. Or, maybe you’re really a neocon, just using these wacky comments as a way to get us to more clearly defend our case. Either way, you’re valuable. Thanks for dropping by.
The specious arguments of the ACLU and the elitist left, as they pull improbable “rights” out of our Constitution that then seem to multiply as so many rabbits from a hat, can only be countered by an appreciation of what out Founding Fathers really wrote in that sacred document. To wit: better history and civics education.
With regard to your obtuse association between photos of child porn and photos of murders or other crimes: Let me add to the astute comments of Loboinok, Kender, R’cat, and Jay the following: I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure it’s the case with child porn that the crime IS the photo — the exploitation of the under-aged in a degrading and sexually explicit manner for pleasure and/or profit. Obscenity may be somehow relative, but the law is the law with child porn. If you can’t understand the difference, I weep for your children and any others with which you might come into contact.
“Crazy Eddie” — most likely you’re just an idiot looking to annoy good people. You probably do not actually believe the stuff you’re writing, you’re just hoping to get angry responses. Well you go them, now go away.
On the other hand, there is a small chance that you actually believe that stuff. If that’s the case — seek help. You are seriously brain damaged. Your brain is defective and not working correctly. There is such a thing as right and wrong in this world, and you clearly have no clue that there is. Seek serious medical attention before you hurt yourself — or you meet someone who hurts you.
Ogre, if Crazy Eddie really believes that stuff about child porn, then I gotta say I am a wee more concerned for innocent kids that he might hurt, rather than him getting hurt by himself or someone else.