A Disturbing Trend
June 22nd, 2005 by JoshSince 9/11 civil rights advocates have bemoaned the trampling of our Constitution and Bill of Rights that this administration has undertaken. Under George Bush, we’ve seen disdain for the First Amendment through censorship invoked by the FCC and limitations on the right of free assembly. The Fourth Amendment is desecrated by the Patriot Act, a bill many lawmakers never even had time to read and which gives the FBI, through “Sneak and Peek” secret warrants the ability to obtain personal library records without proper judicial oversight. The Fifth and Sixth are clearly violated by the hundreds of people we hold at Guantanamo without charging them with a crime. The utter disregard for the laws that have governed this country for 200 years just goes on and on.
But it’s not just the White House or Congress that have been complicit in this affair. Our education system is fully to blame as well. A recent study showed that high school students just don’t believe in the First Amendment anymore. A third of them think the 1st goes too far in the rights it guarantees with 32% believing that the press has too much freedom. A full 36% think that newspapers should need government approval to publish their stories, 21% think musicians shouldn’t be allowed to sing music with lyrics that might be offensive to some, and 74% think that burning the flag as a political statement should be disallowed.
This was brought into focus for me yesterday. It was a difficult day in Philadelphia with the city full of protesters and the related death of a police officer. Officer Paris Williams’ death has understandbly roiled the blood of many in a city that is already known for its passion, and yes, anger. But this morning in the Metro, the “man on the street” interview section saw all three interviewees denouncing the protesters and claiming they shouldn’t be allowed to protest for reasons as vague as annoyance. Now you may not agree with the protesters’ politics, their goals, or their methods but if you believe in the importance of our American democracy you must support them in their RIGHT to protest.
We need to restore American civics and history to a place of prominence in early childhood curriculum. Learning about American Government should not be left until the end of high school as it was for me and is for many today. Jake spelled it out for us last month but I’ll say it again. The only way to restore the values that this nation has stood for is to teach them to anyone and everyone from the time we begin teaching them. Teach the Bill of Rights. Teach WHY it’s important. Show students the history of slavery, civil rights, women’s suffrage, the New Deal, American journalism, WWI and WWII, the end of Vietnam, and the myriad lessons that history teaches us about why the American way is unique and invaluable.
June 22nd, 2005 at 8:33 pm
I must have missed the recent increase in flag-burnings?
June 22nd, 2005 at 8:35 pm
What’s this all about? My “comment is awaiting moderation?”
I thought the blogs were not edited, but of course, I could be wrong.
June 22nd, 2005 at 9:48 pm
To prevent spam I have to approve your first comment. From now on your comments will go up immediately.
It works because there was actually a spam on this post for the site’s first time.
June 22nd, 2005 at 9:53 pm
I hate people like this. “Schools” need to teach this: well guess what — they DO teach it. Every damn year they teach it. The kids may not learn, any more than they listen to their parents. But, if anyone complaining has ever seen a textbook, they would see “history” is in there. I don’t know a school that doesn’t teach it, yet all these right-wing hacks claim it isn’t taught. My question is: Can those people read? Or what are they reading?
June 22nd, 2005 at 10:36 pm
Come on, we all know this is just another distraction from Rove. Something to get the Repubs panties all in a bunch, another vote to use to call the Dems the big O-word. How ridiculous. People dying, wars raging, jobs leaving, low wages and no health-care and this is what the Republican congress thinks is important. What a waste of space they are.
June 22nd, 2005 at 11:14 pm
Wake up all. The Democrat Republican dicotomy is part of the scheme of the illuminati to divide and conquer America to subjugation under a one world government. Global Socialism on a Grand Scale. Sounds Utopian doesnt it. It actually could be if the power grab was not being made by the dark side. Bushes, Clintons, Kerry/Heins, Kennedys, Rockafella, Rothchilds, the English crown royalty.
Why was Bill Gates offered knighthood by the English Crown recently? How is it that both Henry Kissinger and John Edwards were both in attendance of the Bilderberg conference in Italy last year? Oh and incidentally Bush visited the Pope just the day before and a little mouse told me he showed at this Secretive little tea party too.
Do some websearches on the Illuminati, Bilderberg Conference, CFR, Skull & Bones, New World Order, Free Masonry.
Dont worry about burning the flag at the moment. Worry about the continueing loss of your freedom and way of life.
Its time for another “Boston Tea Party” and its not just about taxation without representation this time.
June 23rd, 2005 at 12:20 am
patriotism is complete bull. how could you love something that is has the smallest element of you. love freedom. love democracy. love peace. but to love your country will only compromise what you believe in. i love some things that reveal themselves in our country, but i don’t love pre-emptive attacks or torture or humiliation done “buy” anyone. not ever!
June 23rd, 2005 at 9:42 am
I don’t know where Brian went to school, but it must have been somewhere different from where I, or my children, went. Sure, they teach you that about the history of the bill of rights, but as Josh said, not WHY it’s important; and they also don’t teach these lessons in a way that is meaningful to young people. Free speech, redress of grievances… these issues come up in the lives of young people all the time and can be used as opportunities to learn about the Bill of Rights. Just ask Josh about tennis balls and the petition to Mr. Peters (ca. 5th grade).