What are your rights? 'D'oh'

[Copper]

I've seen a few Simpsons references here on the board, so I thought that at least a few people would appreciate this. I'll admit that I lie with the majority of the U.S. population.

from http://reuters.excite.com//article/2...EEDOMS-DC.html

Mar 2, 8:40 AM (ET)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Most Americans have an easier time naming members of the cartoon Simpson family than listing the five freedoms granted by the nation's founders, a survey by a museum released on Wednesday said.

Here's a hint: one of them is not the right to own and raise pets, an error committed by one in five respondents.

Half of 1,000 Americans randomly surveyed by the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum could name at least two of the five members of Fox Television's Simpson family, the stars of the network's long-running show.

But just 28 percent of respondents could name more than one of the five freedoms listed in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment -- about the same proportion that could name all five Simpson family members or could recall the three judges on Fox TV's top-rated "American Idol."

Just 8 percent could recall three First Amendment freedoms.

Two-thirds of respondents did remember freedom of speech as one of five rights in the First Amendment, but just one person accurately named all five.

"These survey results clearly demonstrate that many Americans don't have an understanding of the freedoms they regularly enjoy," said executive director Dave Anderson of the museum, which opens on April 11 in Chicago.

Freedom of religion was recalled by 24 percent, freedom of the press by 11 percent, freedom of assembly by 10 percent, and freedom to petition for redress of grievances (right to a day in court) by 1 percent.

Some participants displayed comical ignorance such as the 38 percent who believed the right not to incriminate yourself -- "taking the 5th" in lawyer lingo -- was granted by the First Amendment rather than the Fifth.

Among other rights not mentioned in the Constitution but listed by some respondents was the right to drive and the right to have pets.

The survey, conducted January 20-22, had an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

In case you forgot, the Simpson clan's names are Homer (owner of that exclamation of ignorance, "D'oh"), Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

[Thom2]

What are your rights?

according to my wife ......


"to remain silent"


Thom
who are the simpsons?

[tfischer]

Among other rights not mentioned in the Constitution but listed by some respondents was the right to drive and the right to have pets.

Now that made me chuckle out loud: The "right to drive" guaranteed by the constitution's bill of rights, which was written in the late 1700's?? Wow, what forward-looking forefathers we had!

Seriously, while I know the average person could use a civics refresher course -- I don't think it's really fair. The average person hasn't had to deal with the bill of rights since middle or high school, but the average person has seen the Simpsons or American Idol fairly recently. A better comparison would be to ask me to name 5 characters on "Trapper John, MD" which I used to watch religiously but haven't seen in about as long as I've last read the Bill of Rights...

-Tim

[Tundra_Man]

I could've gotten 4 of the 5. "The right to petition the government" slipped my mind.

A better comparison would be to ask me to name 5 characters on "Trapper John, MD" which I used to watch religiously but haven't seen in about as long as I've last read the Bill of Rights...

I can only come up with "Trapper" and "Gonzo" off the top of my head. I resisted the urge to cheat and use Google!

[thestinker]

Hmmmmm...no mention to the second ammendment. One of my personal favorites.

[Wood_workur]

Be careful when using the second amendment, or you might be experiencing the 4-8 amendments.

The knowledge in our country is sad. we should know this stuff, and not the Simpson's, or American Idle (ha ha). I know the five rights instantly: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

[LCHIEN]

uh, the right to cut wood?

[430752]

do these people vote too?

Along with that other thread, do these people vote too?

Or do they just post pro-military stories to rally around the flag without knowing what it stands for?

just curious.

curt j.

[Rounder]

This may throw this thread into the political mode, but what about the 4th and 5th amendment. Most citizens do not care that we are losing our right to be free from unlawful detention and search without warrant. And our right to remain silent is all but gone.

Folks, all of the first ten amendments are important and should not be forgotten or given away freely.

[jdschulteis]

Homer: Mmmmmm, inalienable rights . . .

I can believe that the results of the survey weren't pretty--after all, if it turned out more people knew their rights than knew the Simpsons, we would never have heard about it. But only 1 out of 1000 knew all five?

". . . we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

She hasn't perished yet Abe, but I'm concerned about her health.

[jziegler]

Unfortunately, this does not surprise me very much. A lot of it is just that this is not something that is pushed very hard by the educational system. Being younger than the average member on here, I have a slightly more recent view of this. I know that when I went to high school (and this was one of the better ranked public schools in the state), the bill of rights was not pushed all that hard. We had to memorize a section of the declaration of independence and the preamble to the constitution. Other than that, there was nothing to really drill in the rights. I will admit that I had to even look up the rights. If asked a few days ago, I probably would have gotten 3 of the 5. Of course, I usually consider all of them to be a part of freedom of speech.

Anyone else remember people proudly wearing "Underacheiver and proud of it" Simpson's shirts? It was very common and popular when I was in high school.

-Jim

[germdoc]

We could all use a constitutional refresher course. See this reference for the Bill of Rights--www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html.

Also see Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights) for a history of how the BOR came about--fascinating history involving a vigorous debate between the Federalists and antiFederalists. It reminds me how thankful we should be that we had such forward-thinking leaders as James Madison and George Mason who were not hide-bound idealogues, but who were willing to incorporate other points of view into the framework of our government.

Wish we had them now.

[pierhogunn]

4th and 5th amendment recently strenghtend

What I think is fantastic is that one of our large government services (IRS) has now been told repeatedly that they cannot compel documents from people they are "investigating" nor can the compel documents out of 3rd parties (employers, banks, etc.) regarding people they are investigating without a district court order, sure the 3rd parties may still cooperate, but we there now exists a twice appealed decision "Schultz V. IRS" that re-enforces the 4th and 5th amendments.


food for thought

[Thalermade]

I walk by a copy of the Bil of Rights on the way to my office daily. It is part of a Freedom Shrine. Took the time to look it over this morning.

http://www.freedomshrine.com/page3.html

[430752]

Yeah, buts it the Articles that'll get ya!

The Bill o Rights is hogwash. The Clash said it best when they said that we all have three rights. Yep only 3. You have the right not to be killed, unless it is be a policeman or Aristocrat (OJ?, a Kenndedy? Claus Von Bulow, etc.)
You have the right to free speach. As long you're not dumb enough to actually try it. And you have thr right to food money, as long as you don't mind a little humiliation and investigation.

Okay, they were Brits.

Seriously, the meat of the Constitution is in the Articles. Anyone ever read those? They're rather dry, but set up who the whole thing is supposed to work. Full faith and credit, treaties between the states, limits on the three branches, and my personal fave, and perhaps the biggest of em all, the commerce clause! Apparently, our founding fathers thought all that jazz more impt. than the Bill O rights, which are all amendments to the Constitution, not existing in the original document (thus, being amendments).

Well, that's my history lesson of the day! Oh, that and the fact that Jersey, Delaware and Georgia were the only states to ratify the Constitution by 100% vote (and the only over, like, 90% also). Dunno if that makes us good or bad?

curt j.