-- Only one in four Americans (28%) can name more than one of the five freedoms of the First Amendment
-- Twice as many (52%) can name two or more characters of the
fictional Simpson family.
-- Among survey respondentsecall of the five freedoms of the First Amendment revealed the following frequencies:
- Speech (69%)
- Religion (24%)
- Press (11%)
- Assembly (10%)
- Petition (1%)
Earlier this year, citizens in several states posted petitions to "peacefully withdrawl from the United States of America:
South Carolina -- was the first to go prior to the Civil War, too
Then recently we have petitions posted to:
Deport CNN's Piers Morgan for "Attacking the 2nd Amendment"
Press Charges Against NBC's David Gregory for possession of an assault weapon magazine on "Meet the Press"
Are the petitioners aware that we also have a First Amendment, that is giving the right to petition, that also protects, speech and press?? Then there is one, that I agree with in principle, but still remember the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, to paraphrase, free speech is only important to protect the words we hate..... More than 260,000 people have signed a petition to the White House asking for it to label the notorious Westboro Baptist Church a hate group.
The petition aimed at the church best known for picketing military funerals and other events with signs declaring “GOD HATES FAGS,” is believed to be the most popular cause ever on the White House’s “We the People” petition site. Four other petitions targeting the church’s tax-exempt status have attracted nearly 200,000 additional signatures. All five petitions have passed the number required for a response from President Barack Obama’s administration.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/westboro-church-white-house-petition-85519.html#ixzz2GHDkagd8 Politico blogger Dylan Byers asks, Do White House Petitions Matter? I just have to ask, can't We the People do with our power to petition?
The petition aimed at the church best known for picketing military funerals and other events with signs declaring “GOD HATES FAGS,” is believed to be the most popular cause ever on the White House’s “We the People” petition site. Four other petitions targeting the church’s tax-exempt status have attracted nearly 200,000 additional signatures. All five petitions have passed the number required for a response from President Barack Obama’s administration.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/westboro-church-white-house-petition-85519.html#ixzz2GHDkagd8 Politico blogger Dylan Byers asks, Do White House Petitions Matter? I just have to ask, can't We the People do with our power to petition?
9 comments:
It's sad to think that United States citizens know more about popular shows, such as the Simpsons, than their rights as Americans. It all goes back to the fact that if they have only lived in America for their entire lives then they don't understand how precious our given rights are.
I totally agree that the Westboro Baptist Chruch group should be labeled a "hate group" because that's what they are doing-openly hating sensitive matters. While they are in their right, with their freedoms, it has gotten to the point of causing others emotional and mental harm and abuse that could otherwise be prosecuted if they knew these people personally.
I agree with the above poster; it is a little depressing to know that people are more well-versed in the Simpsons than they are in rights. But it's not particularly surprising.
I think petitions are important, even if it is more than anything just a poetic exercise of their right to petition. Like the White House spokesman said, sometimes petitions do affect legislation, and they at least let the government know what's important and on the minds of the people. While secession petitions are realistically not going to produce much action, it's still an important expression of citizens' opinions. And also, I think it SHOULD be easy to petition and to express your political views on such a public forum, with the potential of reaching the White House. (Also, the petitions are moderated and regulated; ones that are not serious are generally shut down, so it's not like it's complete chaos). I feel like that's the very essence of free speech and democracy. We may not necessarily like or agree with what people are petitioning for or against, but that shouldn't prevent them from doing so.
In a world where people know about the Simpsons mor than their basic rights granted to them, it's sad. Our four fathers came to America so they could express their free rights.
Petitions are important to the people because that is a basic right granted to everyone. These petitions allow people to express what they think is right. Though the process should be more simpler for petitions to be made. Although in response to the Westboro Baptist Church they should be labeled as a hate group because they are infringing on the rights of other people
I agree with Jessica about it being easy to be able to express your opinions. But then again we have crazy groups of people who are so faithful to their beliefs that they eventually end up kind of destroying the whole process. I have my opinions and would love to march down to Capitol Hill and protest. But I think its come to a point where if you arent extreme enough, or dont have thousands of people standing behind you, that you really dont have any legitimacy. In a perfect world everyone would be able to call up their representative and express their protest opinions, but that just cant happen anymore.
I would absolutely love to see Westboro marked as a hate group. What they do is horrible, and I just can't imagine any version of the christian lord that would support their cause. It is a bit disheartening to see that no action is being taken towards these petitions, we the people were meant to have a voice when this country was founded. Though, it really isn't our fault that those above us think they are too high up to hear us.
I think the reason that more people know all the names of the Simpsons is because of the amount of exposure. The Simpsons is on every day and anyone can watch it to the point where they know the names of all the characters by heart. With the first amendment rights though, you have to think about when people learn about them and how often they need to know them. Granted, yes you live out the first amendment rights every day you think you would know them, but sadly children only learn about the rights maybe twice in their entire school career. You can not expect a society to know something if they are not exposed to it.
Madeline does address the problem. Exposure can only increase a person's understanding. People that don't actively expose themselves to a stimuli are less than likely to actually be able to understand it, let alone actually be able to recall it.
Madeline does address the problem. Exposure can only increase a person's understanding. People that don't actively expose themselves to a stimuli are less than likely to actually be able to understand it, let alone actually be able to recall it.
By the way, I posted the December 28th comment, I just had issues with the identity.
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