“if a nation expects to be ignorant & free, in a state of civilisation, it expects what never was & never will be.”
— Thomas Jefferson, January 6, 1816
Nick Giordano, a Political Science professor at Suffolk Community College and a Campus Reform Higher Education Fellow, expressed concerns about the lack of constitutional literacy among college students. According to Giordano, approximately 90% of his students struggle to distinguish between the U.S. Constitution and the Russian Constitution. He shared this information during an appearance on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show, where he discussed a constitutional exercise he assigns to his students to test their ability to identify the American Constitution. He found it alarming that such a high percentage of his students couldn't differentiate between the two documents.
I am not exactly shocked by this revelation, considering that our nation still bends under the yoke of not one but two oppressive regimes, and folks seem to have relinquished their will to think and research independently. You see, there are individuals in our land who advocate for the rights of animals, all the while not grasping the true meaning of rights themselves. They are too reliant on others to do their thinking for them, and naturally, they're being led astray.
This issue of declining constitutional knowledge extends beyond Giordano's classroom. Studies, such as one conducted by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, revealed that only one in six U.S. adults can name any of the branches of government.
YIKES! AND THESE PEOPLE ARE VOTING!
Furthermore, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, an undertaking thrust upon us by Congress and administered by the U.S. Department of Education, reports that a whopping 31% of eighth-graders couldn't even muster a basic understanding of civics in 2022.
Giordano believes that the education system is falling short in teaching young people about the foundation of the Constitution. He often asks his students why they lack this knowledge, and their most common response is that they have never read the Constitution. He finds it astonishing that throughout 13 years of education, no teacher in the K-12 or college system assigned students to read and discuss the Constitution to ensure their understanding.
A 2017 survey in Kansas further underscores this problem, revealing that 21% of high school students could not name any of the First Amendment freedoms.
Giordano emphasizes the importance of teaching the Constitution to the next generation, as he believes it is crucial for preserving the essence of America. He points out that the U.S. Constitution uniquely limits government power while empowering "We the People." However, he expresses concern that without proper education on the Constitution, people will be unable to defend what they do not understand. How do people defend the liberties and rights they possess if they don't even know they exist?
As constitutional knowledge dwindles, so do our natural human rights. Check out the latest Liberty Or Else Project that covers the 9th Amendment, the most important Amendment in the Bill of Rights. Read It, Learn It, and Share It. You won't regret it, and hell, it's free!
Doni Anthony (Doni The Don)
Introducing Doni Anthony (Doni The Don), Founder of Liberty Or Else and a passionate advocate for individual liberties and natural human rights.
Join her engaging podcast, subscribe to her blog, and catch her inspiring speeches at public events. Support her work on Cash App or Venmo. Follow Doni on Facebook and Twitter for valuable insights and updates. #LibertyOrElse
Comments