U.S.A, U.S.A.!!!

Two questions for you:
(1) Name the members of “The Simpsons” family [hint: there are five]
(2) Name the rights protected by the First Amendment [hint: same number]

In the latest indictment of America’s "education" system, a survey has found that Americans are much more knowledgeable of “The Simpsons” cast, than they are of their First Amendment rights. The survey also found that people could usually name more “American Idol” judges than First Amendment rights. While this survey is probably resulting in parties at the FOX network, it should raise concerns elsewhere.

According to the survey:
- over 50% of Americans could name more than one member of “The Simpsons”
- 22% can name all the members of “The Simpsons”
- only 25% can name more than one right protected by the First Amendment
- only 1 in 1000 can name all the rights protected by the First Amendment
- 38% believed the right against self-incrimination (Fifth Amendment) was a right protected by the First Amendment
- 20% believed the right to own a pet was protected by the First Amendment

I am very bothered that there are a substantial number of people voting in this country who have no idea what rights are protected by the First Amendment. I don’t care if these people are texting their vote for who the next “American Idol” is going to be. I am sickened by the thought that my vote in the next presidential election may be cancelled out by someone who thinks the Constitution protects the right to own hamsters. [Who can forget the heroic efforts of James Madison to get the states to compromise on the hot button issue of pet ownership???]

Gene Policinski, executive director of the Nashville, Tenn.-based First Amendment Center, said the results were disconcerting but not surprising. "It's disappointing that Americans continue to be ignorant of First Amendment freedoms but even more disappointing is that that these freedoms are more and more in the news," Policinski said, citing the protests at soldiers' funerals and the controversial Muhammad cartoons.

So yes, as we approach another election cycle, Americans are aware of who is going to get voted off of “American Idol”, but they are blissfully ignorant of their rights under the Constitution, and what politicians may be doing to infringe upon them. I normally complain about low voter turnout in this country; but things like this make me wish that FOX would run an all-day marathon of “The Simpsons” every time the polls open.

By the way, the answers:
(1) Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie
(2) Speech, religion, press, assembly, right to petition for redress of grievances [I’ll admit I didn’t remember that last one]