I subscribe to the Rasmussen Reports web site, as I’m interested in following the polls in this election year. Rasmussen runs many surveys that are about the US, the nation’s views on many topics, including some which prompt me to scratch my head at the response.
Yesterday’s headline from Rasmussen –
74% Know July Fourth Celebrates Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
Huh? One in four adults don’t know why we barbeque today? I asked Jane2.0 (my daughter, 13) “What do we celebrate today?” She replied “It’s Independence Day.” Ok. “What happened today, exactly?” “They signed the Declaration of Independence.” Whew. No flies on her. To be fair, the exact wording of the poll question was “Does the 4th of July celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence or the ratification of the U.S. Constitution?”
The constitution is important, but the Declaration of Independence is huge. I love this image. And I’m sorry it’s on a bill that’s not widely circulated. Years ago, I asked my bank to order me a bunch and they said they come 1000 at a time. They agreed to order a 1000 if I took 500. I’ve been spending them here and there ever since.
Since, by the laws of adverse selection, my readership isn’t random, I’ll assume that any US, Canadian, or Mexican readers already know what today is, and for the rest of the world, if you didn’t know, now you do.
Happy July 4th!
We should be saying ” Happy Independence Day ” instead of ” Happy 4th of July” or “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” or ” Happy Hanukkah”. We get exactly the ignorance we ask for. Schools don’t teach civics as it should; but citizens should know it like the back of their hand.
We would know we live in a Republic, not a Democracy where the majority rules.
We would know the executive branch is constitionally bound to execute or uphold the law, the legislature writes and passes the laws and the judicial branch decides whether the law has been broken, the defendant was treated as the law dictates or whether the law is correct by the Constitution.
When we stopped knowing this years ago because we took it for granted or found it boring, so now the U.S. no longer is for or by the people.
We chosen the path of least resistance and do things because “it’s fair” and not because it is right.
God save this country.