Comments on: 77% Oklahoma High School Students Can’t Name 1st President?

By: Oklahoma High Schoolers Are Very Familiar With George Washington, Thanks

Oklahoma High Schoolers Are Very Familiar With George Washington, Thanks — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:25:23 +0000

[...] was the first President of the United States. At the time, my colleague James expressed his extreme skepticism of this result, a skepticism shared by most of the commenters. Well, as it turns out, this [...]

By: Julie717

Julie717 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:13:40 +0000

This survey was obviously completely fabricated--you can tell by looking at the alleged answers given to open-ended questions. For instance, 20 students (2%) answered the Monroe Doctrine was the supreme law of the land, but zero answered "Bible" or "Ten Commandments"? To the questions about the major parties, all the students either answered correctly, answered "Don't know", or answered "Republicans and Communists". No one answered "Republicans and Socialists", "Liberals and Conservatives", or "Dickweeds and Douchebags"? Sorry, it's just impossible that this survey was even administered, considering these results.

By: Another Matt

Another Matt — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:53:48 +0000

To be blunt, why should we care even if this survey was legitimate and the students didn't know this knowledge? When I was in high school, I would have missed 1/2 these questions, but I knew far more math, physics, and chemistry than the average student. At that point in my life, that's what was relevant to me. Who is the great arbiter that decides what knowledge is the fundamental knowledge that all citizens should know? As Dr. Joyner pointed out...trivia.

I went on to get a chemistry degree in college, and guess what? When politics became more important in my life, I learned what I needed to know to make myself a more informed voter.

Really, does anybody think that this is an issue? If so, I would legitimately be interested in hearing your arguments.

By: milowent

milowent — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:58:18 +0000

ah, thanks for providing some critical analysis, and thereby some hope that we are slightly less incredibly stupid than the survey suggests. But if you live in the U.S., are in High School, and you can't name the 1st president immediately, you should be deported.

By: TangoMan

TangoMan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:38:26 +0000

funny thing about those newspapers that will report on her Hong Kong speech...none of them will even be allowed in the room

So? The non-American press will seek out attendees and report on their impressions and the American press will follow standard procedures and make stuff up. Either way, there will be plenty of column inches resulting.

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:17:51 +0000

Fanboy strikes again...do you seriously believe that Sarah Palin somehow "kneecapped" the president's health care reform plans? Well, other than spreading lies about "death panels"...oh wait...I guess she did play a role...funny thing about those newspapers that will report on her Hong Kong speech...none of them will even be allowed in the room...let me guess, that's because the media is an evil, liberal conspiracy, right? It has nothing to do with the fact that she might spout some inane nonsense like she did to Charles Gibson and Katie Couric...as for your delusions that the president is somehow basing his schedule on whatever will preempt her...that leads to a point that we can definitely agree on...that is, that we both would love to see her run against him in 2012...although I suspect that realistic conservatives like this blog's host wouldn't care for that scenario...

By: TangoMan

TangoMan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:30:42 +0000

Will she also tell him what the Bush Doctrine was and name the newspapers she supposedly reads? Just curious...

She doesn't need to explain the Bush Doctrine after she's implemented it so successfully in regards to her preemptive kneecapping of ObamaCare. As for the newspapers, she can offer up the ones which publish her editorials and the ones which will report on her Hong Kong speech next Wednesday ( you knew there had to be a reason that President Obama signed on to open the UN session on that same day and to preside over the Security Council the next day - he wanted to steal her spotlight.)

Good all around.

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:35:11 +0000

Hey, anjin-san, maybe if win the bidding, (currently at $63,500) Governor Palin can have you over for dinner and explain the nuances of the Vice-Presidency to you.

Will she also tell him what the Bush Doctrine was and name the newspapers she supposedly reads? Just curious...

By: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:24:34 +0000

Sorry, that was for anjin-san. Damned immigrants screwed up my typing.

By: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:23:27 +0000

Interested:

Oh, my God, he not only has German racial attitudes, the poor man, he's stuck with their sense of humor, too.

By: TangoMan

TangoMan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:08:40 +0000

No, Michael Richards, I'm pretty sure it was anjin-san who exclaimed that he was rich. Now that you're no longer on Seinfeld perhaps you could place a bid too.

By: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:03:55 +0000

Interested: By the way, have you had a chance to read Peter Brimelow's book, "Alien Nation?" There's a rave review at the National Vanguard (white supremacist web site.) I'll just pull one fun graf:

Despite all this, Brimelow goes out of his way trying to persuade people that he isn't a racist--not that his denials throw the Jews off his scent for a second. In a recent episode of the television interview program Crossfire, the Jewish co-host Michael Kinsley hammered away at him for his alleged racism, citing one statement after another from his book with racial overtones and keeping Brimelow on the defensive throughout the program. One wonders why he doesn't just come right out and say, "Yes, I'm a racist. I want a White America for myself and my posterity, and there will be no place in it for Jews."

Yes, one does wonder that about Mr. Brimelow, doesn't one?

By: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:52:38 +0000

Is Sarah entertaining bids for a night of "naughty librarian and bad boy author?" Because I'll totally bring the thigh-high boots.

By: Michael Reynolds

Michael Reynolds — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:49:43 +0000

Peter:

I thought you were the one who was rich. And with a very young wife, too.

By: TangoMan

TangoMan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:47:18 +0000

Hey, anjin-san, maybe if win the bidding, (currently at $63,500) Governor Palin can have you over for dinner and explain the nuances of the Vice-Presidency to you. Go for it, you said you were rich, right?