Hobbit
03-18-2007, 02:26 AM
Neal Boortz brought this up on his web site and in his new book. The following quiz was written in the Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times. It was entitle "How Patriotic Are You" and was part of an article about how few Americans know the basics of their own history.
1. What is the date that the Declaration of Independence was signed?
2. What document is the legal framework of the United States?
3. Who wrote the words to the "Star Spangled Banner?"
4. What is the Pledge of Allegiance?
5. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
6. What is the number of original Colonies?
7. Who was the first president of the United States?
8. What is the minimum voting age in the United States?
9. Who is the current governor of North Carolina?
10. What is the motto of North Carolina?
That is the most moronic, idiotic, shallow, meanignless, plebian, empty tests of a person's patriotism I've ever barfed on in my entire life. Only questions 2 and 8 actually have any bearing on anything. The motto of North Carolina matters about as much as the point on "Whose Line is it, Anyway (U.S. version)" or the French Army. Now, here's an actual test of one's patriotism. Hunker down, 'cause it's 66 questions instead of a measley 10.
1. Forget when the Declaration of Independence was signed (Hint: It wasn't July 4). Instead, explain why it was signed. What were the signers trying to accomplish?
2. What happened to the men who signed the Declaration? Did they go on to be heroes and live happily ever after?
3. What does the Declaration of Independence say the people can do when a govenment becomes destructive to the ends of liberty?
4. Are we about there?
5. What would happen to anyone who tried today to alter or abolish our government if it became destructive to the idea that government derives its powers from the consent of the governed?
6. Which articles of the Constitution grant specific powers to the federal government?
7. Which article of the Constitution restricts the powers of the government to only those specifically set forth in the Constitution?
8. Which article of the Constitution do you imagine is the one most often ignored by the Congress of the United States?
9. Describe the circumstances under which Francis Scott Key wrote the words to "The Star Spangled Banner."
10. Do you believe people living in a free country ought to be compelled to recite a pledge of allegiance to that country? Why?
11. If you a re required to recite a pledge of allegiance, are you really free?
12. Was the Revolutionary War supported by a majority of the colonists?
13. Should Washington have developed an "exit strategy" before he ever led his troops into battle during the Revolutionary War?
14. Where in our Constitution is it stated that anyone has a right to vote for the office of president of the United States?
15. How did our original Constitution provide for the appointment of senators?
16. Most foreign countries appoint an ambassador to be their official representative before the government of the United States. Who officially represents the fifty state governments before the government of the United States?
17. Explain the difference between a rule of law and the rule of man.
18. Explain the difference between a democracy and a constitutional republic.
19. Was our country founded as a country of majority rule?
20. Can you imagin what our country would be like today if the majority did rule?
21. Aren't you glad the majority doesn't rule?
22. If two wolves and one sheep vote on what they're going to have for dinner, what do you think the menu will look like?
23. Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things who the governor of North Carolina is?
24. Isn't a governor something you put on a state to keep it from moving ahead very fast?
25. What possible benefit could you gain by memorizing the motto of the state of North Carolina--or any other state, for that matter?
26. how many times cant he word "democracy" be found in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution?
27. How many times can the word "democracy" be found int he constitutions of any of the fifty states?
28. What does this tell you?
29. Define "civil war."
30. Was the war between the Northern and Southern states in the mid-1800s a civil war?
31. Who is the third in the line of succession to the presidency?
32. Based on your answer to the foregoing question, would you demand that George Bush and Dick Cheney never eat from the same conainer of potato salad now that the Democrat Pary is in controll of the House and the Senate?
33. How did the political class manage to fool the people of the United States into supporting a Constitutional Amendement creating an income tax?
34. How do most people get their news on a daily basis?
35. Does the "freedom of the press" clause in the First Amendment apply to the broadcast media?
36. So, do most people get their news from agencies licensed to operate by the federal government?
37. Why were the words "under God" placed into the Pledge of Allegiance?
38. Do you think it's proper for the federal government to compel the students attending government schools under the compulsory attendance laws to acknowledge the role of God in the formation of our country? Would this constitute "effecting an establishment of religion"? If not, why not?
39. Do Americans derive their basic rights from the Constitution?
40. If we don't derive our rights from the Constitution, just why was the Bill of Rights added, anyway?
41. Define a system of government where the mean of production are owned and controlled privately.
42. Define a system of government where the means of production are privately owned but controlled by the government.
43. Define a system of government where the means of production are owned and controlled by the government.
44. Why do liberals have such a tough time answering question number 42?
45. What percentage of total income is earned byt eh top 1 percent of income earners?
46. What percentage of total income taxes collected by the federal government is paid by the top 1 percent of income earners?
47. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S. citizens may vote for the office of president of the United States? (caution: trick question)
48. Name one right that a state government can exercise without interference from the federal level.
49. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S. citizens may vote for members of the House of Representatives?
50. Look at the Bill of Rights. List any amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the powers of the government.
51. If our Constitution provides for equal protection under the law, why, then, does the Voting Rights Act only apply to certain states that were held in political disfavor in the 1970s?
52. List any amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the rights of individuals.
53. If the Bill of Rights was written to limit the rights of government and to guarantee certain rights to the individual, try to explain why so many people seem to think that the Second Amendment was written to limit the rights of the individuals and guarantee the rights of government?
54. Does the First Amendment protect speech that some people might find offensive?
55. Explain how our republic was threatened when Janet Jackson showed the world that she likes to wear a Japanese throwing star on the nipple of her left breast.
56. What is the one exclusive power our government has that no individual or business can legally exercise?
57. If we were playing rock-paper-scissors and treaties with foreign nations duly ratified by our Senate were the paper, would our Constitution be the rock or the scissors?
58. Do you have the right to use force to take money from a stranger if you're going to give that money to someone in need?
59. Explain the concept of our government deriving its power from the consent of the governed.
60. Now explain how you can tell the government to do something for you that, if you did it for yourself, would be a crim.
61. Should the government make something you might do a crime if that action doesn't violate another person's right to life, liberty, or property through force or fraud?
62. How many votes must you have in the Senate to be assured that a piece of legislation will pass?
63. Do you have a choice as to whether or not you pay Social Security taxes?
64. Why, then, do they call Social Security taxes "contributions?"
65. What is the average age of a country or society based on the rule of law and guaranteeing freedom, individual rights, and economic liberty?
66. Has the United States outlived its life expectancy?
So many things to cover. So little time. There's your quiz.
1. What is the date that the Declaration of Independence was signed?
2. What document is the legal framework of the United States?
3. Who wrote the words to the "Star Spangled Banner?"
4. What is the Pledge of Allegiance?
5. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
6. What is the number of original Colonies?
7. Who was the first president of the United States?
8. What is the minimum voting age in the United States?
9. Who is the current governor of North Carolina?
10. What is the motto of North Carolina?
That is the most moronic, idiotic, shallow, meanignless, plebian, empty tests of a person's patriotism I've ever barfed on in my entire life. Only questions 2 and 8 actually have any bearing on anything. The motto of North Carolina matters about as much as the point on "Whose Line is it, Anyway (U.S. version)" or the French Army. Now, here's an actual test of one's patriotism. Hunker down, 'cause it's 66 questions instead of a measley 10.
1. Forget when the Declaration of Independence was signed (Hint: It wasn't July 4). Instead, explain why it was signed. What were the signers trying to accomplish?
2. What happened to the men who signed the Declaration? Did they go on to be heroes and live happily ever after?
3. What does the Declaration of Independence say the people can do when a govenment becomes destructive to the ends of liberty?
4. Are we about there?
5. What would happen to anyone who tried today to alter or abolish our government if it became destructive to the idea that government derives its powers from the consent of the governed?
6. Which articles of the Constitution grant specific powers to the federal government?
7. Which article of the Constitution restricts the powers of the government to only those specifically set forth in the Constitution?
8. Which article of the Constitution do you imagine is the one most often ignored by the Congress of the United States?
9. Describe the circumstances under which Francis Scott Key wrote the words to "The Star Spangled Banner."
10. Do you believe people living in a free country ought to be compelled to recite a pledge of allegiance to that country? Why?
11. If you a re required to recite a pledge of allegiance, are you really free?
12. Was the Revolutionary War supported by a majority of the colonists?
13. Should Washington have developed an "exit strategy" before he ever led his troops into battle during the Revolutionary War?
14. Where in our Constitution is it stated that anyone has a right to vote for the office of president of the United States?
15. How did our original Constitution provide for the appointment of senators?
16. Most foreign countries appoint an ambassador to be their official representative before the government of the United States. Who officially represents the fifty state governments before the government of the United States?
17. Explain the difference between a rule of law and the rule of man.
18. Explain the difference between a democracy and a constitutional republic.
19. Was our country founded as a country of majority rule?
20. Can you imagin what our country would be like today if the majority did rule?
21. Aren't you glad the majority doesn't rule?
22. If two wolves and one sheep vote on what they're going to have for dinner, what do you think the menu will look like?
23. Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things who the governor of North Carolina is?
24. Isn't a governor something you put on a state to keep it from moving ahead very fast?
25. What possible benefit could you gain by memorizing the motto of the state of North Carolina--or any other state, for that matter?
26. how many times cant he word "democracy" be found in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution?
27. How many times can the word "democracy" be found int he constitutions of any of the fifty states?
28. What does this tell you?
29. Define "civil war."
30. Was the war between the Northern and Southern states in the mid-1800s a civil war?
31. Who is the third in the line of succession to the presidency?
32. Based on your answer to the foregoing question, would you demand that George Bush and Dick Cheney never eat from the same conainer of potato salad now that the Democrat Pary is in controll of the House and the Senate?
33. How did the political class manage to fool the people of the United States into supporting a Constitutional Amendement creating an income tax?
34. How do most people get their news on a daily basis?
35. Does the "freedom of the press" clause in the First Amendment apply to the broadcast media?
36. So, do most people get their news from agencies licensed to operate by the federal government?
37. Why were the words "under God" placed into the Pledge of Allegiance?
38. Do you think it's proper for the federal government to compel the students attending government schools under the compulsory attendance laws to acknowledge the role of God in the formation of our country? Would this constitute "effecting an establishment of religion"? If not, why not?
39. Do Americans derive their basic rights from the Constitution?
40. If we don't derive our rights from the Constitution, just why was the Bill of Rights added, anyway?
41. Define a system of government where the mean of production are owned and controlled privately.
42. Define a system of government where the means of production are privately owned but controlled by the government.
43. Define a system of government where the means of production are owned and controlled by the government.
44. Why do liberals have such a tough time answering question number 42?
45. What percentage of total income is earned byt eh top 1 percent of income earners?
46. What percentage of total income taxes collected by the federal government is paid by the top 1 percent of income earners?
47. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S. citizens may vote for the office of president of the United States? (caution: trick question)
48. Name one right that a state government can exercise without interference from the federal level.
49. Where in our Constitution does it specifically state that only U.S. citizens may vote for members of the House of Representatives?
50. Look at the Bill of Rights. List any amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the powers of the government.
51. If our Constitution provides for equal protection under the law, why, then, does the Voting Rights Act only apply to certain states that were held in political disfavor in the 1970s?
52. List any amendments in the Bill of Rights that were ratified for the purpose of limiting the rights of individuals.
53. If the Bill of Rights was written to limit the rights of government and to guarantee certain rights to the individual, try to explain why so many people seem to think that the Second Amendment was written to limit the rights of the individuals and guarantee the rights of government?
54. Does the First Amendment protect speech that some people might find offensive?
55. Explain how our republic was threatened when Janet Jackson showed the world that she likes to wear a Japanese throwing star on the nipple of her left breast.
56. What is the one exclusive power our government has that no individual or business can legally exercise?
57. If we were playing rock-paper-scissors and treaties with foreign nations duly ratified by our Senate were the paper, would our Constitution be the rock or the scissors?
58. Do you have the right to use force to take money from a stranger if you're going to give that money to someone in need?
59. Explain the concept of our government deriving its power from the consent of the governed.
60. Now explain how you can tell the government to do something for you that, if you did it for yourself, would be a crim.
61. Should the government make something you might do a crime if that action doesn't violate another person's right to life, liberty, or property through force or fraud?
62. How many votes must you have in the Senate to be assured that a piece of legislation will pass?
63. Do you have a choice as to whether or not you pay Social Security taxes?
64. Why, then, do they call Social Security taxes "contributions?"
65. What is the average age of a country or society based on the rule of law and guaranteeing freedom, individual rights, and economic liberty?
66. Has the United States outlived its life expectancy?
So many things to cover. So little time. There's your quiz.