1 in 3 highschool students think the press should be censored...
http//www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert?alertid=6886026&content_dir=ua_congressorg
If the link doesn't work (and I can't get it to) then here it is
One in three U.S. high school students say the press ought to be more restricted, and even more say the government should approve newspaper stories before readers see them, according to a survey being released today.
The survey of 112,003 students finds that 36% believe newspapers should get "government approval" of stories before publishing; 51% say they should be able to publish freely; 13% have no opinion.
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Is there anything more frightening than that? Can you imagine what that means? It means that highschool students here are so misinformed or ill-informed about history that they do not understand why freedom of the press is critical to the survival of democracy in the United States.
There is no true republican or democrat who supports anything but a free press. Citizen's have a right to read what they like and make their own decisions about what they believe.
So, tell your kids, today, why freedom of the press is absolutely critical and why they should be willing to die rather than let it go.
There is no point in fighting for democracy worldwide if we can't have it here at home.
Scary
I saw this survey in the media last week - it makes for very frightening reading.
Two thoughts though
1. it would be interesting to see a comparison with a similar age group from, say, 10 years ago to see whether the current views are influenced by the war on terror and the Bush administration's determined efforts to scare the pants off everyone for political ends.
2. It would be interesting to survey the same group, but put the questions within a context that they could better appreciate - do you think that the government should censor Desparate Housewives; do you think Eminem should have his lyrics approved by the President prior to release?
Might get a different response.
And I wonder how many of them actually read a newspaper or watch real, factual news rather then the magazine programs that pass for news over here?
It is scary, but come on ...one third of high school students are as thick as pigshlt and probably didn't even understand the question, never mind the implications. Stats probably wouldn't vary much if you asked the electorate........
(...hell, look who they voted for.... *ducks as johna warms up the keyboard*.....)
Doesn't it depend on what they want sensoring? I mean, when those two girls were killed in England, the press were sensored so there wouldn't be a problem prosecuting. If a similar thing happened here, may OJ would have actually been found guilty and Scott Peterson found not guilty?
Have to agree with Monster, though. For a country to vote back Bush, it does beg the question of just how intelligent the majority are!
Doesn't it depend on what they want sensoring? I mean, when those two girls were killed in England, the press were sensored so there wouldn't be a problem prosecuting. If a similar thing happened here, may OJ would have actually been found guilty and Scott Peterson found not guilty?
that isn't censoring - the information eventually came out, it was merely restricted to protect the rights of the accused and to ensure a fair trial. Something that is regarded as unnecessary in America :wink:
Otherwise, I agree with Monster - they probably did not understand the question -which is why I'd be interested to see, if it was put in a manner they could appreciate - whether they would have the same views.
I saw this survey in the media last week - it makes for very frightening reading.
Two thoughts though:
1. it would be interesting to see a comparison with a similar age group from, say, 10 years ago to see whether the current views are influenced by the war on terror and the Bush administration's determined efforts to scare the pants off everyone for political ends.
2. It would be interesting to survey the same group, but put the questions within a context that they could better appreciate - do you think that the government should censor Desparate Housewives; do you think Eminem should have his lyrics approved by the President prior to release?
Might get a different response.
Excellent thoughts.
I'd also be interested in seeing the same group's responses in say 15 years. Political awareness is rare in teenagers, but by the time they reach thirty some of the ignorant little sods will start to wake up.
I saw the article, and wasn't too worried by it. The vast majority of these kids aren't going to vote for at least a decade, if ever. There was a lot of hype about younger voters being more involved in this last election, but the statistics don't show any real change. The ones who do vote are the ones that care enough to make the effort. The rest spend the evening trying to avoid election coverage on the idiot box.
I suppose I should be saddened by low voter turnouts and whatnot, but I'm not. It seems a nice counterbalance to voter ignorance and general stupidity. I've been to the state fair. These people outnumber me by a large margin. It's best for everybody involved that they stay home and watch TV. God forbid someone should come up with some hot button issue that would stir them up and out. The results might be tragic. Oh wait, gay marriage... :o
Any group that supports any resticting of my rights and choices are a problem to me .
but i think ROB hit it on the head in a survey its how you word the questions to get the result you desire .
QUESTION
have you beaten you wife lately ?
70%said no
30% said yes .
RESULT OF POLL
30% of husbands STILL beat there wifes .
Another issue to consider is, even though press might not be censored, journalist access to information can be. I have heard that the white house has very tight control on which reporters get into press conferences As long as they continue to ask acceptable questions they are allowed back in the next time. That is not free press.
Who cares about American youths and what they think, they are just dull.
Who cares about American youths and what they think, they are just dull.
Considering many of us are parents of American youths I would say lots of us do.
I don't think my kids or plenty of their friends are dull at all.
Didn't mean to offend anyone here, and of course not your children, they have a British influence.
I just find the ones I've met so mind numbingly ignorant, boring and reactionary.
Surely you're in a position to change some of this though, Moo? Educating the young minds of tomorrow?
Thought you were a Ward Churchill type. D
I would more worried about american highschoolers having absolutely no idea whatsoever about how their country is run.
Example. My daughter (who is a straight 'A' student by the way) has just completed a class on Government and Law. Meant to teach her about how the country works. So I asked her a few questions.
1. How many Senators are there in the US ? Don't know.
2. How long is the term of a Senator ? Don't know.
3. How many congressman are there? Don't know
4. What is the electoral college? Don't know
5. Who is the Secretary Of State? Don't know
6. If the President and the Vice President die, who becomes President ? Don't know.
7. What are the 3 branches of Government ? Don't know
8. How old do you have to be to vote ? Don't know
9. How old you have to be to drink ? Don't know
10. What does "at will" mean ? Don't know.
Okay, do we really care what high school students think. Should we not be more worried about the fact that they do not think at all.
How come I know the answers to all these questions and I bloody hate America.
My little girl is not the brightest spark and she spells underwear - underwhere, so in the name of God, why is she a straight 'A' student?
I would more worried about american highschoolers having absolutely no idea whatsoever about how their country is run.
Example. My daughter (who is a straight 'A' student by the way) has just completed a class on Government and Law. Meant to teach her about how the country works. So I asked her a few questions.
1. How many Senators are there in the US ? Don't know.
2. How long is the term of a Senator ? Don't know.
3. How many congressman are there? Don't know
4. What is the electoral college? Don't know
5. Who is the Secretary Of State? Don't know
6. If the President and the Vice President die, who becomes President ? Don't know.
7. What are the 3 branches of Government ? Don't know
8. How old do you have to be to vote ? Don't know
9. How old you have to be to drink ? Don't know
10. What does "at will" mean ? Don't know.
Okay, do we really care what high school students think. Should we not be more worried about the fact that they do not think at all.
How come I know the answers to all these questions and I bloody hate America.
My little girl is not the brightest spark and she spells underwear - underwhere, so in the name of God, why is she a straight 'A' student?
It goes beyond High school. I'm wary of postingt his because I know there are people on this site who work in education and know far more than me; however my partner is just finishing a masters. She is exceptionally clever and deserves her repeated A grades- but some of what I see scares me. (and I mean "scares" in the literal sense).
Much of her studies are online, through an entirely legitimate and well known University. She studies 'criminal justice'. In MA there is something called the Quinn Bill - essentially it is aimed at Law Enforcement officers, if they obtain a degree they are automatically entitled to a pay rise.
Naturally this is popular with police officers and also with Universities that make money from the course fees. Equally naturally the police officers often want to do the minimum necessary and the schools, which compete for business want to attract students - don't want to be too hard.
Because the courses are online (and thus flexible and particularly attractive to people who work irregular hours) each student gets to read the contributions of the other students. My partner shows me some of what her classmates write.
Frightening isn't the word to describe the result. When I consider that some of these students are responsible for homeland security, investigating serious crimes or just operating a motor vehicle - my hair turns gray.
I have no doubt that many of them would have difficulty answering some of those questions - one or two might not be able to answer any.
Presently my partner is studying a Homeland Security course, taught by a member of the DHS, primarily to people who are responsible for Homeland security - the level of ignorance and xenophobia is breathtaking - and mostly unchallenged. We're talking about a level of understanding that makes Sean Hannity look like an intellectual and Fox News like C-Span.
Now, not all the students are like this and I must put in that caveat - but how anyone can get a Masters without knowing a few fundamentals about there own country and the operation of its constitution, its criminal courts and justice system and then get a pay rise as well... :o