Paul Slansky is frustrated that conservatives have captured the American Flag as their symbol. The emblem of the country's highest aspirations was mindlessly ceded to the holier-than-thou zealots who used it as a bludgeon against the less fanatical. Here's Slansky's solution: Progressives should take the American Flag back by displaying…
The ocean is now washing away the Alaskan village of 400 Inupiat villagers. According to story and these interviews by DemocracyNow's Amy Goodman, the villagers have responded by filing suit against twenty Oil, gas and electric companies, accusing them of "conspiracy to mislead the public about the causes of global…
Should you live in the suburbs or in the city to keep your housing and transportation costs in check? According to this interactive site developed by CNT and its collaborative partners, the Center for Transit Oriented Development, the answer is clear--live in the city. The bright red color-codings you'll find…
About some things, Americans are incredibly stupid. For instance, I’ve kept an eye on science and religion related ignorance for years. 15% of Americans don’t know that the Earth revolves around the sun. Half of the people in the United States (an allegedly “Christian Nation”) can’t name Genesis as the first book in the Bible.
There are a lot more statistics where those came from. If you’d like to read a few dozen zingers, read Rick Shenkman’s article in Alternet, “Ignorant America: Just How Stupid Are We?” There are some real head-shakers in Shenkman’s article. Several might have you wondering whether we should require citizens to pass rudimentary intelligence tests in order to vote. Shenkman’s compilation of stupidity had me wondering this. I know that this is an extremely controversial idea based on the way it has been misused in the past. It is clear, though that huge numbers of people have no idea how their government is designed to work, who is running their government, the basic characteristics of the scientific method, the basic facts of the religions to which they cling, or rudimentary principles of geography, history or economics. Now really . . . should such a person vote? This question makes me squirm.
I’m not really suggesting that we should take official government action to keep people from voting based on their intelligence levels. On the other hand, reading Shenkman’s article makes me wonder whether our “Get out the vote” campaigns should be focused on getting …
In America, many Republican politicians, including presidential candidate John McCain, are using the recent spike in oil prices to call for increased domestic production, including opening wildlife refuges to oil drilling. In response, opponents are arguing that increased production will merely perpetuate America's addiction to oil, worsening environmental damage and…