In the last issue there was an article that called a required class on this nation’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, a “waste of students’ time and resources.” I took offense to this.
The fact of the matter is that ignorance of our founding documents is creating a naïve generation in this country. According to a recent poll by The First Amendment Center, only about 70 percent of people in this country know their right to freedom of speech, and after that, the number drops to below 30 percent that can name any of the other rights included in the first amendment.
This in and of itself is cause for concern. When citizens are unaware of their rights government takes advantage. No matter what the name of that government is. Whether it is a republic, democracy, monarchy or communism, government always wants more. That is the nature of the beast that is government.
The article goes on to say that President Harris Pastides will not comply with the law because he believes it to be “archaic.” He goes on to say that 60 percent of the students here at USC take political science classes where these documents are covered.
That may well be true I do not know. However it is unacceptable that 60 percent of people leave this university without knowing the basics of these documents. Last time I checked in college 60 percent is a D and you have to retake the class.
Furthermore the article goes on to say that this class is unnecessary because we learn all of this in our elementary, middle and high school years. While I agree that we learn some of the facts about these documents, I do not agree that means we really know anything about them.
In fact I am certain that I could stand on the Horseshoe on August 16 and ask as many people as would answer, the importance of the names Rutledge and Pinckney, and less than half could tell me. In fact if this college level information is not necessary I would ask why must I take English 101 or a math class, since I learned that in high school.
Why must I take classes in which I have already learned the information? Because there is information that kids in elementary, middle and high school cannot grasp.
In fact how many readers actually can name all four of SC’s signers of the Declaration? How about the Constitution? My point is there is more information that we must learn. If we do not then we risk its loss forever.
And to the author of that article, your statement “waste of students’ time and resources” is a slap in the face of every white marker at Arlington and every other national cemetery, including those buried abroad. Those we did not bring home.