Why is it that Americans seem to not understand the Constitution?

Question

Including George Bush

No bad language please!!!! I actually don't like hearing that.

I have heard so many stupid questions on here about how it has no base. And I am angry cause it is our countrys basic foundation. Also some Americans don't seem to understand it not all

Yes I am an American born and bred in this country.

Mr. BluffMikeI do not operate a slurpy machine.

Answer 1

Great, another political statement.

The Constitution is a very flexible document. Some things need to be amended as time goes on.

For example, the forefathers never could have envisioned the Search and Seizure aspect to be targeted towards something like a computer/internet.

Plus, as the world becomes an even more global village, through internet, etc.....you will find a lot of national documents will be changed.

For example, I could be downloading child porn from a guy in Holland, who stores his files on a server in Turkey.

In the 21st century, the Consitution has to be changed on several fronts anyways.

As for Americans not knowing anything about it, that really shouldnt surprise you. Education is very low on the priority list of most of us. Truly important things like a flashy car, or some bling are much more important than things like where the country is heading.

"As long as I gets mine" is the prevailing attitude amoungst many of us, especially as you look towards the younger groups. I mean, why bother spending a bunch of time learning about an old document, when we can watch American Idol? lol.

Answer 2

Oh, the Constitution is just about at the bottom of the enormous pile of things that Americans do not understand. Americans understand "stuff," "junk," i.e. their posessions. Ideas, being incorporeal, and thoughts, being not fostered in the American way often are tossed aside, unrecognized. Instead of thinking, Americans have TV, which seeds their little brains with all kinds of crazy stuff. No one really wants them to begin thinking; if they did the economy would collapse! (Example: "employee pricing" means that here's a huge truck that no one but a general contractor would use. The typical brainless American can be tricked into climbing into those things even as oil approaches $80 per barrel. Why do Americans seem to not understand the simple principles of appropriate technology and harm reduction?) Back to your question, if they ever really examined the Constitution, or had gotten to know George Bush beforehand, he never would have squeaked into office (of course he was just a Trojan Horse bearing the real menace, Cheney!) John Dewey had the answer almost 100 years ago. I doubt if 1 in 100 Ameicans even know who he was.

Answer 3

George Bush is not the number one enemy. I hear a lot of bad talk about him, and people seem to think he is diabolically hurting us. Did you see what he said today at the UN? It proves he has no fundamental understanding of the issues.

The problem is his administration, the far-right-wingers of the Republican Party (which is mostly decent, except for the right-wingers), and the media's focus on violence and scare tactics. Most rights Bush has broken are not even IN the Constitution but simply argued as "implied" by the Supreme Court..

Answer 4

Maybe you could enlighten us as to which part of the constitution you are referring to. I'll assume you are referring the the Guantanamo Bay folks. The constitution was not written to protect people we are fighting against in a war. The Geneva convention does not protect people fighting under no official flag. Military tribunal is the only way to try these people. Some politically motivated federal court judges don't understand the constitution and neither do you.

Answer 5

It's a document that was written over 200 years ago by white male christians, some people can't seem to fit that in their heads.
Examples of what people are not understanding: The Constitution does grant you freedom of life, property, and the pursuit of hapiness (which means to better yourself through education and make a better life for yourself, not sit on your a$$ and smoke crack all day) The Constitution does not, however, grant you freedom of privacy, the right to infringe the rights of others, or the right to do whatever you please, including what you say.

Answer 6

We don't HAVE to understand it.
We tend to take for granted what we were given by the good luck of having been born here.
We don't have to worry that a gang of gunmen will come to our kid's school and press them into immediate service in a guerilla war as in some african countries.
We don't realize how the things women do everyday would get them jail time or shot in other countries, like driving a car or smoking in public.
We don't stone our daughters to death for "cheating" on their husbands.
We don't have to memorize the rambling philosophy of our leaders Minds recite it in public before being allowed to enter college.
We are not expected to or rewarded for commiting suicide because our minister says God said to do it.
And Bush has the Secret Service and the FBI and Homeland Security to protect him from public outrage unlike some leaders who are waiting to be shot for bad decisions.

I remember as long ago as 1970, a college wrote the Bill of Rights in plain language and asked people to sign it, as a petition. Only one in ten people recognized it as the Bill of Rights. Many refused to sign it on the basis that it was, stupid, dangerous, communist, they just didn't realize it was hard won and easily taken for granted and yet, it is the one thing protecting us, assuring us, making us the envy of the planet and special.

Answer 7

The problem is the Constitution is seen as a living breathing document, when the Constitution does not fit ones needs it is just expanded or contracted never amended. But also what do you have when enforcers of the law are breaking that same law.

Answer 8

The Constitution by itself is not such a complex document. Interpreting and applying it in our complex society is a tremendous challenge.

The Supreme Court is responsible for that. I think most people are so unaware because they never had to encounter it directly and did a "brain dump after high school govt.

I've had a fair amount of experience with Constitutional law because we had to seek forced legal guardianship of our elderly mom.

We successfully obtained the guardianship, but it was the most difficult legal challenge one could ever attempt. It is amazingly difficult to strip an individual of his/her Constitutional rights--even to save her life.

It is not unlawful for one to neglect themself, even to the point of death if an individual is deemed capable of making a rational choice. Nor is it unlawful to be severely mentally ill if one can essentially care for oneself. That is why there are so many homeless people wandering around muttering.

The Constitution is an incredible concept--not just a document. Those who believe it can be easily violated, especially by any public servant, are badly misinformed. The president can push the limits of his presidential powers as described within the Constitution by arguing the interpretation of it, but he is effectively leashed by it.

My little old ma, out of her mind and in a wheel chair, almost defeated four highly-capable adult children. She was armed with only a court appointed attorney and her Constitutional rights. It was an incredible legal battle. I intend to write a book about it.
Had we lost, Ma would have died horribly, but with her rights intact.

Answer 9

Does he write about the way you operate the slurpy machine at your job?

Answer 10

Some do. When I was in high school I was required to read and have a knowledge of the basic constitution. As for the amendments, there are hundreds of amendments, so we werent required to read them. I find that its our modern life that doesnt afford us as much time to do things we might otherwise like to.