Is the youth of America ignorant about the world?

Question

Do you think many young americans are ignorant of whats going on in Iraq, afganistan, israel, american politics,,,,,,etc.....i read a poll somewhere that 60% of a 11th grd class didnt know where iraq was.

Why dont we have more young americans marching in the streets to protest iraq, like they did during vietnam (although there was a draft, which plays a big part) However, thousands and thousands are dying( both americans and iraqis), iraq is more unstable, there is more terrorism because of iraq.

EVEN THOUGHT 2/3 OF THE OCUNTRY OPPOSES BUSH, WHY ARE WE ALL NOT STANDING IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOSUE AND DEMANDING BUSH TO STOP?!

To Rhumba: Yes i kno this war is not like iraq in some ways, oviuslly the draft is the first reason.

In Iraq, today many are volunteers, and that is very brave, but they volunteered thinking that saddam had WMDS, and had connection to 9/11. both of which were fault, and many soldiers know well enough that u can not establish democracy thorugh the barrel of a gun, and therefore, many soldiers do not even want to fight. How can u win a war, when the soldiers do not belive they are fighting for the right cause?

WE KNOW now BUSH and his administration lied to us repeatedly, he said THERE ARE WMDS, THERE WAS A LINK BTWM SADDAM AND 9/11, THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO FEAR INSURGENCY AND WE WILL BE GREETED AS LIBERATORS AND WILL BE THROWN FLOWERS, OUR soldiers do get flowers, with bombs attaches to them. When will we wake up and realzize how terrible things are. We can not allow the admnstrtion to strike fear in to our hearts, so that tehy can continue their awful policy.

Answer 1

Americans are isolationist. They are fed constant propaganda by the news media. They know little about what happens outside their country. They are threatened when they express displeasure or dislike of their government.(ie Dixie Chicks)

Answer 2

This is not like Vietnam for two very big reasons. First of all, there isn't a draft that pulls 18 year olds away from their families and sends them 6000 miles away for 58,000 of them to be tortured and killed in the jungle for a cause that they do not understand. Vietnam era young people knew where Vietnam is because they knew they had a very good chance of ending up there and dying there.

The soldiers in the Iraq war are volunteers, enlisted men and women who made the brave choice to serve their country during a time of war.

The second reason is that the Vietnamese didn't attack the U.S. Politicians have associated the war in Iraq with the War on Terror and the bombings of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. I think it's very confusing for most Americans. Even if one is opposed to the war, there is always the fear that we could be attacked again and that maybe by fighting this war we're preventing another attack on American soil. Politicians told us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that there were Al Qaeda training camps there. They scared us into believing that Iraq could also be a terrorist threat to us.

I think that many millions of Americans hate the war, but hesitate to protest because we're all scared of terrorist attacks.

Answer 3

Of those 2/3 that oppose Bush, many are doing other things to help the country as well as to support themselves and are unable to drop everything and attend a protest. People may not be marching against the war because they see the very fine line between protesting the war and being disrespectful to our troops.

I do agree that many people are uninformed and uncaring about national and world events, I just think its important that it is understood people can make a difference in other ways besides a protest. The most important thing we can do as American's to influence the way the country is led is get out and VOTE!!!!!

Answer 4

Where's Iraq? Isn't that in like.. Canada or something?
Haha, just kidding. Seriously though, there's not much we can do. No matter how much we protest the war, it's not going to bring people home, because that section of the government doesn't care about our people. We're just numbers to them. I think the sad part of it is that people are still JOINING the military, when they should be refusing to go to Iraq or the Middle East in general, whether it meant going to jail or otherwise. If everyone refuses, the people outnumber the government, there's not much they can do, so we'd have 'em by the balls at least for a little while. ;D

Answer 5

Hey considering Canada is just a big grey mass on a weather map in the USA I'm sure that's the only reason they know where WE are too. Frankly, I can tell by the grammar posted here the education level of many who reply.

I think America in general doesn't really learn much about anything that hasn't involved IT directly, and that's not to be insulting because I have many American friends...it's just the way it is. The more isolated you are, the less you know too.

Answer 6

You and different 17 365 days olds is extremely not vote casting in a presidential election for 5 extra years. by skill of then maximum of you would be juniors or seniors in college. there's a lot of time to get knowledgeable to the dictates of the political realm. nonetheless, politics are actually not for each individual, however they impact us all. there's a reason teenagers will not be able to vote at 17 so do not hassle approximately it and don't think of of your self as better on your friends.

Answer 7

When the adults in this country don't get off their butts to vote there's no wonder the younger people aren't plugged into what's happening.

Vietnam & Iraq are very different wars.

Answer 8

There are a LOT of protestors. I agree that a lack of draft has a LOT to do with the fact that there are not more, but also, the corporation-owned media tends to underestimate the crowds

Answer 9

You got that right, and there are many who think a person needs a visa or passport to go to New Mexico..

Answer 10

heck, they don't even know anything about their own countrie.