Some people just don’t like us ordinary folks. Those of use who, according to Barack Hussein Obama cling to our guns and our religion out of bitterness. Use people in fly-over country, who hold good, strong beliefs about our faith, and our country.
People like the Joseph L. Conn who wrote this editorial about the how stupid and ignorant of the U.S. Constitution the majority of Americans are. see, the "State of the First Amendment" study came out recently. And this guy picked and focused on two questions on which to base his disgust of use normal people. Two questions, out of more than 40, in which the answers did not skew to his preference, and uses that to tell the rest of us regular folks how dolts we are.
Here’s the questions, and the answers:
The U.S. Constitution establishes a Christian nation.
| |
2007
|
2008
|
| Strongly agree |
38%
|
36%
|
| Mildly agree |
17%
|
19%
|
| Mildly disagree |
15%
|
15%
|
| Strongly disagree |
26%
|
24%
|
| DK/Ref. |
4%
|
7%
|
The nation’s founders intended the United States to be a Christian nation.
| |
2007
|
2008
|
| Strongly agree |
46%
|
46%
|
| Mildly agree |
19%
|
17%
|
| Mildly disagree |
12%
|
13%
|
| Strongly disagree |
19%
|
19%
|
| DK/Ref. |
4%
|
5%
|
Now, Ol’ Joey there is appalled, and it seems rather worried that a whopping 63% of Americans responded that they mildly or strongly agree that our founding fathers intended the US to be a Christian nation. Also, that 55% responded they mildly or strongly agree the Constitution establishes a Christian nation. Note, please, that it does NOT say a theocracy.
Here is the rub in these questions. What are the people saying when they answered these questions. There are no qualifying explanations of what they mean by a ‘Christian Nation’. If the respondent asked "what do you mean a Christian nation?" What did the questioner respond with? We don’t know this. If asked for clarification, did the interviewer assure the respondent they did not mean a theocracy, but merely a nation based on Christian principles? If that is the case (and somehow, I suspect it is), these answers are dead-on, and as they should be.
Joe spews his stuff about how the religious right has brain-washed the bunch of us. Because, you know, according to him (it would seem) we’re all a bunch of idiots who don’t know any better. I’m certain, under all that disgust, he really feels sorry for us poor saps.
What he fails to mention in his "shame on you" article is the following question:
| |
1997
|
2000
|
2007
|
2008
|
| Applies to all religious groups regardless of how extreme their beliefs are |
69%
|
72%
|
56%
|
54%
|
| Was never meant to apply to religious groups that the majority of the people consider extreme or on the fringe |
24%
|
19%
|
27%
|
29%
|
| Neither |
2%
|
3%
|
6%
|
6%
|
| DK/Ref. |
5%
|
6%
|
10%
|
10%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So, this guy, who appears to be in fear of people wanting a theocracy, and wanting to stifle and squash the religious freedom of others, completely neglects the fact that a whopping 54% of the people believe the US Constitution applies to all religious groups regardless of their extremism. Granted, since 2000 that ideal has lost a bit of traction, but then, who would not have expected that.
Dealing with these three questions alone, I’m personally encouraged by the response people have given. Especially if you look at it objectively, without trying to read things into that may or may not be there.
I’m going to post some more on this study here in the near future – there are some fascinating responses in there, things I would not have guess, and some things which almost seem to directly contradict other answers, so stay tuned. This guy’s article just caught my attention, and my ire. It irks me when people skew the numbers just to try a make something out of nothing at all.
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September 22nd, 2008 
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