youthere
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Fri Oct-20-06 11:52 PM
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I mentioned Cheney..she said "Who?" |
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Went down to the gas station to get a soda. Nice little gal behind the counter. The daughter of one of my friends. So I'm chit chatting with her and the subject of the gas prices comes up and I make a snarky comment about "Bush and the prince of darkness Dick Cheney" and she says to me "Who is that?" I say "The vice president" and she says "Of the United States?" I say "Yes". She has this blank look on her face. Searching...searching. She shakes her head "Never heard of him." Did I mention she just graduated and has started her first year of college? I don't know if I should cry or scream.
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Viva_La_Revolution
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Fri Oct-20-06 11:55 PM
Response to Original message |
1. scream, then cry, then |
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dig out that 1/2 pint of Ben and Jerry's in the back of the freezer.
:hug:
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Towlie
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Fri Oct-20-06 11:55 PM
Response to Original message |
youthere
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Fri Oct-20-06 11:58 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
4. I asked her if she was registered and she isn't. |
Raine
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Sun Oct-22-06 04:19 AM
Response to Reply #4 |
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at least she is not taking her ignorance to the polls and voting. x(
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Speck Tater
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Fri Oct-20-06 11:56 PM
Response to Original message |
3. Perhaps America has the government it deserves. (nt) |
upi402
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:43 AM
Response to Reply #3 |
Mind_your_head
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Sat Oct-21-06 12:13 AM
Response to Original message |
5. Well, you could start "edjamacating" her a little..... |
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... perhaps her mom/dad too?
She's only 18-19, but she's still got a long voting/citizenship life ahead of her (hopefully). Start "turning her on" to how what goes on in politics/government directly affects her and her life.
Good luck. :hi:
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OwnedByFerrets
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Sat Oct-21-06 12:13 AM
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6. I am not the least bit surprised....... |
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this is much more prevalent than we suspect.
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Temporary1
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Sat Oct-21-06 12:14 AM
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7. America is very politically ignorant |
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I'd say most people know who Bush and Cheney are but know little about the true nature of their policies.
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NMMNG
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Sat Oct-21-06 12:24 AM
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8. Well, she did just spend the last several years under |
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"No child left behind". :eyes:
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Warren DeMontague
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Sat Oct-21-06 12:26 AM
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9. As her if she knows the name of Tom and Katie's baby. |
Raine
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Sun Oct-22-06 04:26 AM
Response to Reply #9 |
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if she knows that then she probably got it off the TV and one would think that in passing she might have heard the name Cheney. :silly: When Cheney shot that guy in the face even shows like ET had something about that!
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Jed Dilligan
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:01 AM
Response to Original message |
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graduated high school with a B average in the 80s, and didn't know we'd ever been at war with Japan.
Ignorance is the first luxury we should be thinking about giving up.
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bobbieinok
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:36 AM
Response to Reply #10 |
12. didn't W early on talk about 100 years of friendship between US + Japan? |
Art_from_Ark
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Sun Oct-22-06 07:32 AM
Response to Reply #12 |
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"It begins here because for a century and a half** now, America and Japan have formed one of the great and enduring alliances of modern times..." Straight from the horse's web site http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020218-2.html
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Catherine Vincent
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:35 AM
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11. She's one of millions that doesn't vote. |
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Millions don't care who gets elected. Sad.
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Frustratedlady
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:40 AM
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13. I know quite a few adults who are professionals, but |
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refuse to watch the news, because the situation is so bad and so complicated, they have just thrown up their hands in disgust. In fact, I asked an electrical engineer what he thought of Karl Rove. He'd never heard of him. It's not that they are ignorant of world affairs, the corruption and incompetence has turned them totally off.
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upi402
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Sat Oct-21-06 01:44 AM
Response to Reply #13 |
15. there is no news to watch! |
marions ghost
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Sun Oct-22-06 07:50 AM
Response to Reply #13 |
24. Right--lots of people are allergic....not ignorant |
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these are the ones I run up against. Not the 'blissfully ignorant' but the self-blinded ostriches. Many are well-educated professionals. But they believe they have no way to influence the government and it's not their job anyway. It's easier to go through life not caring. It's easier to concentrate on your own little microcosm. There's also a fear driving this among the very competitive--the unspoken idea that you need to grab what's yours before someone else gets it. "Community" thinking is passe. We are edging closer to Lord of the Flies.
In some ways you can't blame people for just wanting to live, instead of trying to change things that are very difficult to change. We shouldn't have to be "saving democracy" in America, when you think about it. Not if the system were really working. It is a daunting task. But a passive attitude on the public's part is just FINE with the powers that be. I don't know how you get through to these people that what happens in Washington affects them directly, if the frightening Boosh era hasn't done it.
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donsu
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Sun Oct-22-06 12:00 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
37. poor people too refuse to watch or listen to any news, I've witnessed |
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this first hand.
that's why I say americans won't revolt unless beer & cigs. become scarce or priced out of their league or cable gets too expensive for them to watch.
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Towlie
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Sun Oct-22-06 01:02 AM
Response to Original message |
16. Cheney? Kerry? Whatever! |
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A Friend: "I don't care all that much for Bush, but I really couldn't stand that guy he was running with."
Me: "You mean Cheney?"
Friend: "Yeah, Cheney. I figured Bush would be better than that guy!"
Me: "Oh, you mean the guy Bush was running against."
Friend: "Right. I figure Bush is doing a better job than Cheney would have."
Me: "His name is Kerry."
Friend: "Yeah, whatever."
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sakabatou
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Sun Oct-22-06 04:48 AM
Response to Original message |
ecstatic
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Sun Oct-22-06 05:47 AM
Response to Original message |
20. In a way, I envy her blissful ignorance |
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I can't help but think I'd be happier if I knew little or nothing about what is going on in our government right now.
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malaise
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Sun Oct-22-06 06:24 AM
Response to Original message |
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I spoke with one of my nephews yesterday. He's 18 and says he's voting for the first time on Election Day.
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youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:48 AM
Response to Reply #21 |
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Boy I hope your nephew is the rule and this girl is the exception. I really really do.
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cigsandcoffee
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Sun Oct-22-06 06:36 AM
Response to Original message |
22. How is that not covered in four years of high school? |
Vinca
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Sun Oct-22-06 08:10 AM
Response to Reply #22 |
27. Apparently civics is one of the classes more commonly axed. |
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Funny how they always have money for football, though.
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zanne
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Sun Oct-22-06 07:58 AM
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25. Nobody is that ignorant. |
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Even if you try to avoid having any knowledge of current events, you just can't get by without at least hearing a newscast, or a part of it, now and again. She was playing dumb. Had to be.
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youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:47 AM
Response to Reply #25 |
30. Well if it was, it was pretty convincing... |
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I've known this girl for awhile (through her parents). No one would ever mistake her for the brightest bulb in the lamp, but I can't imagine any individual graduating high school without knowing who the current leaders of their country are. She's always been one of those "Omigawd!" kind of teenagers but this..this is just..wow.
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in_cog_ni_to
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Sun Oct-22-06 08:06 AM
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26. OMG. She isn't old enough to vote, is she? |
youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:43 AM
Response to Reply #26 |
28. Yep..she's old enough allright. |
stop the bleeding
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:45 AM
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29. IMO - this would be a good opportunity |
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to educate her and possibly get her to vote in the next election
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youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:50 AM
Response to Reply #29 |
Lurking Dem
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:49 AM
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32. Is our children learning? |
youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:51 AM
Response to Reply #32 |
Fleshdancer
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:55 AM
Response to Original message |
35. Please tell me you're joking |
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:wow:
In situations like this, it's best not to choose between crying or screaming...just do both. :banghead:
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youthere
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Sun Oct-22-06 11:58 AM
Response to Reply #35 |
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to her credit, she did know that George Bush was president...but she didn't know his father was-she though George W. led us into the first gulf war, as well as Iraq.
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