How do we even start to pierce the veil of ignorance that covers so many American citizens?

[Stinky The Clown]

Abject ignorance.

Chronic ignorance.

Hate inducing ignorance.

Proudly worn ignorance.

Suffocating ignorance.

Stunting ignorance.

Encouraged ignorance.

How do we get through to people who eschew critical thought for mob membership?

Where do we even start?

[John Q. Citizen]

1. "Pinks will be pinks," according to Bob Dobbs.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Shatter stereotypes, for one thing

Whenever anyone talks about "scary Muslims" I ask them if they realize the best heart doctor in the area is Dr. Ali. I ask if their neighbors who work at the local gas station/convenience store have would rather be without jobs than working for Mohammed, who the locals call "Mo". Local references get to them.

[nosillies]

3. Wait until they reach their lowest low

and then be the hand that helps pull them up.

[tsuki]

4. I don't know, but I have met a lot of people that are proud of

their ignorance. And what is worse, they all seem to think that someday they will make 250K a year.

[patrice]

5. Talk to anyone, everyone, anywhere, anytime and educate them about the issues.

[riverwalker]

6. When they realize they have to evolve

or get left behind.

[knowbody0]

7. their ignorance is their bliss

truths are like holy water on the devil to them.


forgive them, they have been brainwashed.


watch your back

[Mnemosyne]

9. Ignorance is bliss, until it isn't. It may be why so many freeps are snapping

out lately. Mind implosions.

[cliffordu]

8. Enhanced Fairness doctrine. All hate radio has to give equal time to non-hate radio....

[OneGrassRoot]

10. I give up. I've decided that anyone who interprets the bible (or any sacred text)...

literally, which colors EVERY single thing in their lives, cannot engage in rational discussion.

They see the world one way and that's it (they DON'T see their hypocrisy, however).

They need to live in a certain area -- religious fundamentalists of all stripes -- and let their God take care of their healthcare, transporation, communication issues, etc.

I don't want to share the same world with them, as they will always be imposing a theocracy...by any means necessary.

[texpatriot2004]

11. Restore the Fairness Doctrine and get hatemongerers off the

radio (Rush) and TV (O'Reilly)...that would be a good start in my book.

[Rancid Crabtree]

12. dunno...put on a sheet and holler at the house?

....kinda like in the movie Fletch?...overdo it even...you might make grand master and then you can begin the process of edjucation.

[RagAss]

13. Use it....tell them it's time to leave the country.

[ITsec]

14. You can't...

I believe someone wiser than me many years ago said it this way...

"A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still".

[Individualist]

16. Agree

I don't believe it's possible to enlighten the willfully ignorant.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Dunno. A lot of it stems from religious idiocy & we're supposed to shut up about that, apparently.

[frebrd]

18. Exactly! Whatever we do, we're not to offend anyone....

by exposing them to any form if sacrilegious reality.

:banghead:

[Poseidan]

27. whatever you do, don't shut up about it

You think putting free religion next to free speech was a coincidence?

[rebel with a cause]

29. Oh, you would rather have dictated religion?

freedom of religion is not bad, it is the fact that religion now is trying to become dictated religion. And why this is happening is because religion has become too organized and too much a part of the corporate world.

I don't like organized religion, and I don't like religion being the tool used to dictate how people should live that don't belong to that religion. You don't need religion to have morals, and you don't need religion to have laws.

We need to get our thoughts right. We should have the freedom to believe what we want as long as those beliefs do not infringe on the rights of anyone else. Religion should not be a part of the government, but anyone belonging to a religion should not be restricted from serving in that government as long as they do not try to inflict their beliefs into the government. See what I am saying. It is the organization/corporation of religion and the forcing of religion on others that is the problem.

[pansypoo53219]

17. you can't, it's willful.

i find a lot of it is not wan't to share with unfortunates. cause they must have done something to deserve it.

[babydollhead]

19. There are not "so many"...it's a myth

the myth of us and them, the world wants the United States of America to evolve and join the global citizenry. Humanity and future generations of living creatures want the ignorant, hard headed, homophobic, bigoted, and racist, nutjobs, to go back to their holes and move out of the way.

[stillcool]

21. I agree..divide and conquer..

has worked so well for so long. Have the peasants fight amongst each other while the royals scoop up all the treasure. Promoting those with hateful views, which is what all of us are doing every time some whacko gets the microphone. The message from one person is echoed across the land, and changes perceptions of how many decent Americans there are in this country. No one ever points out the vast difference in support the two candidates have. No one ever interviews those waiting in line at an Obama rally.

[yodoobo]

20. You cannot.

Oh sure,you can help a few here or there.

However it is simply impossible to educate and retrain the masses. Can't be done.

The only hope lies in our children.

[marions ghost]

22. Encouraged ignorance

is the one that can be changed.

[riderinthestorm]

23. Unfortunately there's a large subset that think they ARE educated and informed.

My mother is a classic example. She watches Fox, listens to Rush, and reads the Chicago Tribune. She tries to discuss the issues with me and I finally told her (last week) that she was a low information voter and I wouldn't discuss it with her.

She huffed and puffed, "I watch teevee, I read the Trib, I listen to news shows on radio!!!11!!!"

I responded that she was only watching, reading, listening to the rightwing propaganda machine and she wasn't anywhere near informed.

She was adamant. ADAMANT!!11!! that she is a highly informed voter.

The problem is that there are so many right wing media outlets now that "they" believe they are getting the "big" picture. My mother THINKS she's well informed even though her perspective is very, very narrow. It's so damn frustrating because she isn't at all. She's brainwashed - scarily ignorant but "proud" of her "knowledge". I am convinced that there are entire "mobs" who have been brainwashed by the media. It's very scary, disheartening and frustrating.

[bluethruandthru]

25. You're right....

I know so many people...even some in my own family who watch Fox news constantly...listen to Rush and Insanity and think they're well informed!!

[rebel with a cause]

30. You hit on it right there.

The media is feeding the people garbage and telling them it is facts. Unless we change the whole media system, there is not much hope things will change.

Just like years of studying history from the books given to us in school, have taught us a fairytale version of our history. We learned things that were not true and other things that were half truths, but we never learned the wrongs our forefathers did. We were raised in glorious ignorance and taught that this was what was best for us to believe. Why would we expect more from others who accepted these fairy tales and are happy believing we are the greatest country in the world and we have always done the right thing.

Education is a good way for people to learn to use critical reasoning, but you cannot force people to accept what they learn. I sat in college classes with people who were considered smarter than I am who, after many classes in sociology, still did not think the minimum wage should be raised. They thought that poor people were responsible for their plight in life and should not be treated with anything but contempt. Heck, I had professors that taught this. So education is the answer if one is willing to learn but not the whole answer. Prejudices are deep inside some people and facts can be twisted to excuse those prejudices.

Globalization is one of the things that everyone in this country should have to study. What the US government and corporations have done to third world countries is now being done to us. The privatization of all the services, the out sourcing; all of it is right there. JMHO

[Jed Dilligan]

24. Get the starvation going, they might start figuring shit out.

I would rather live with ignoramuses, but I don't think there will be a choice when it comes.

[lonestarnot]

28. It's not long off in the horizon of cheaters, "if I/they manage to pull this one off."

McSame said I, but I think he meant they.

[Poseidan]

26. limit the influence of political parties

By limiting the amount of Congressional seats political parties can gain.