Lynn walked into the convenience store that she frequents at least three or four times a week; it was the Fourth of July. She needed more hamburger buns for the annual barbecue and beer “for the boys,” that”s how she described the husbands attending the backyard event, she explained this to the cashier while she laughed.
The owner”s son smiled from behind the cash register and said “Happy Independence Day, Miss Lynn,” in a thick accent.
His family is from Bangladesh.
She is a teacher, so she thought she would share her wealth of knowledge with him.
She began, “The reason we celebrate on this day?” he stopped her mid-sentence, set his dark brown hand gently on hers and shook his head slowly while looking to the beige linoleum tiles on the floor beneath him.
“I know why,” he said, “probably better than at least 60-percent of the people who were born here.”
He and his family completed the required testing to become citizens. He explained the process to her.
The tests are meant to insure that the immigrant coming to the United States has meaningful knowledge of civics, U.S. government and history. He described the content as complex, requiring a deep understanding, rather than an overview, of what the country represents.
A reader sent me a portrait of America through recent polls. The polls indicate that a majority of Americans cannot name a single branch of government or explain what the Bill of Rights is, 24-percent could not name the country America fought in the Revolutionary War, more than two-thirds of Americans don”t know what Roe v. Wade means, nearly half of Americans don”t know that states have two senators and more than half cannot name their congressman. A Gallup poll states that 18 percent of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth and the average voter thinks foreign aid consumes 24 percent of the federal budget, when the accurate number is less than 1 percent.
If you do not know the correct answers to what”s listed above, please, do not vote.
It turns out the young man in the convenience store provided a close estimate.
I”m a pretty solution-minded person. I tried to think of some ideas to suggest in this downward spiral of political and historical apathy.
Here are some Web sites that may jump-start the learning process: www.whitehouse.gov, www.supremecourtus.gov/, www.sos.ca.gov, thomas.loc.gov. For those without access to a computer, the library is free and filled with information and people to assist an eager learner.
There are some truly brilliant people all around us. Those are not usually the ones who are boasting, bragging or blurting out that they”re brilliant, because they”re too busy continuing to learn and attempting to find solutions. They do not resort to name-calling, but hold thoughtful conversations, not the kind that come to blows upon disagreements. At worst an intelligent debate might ensue. These are the types of people whom exemplify the definition of the word civilizational and we need more of them.
civ?i?li?za?tion?al: adjective 1 a: A relatively high level of cultural and technological development; specifically: the stage of cultural development at which writing and the keeping of written records is attained b: the culture characteristic of a particular time or place.
2: the process of becoming civilized
3 a: refinement of thought, manners, or taste b: a situation of urban comfort.
Smart folks are usually humble and often underpaid. They”re typically good listeners too. They take advice only from those who are qualified to give it and listen politely to those suffering from ignorance.
The only solution rests in the concept that we all need to learn more.
Why not? If you”re green, you”re growing.
A single person is incapable of becoming an expert in everything. There”s more to know in this world than we can absorb in hundreds of lifetimes. So, we”d better get busy.
Mandy Feder is the Record-Bee news editor. She can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.or call her directly at 263-5636 ext.32.
