Free Press –
Bill of Rights, Abstinance Only Specter, ACT exam Norman Frank
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Ten days ago, America celebrated the 220th anniversary of the United States Constitution. I read an excellent editorial in USA Today (Sept. 18), which demonstrates that few of us understand the basic freedoms found in the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.
An accompanying chart about the First Amendment was shocking. Only 64 percent identified freedom of speech as being in the First Amendment; 19 percent, freedom of religion; 16 percent, freedom of the press; 16 percent, the right of assembly or association; 3 percent, the right to petition; and a whopping 29 percent had no clue about what the First Amendment contained.
An astonishing 55 percent of the poll said they believe the constitution establishes a Christian nation. Thirty-nine percent would muzzle public statements that might be offensive to religious groups. Forty-two percent would bar musicians from singing songs others might find offensive; 56 percent said freedom of religion applies to all religious groups; 37 percent would not allow newspapers to freely criticize U. S. military strategy or performance; 61 percent would impose government requirements to balance conservative and liberal commentary in newspapers.
The editorial’s conclusion was noteworthy. “Just as the Founding Fathers didn’t apply freedom of religion just to Christians, neither did they limit freedom of speech, freedom of the press or freedom of assembly just to those who behave politely or avoid offense. How could it be otherwise? In a democracy, if freedom is not available to all, then no one is truly free.”
Item.
Senator Arlen Specter isn’t taking a chance on making the far right angry. He’s served five terms in the U.S. Senate and is obviously getting ready to wage a fight for a sixth. Running as a conservative Republican from Lehigh County, Congressman Pat Toomey almost beat the career politician in the 2004 primary election. Toomey lost by just 1.7 percent of the vote.
Last week, the Morning Call identified 25 Pennsylvania institutions, which will receive more than $1 million for abstinence only education programs…thanks to Senator Specter. This year’s Pennsylvania earmarks will add to federally funded abstinence only programs that have more than doubled in total dollars since 2000 to $213 million this year.
What is mind-boggling is that Specter knows darn well that abstinence only programs don’t work. But he’s pandering to the right because he’s identified as a Pro-choice liberal. Spending $1 million tax dollars for posturing isn’t unusual, but it’s maddening just the same.
Item.
I thought of Norman Frank when I read an Associated Press story about the ACT college entrance exam. Only 23 percent of test-takers met a benchmark score that indicates readiness in a range of introductory, core college courses. Only 43 percent who took the ACT math exam met the benchmark and in science, only 28 percent were ready for college science.
Norman Frank graduated from Quakertown High School around 1912. His son, Allen, was one of my classmates. In 1912 or so, high school students didn’t have curriculum choices. Norman Frank took these courses: English, German, Latin, Geography, Science, History and Ciphering (math). We have to remember that most students left school after the eighth grade, there to work on farms or factories. Still, Norman Frank’s public school education probably was as good as most college experiences today.
Was it better than most schools in
Final item.
The other day, my Quakertown classmate and I were reminiscing about old times. John Moyer and I talked about the Quakertown Fair grounds, which had a mile and one-quarter horse track in the area, which residents identify as Muhlenberg Circle and the Quakertown high school and Strayer school properties. We used to run laps on that track to get into shape for sports.
John laughed about a car that his cousin, Tom Moyer, and he owned. It was a 1937 Hudson “Terraplane” and it cost less than 100 bucks. At the time, John was 15 and Tom was 13. Both were under age for driving but they convinced their neighbor who was 16 to buy the car. They hid the jalopy in a thicket by the fair ground racetrack.
“We drove it when our parents weren’t watching,” John laughed. “We found out later that they knew all about it. Such a business that was!” I presume that John and Tom took it on spins around the track. Those Moyer boys were a lot smarter than I was, don’t you think?
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith