[kieran]

Americans are more familiar with the characters on the TV show "The Simpsons" than they are with the very amendment that allows the very same show to produce the parody and satire that it does.

Americans know Simpsons better than 1st Amendment

Also:

About one in five people thought the right to own a pet was protected

Yet another example of the American culture and what it views as "important" material to retain.

[Windswept]

eek. I couldn't remember 'petition for redress of grievances'.

[Luca]

About one in five people thought the right to own a pet was protected

That'd be the 9th amendment.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by Luca That'd be the 9th amendment.

I was going by this from the article:

Editor's note: The five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment are freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition for redress of grievances.

[kieran]

Did a little searching....

Originally Posted by First Amendment Center.org The petition clause concludes the First Amendment’s ringing enumeration of expressive rights and, in many ways, supports them all. Petition is the right to ask government at any level to right a wrong or correct a problem.

..but back to the topic, I think a lot of people could name at least some of the rights granted by the First Amendment, maybe not in the original language of the Constitution, but at least some...right?

[psmith2.0]

Nope.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Well, off the top of your head, what right is guaranteed by the 7th amendment? How about the 8th?

Granted, you would think every American could name the rights granted by the 1st, 2nd, 4th & 5th amendments pretty quickly, even if it wasn't in the original language used by the framers of the constitution.

[torifile]

Eh. If I needed to know, I could look it up. The point is do they know that they have these rights, even if they don't know where they are written? I think if you asked someone if they have the right to free speech, they'd say yes. Same goes for religion, etc.

[sirnick4]

Ah.. good old American stupidity. gotta love it..

[torifile]

Originally Posted by sirnick4 Ah.. good old American stupidity. gotta love it..

What season of the Simpsons did Homer find out what the "J" meant in his middle name? Do you know that it happened?

[Windswept]

I think most Americans would have the concept of "freedom of speech" permanently ingrained in their brains, because so many people love shooting their mouths off about their opinions at any given time.

The other right everyone knows is the Fifth Amendment provision guaranteeing us freedom from self-incrimination.

I always laugh when I see British tv shows, and the people plead their fifth amendment right to silence. 'Pleading the fifth' certainly comes in handy for virtually everyone at one time or another.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by sirnick4 Ah.. good old American stupidity. gotta love it..

Now, now. It's very easy to trick people. You'd be surprised how many people will be confused if you ask them something like "do you prefer your milk pasteurized or globalized?".

[autodata]

It's really an unfair comparison. Give each of the freedoms in the first amendment a one to two syllable catchy name and a unique, easy-to-remember/visualize cartoon face and you'll get a lot more people remembering them.

[curiousuburb]

I wonder whether the XXIst amendment was celebrated more than the XVIIIth.

links on the drinks for the lazy... see also notes

[billybobsky]

Pardon me, but would you please get off my XIVth amendment?

[Windswept]

I don't think all those straight-laced types who fought to have liquor banned would have much fun celebrating their victory, do you?

"Pass the lemonade, please."

[thegelding]

his middle name is jay...found it out on a barn painting with his "on the run" mom...

no sure of the season...10th or around that...

g

[Banana]

Jay?

Homer Jay Simpson....

bleh.

[torifile]

Originally Posted by thegelding his middle name is jay...found it out on a barn painting with his "on the run" mom... no sure of the season...10th or around that... g

Isn't it just "J."? Not "Jay"?

edit: Nope, it's Jay. That was the confusion. "It's just Jay?" made me think it was just "J". I love The Simpsons.


What were we talking about again???

[thuh Freak]

pffft. everyone knows homer's middle name. but very few know old man burns' first name. anyone?


hjs: Hello, My name is Mr. Burns. I believe you have a letter for me.
postal clerk: Okay, Mr. Burns, uh, what's your first name?
hjs: ...i don't know... {walks away in shame}

[billybobsky]

Monty Burns

[thegelding]

monty is short for montgomery...which is his middle name

first name is C.


g

[thegelding]

C. stands for....


Charles.....

i admit to being a freakin simpsons fan...sigh, i likely need help

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by thegelding C. stands for.... Charles..... i admit to being a freakin simpsons fan...sigh, i likely need help

So are you saying that we definitely *shouldn't* give you a Bill of Rights quiz?

[thegelding]

you have the right to freely speak about the simpsons, to be freely religious in your following of the simpsons, to freely write about the simpsons, and to gather in masses and shout out for support if anybody disses the simpsons....

g

[Banana]

Don't forget the important clause in preamble;

everyone has right to life, liberty and think happy.

Or Bart will turn you into a frog.

So think happy thoughts.

[Mac+]

Originally Posted by torifile What were we talking about again???

You were telling me a story .... "I like stories"

[rasmits]

I'm sure if there was a weekly syndicated show for the past 14 years that described the constitution for 30 minutes, we'd all know it quite well.

I don't doubt that Americans, or any nation of people, can be stupid, but this is silly...

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by thegelding you have the right to freely speak about the simpsons, to be freely religious in your following of the simpsons, to freely write about the simpsons, and to gather in masses and shout out for support if anybody disses the simpsons.... g

Amen.

[ghoti]

Originally Posted by Windswept Amen.

Ouch, wrong religion! The correct word is "D'oh!" ...