Do You Know American History?

When it comes to American history, government, and economics, Americans are largely ignorant. When over 2,000 people were administered a 33-question test last spring on our American history and our political and economic institutions, 71 percent (college and non-college) failed.

Some of the results according to Pete Winn are:

Less than half of Americans can name all three branches of government.

Only 27 percent of Americans know that the Bill of Rights prohibits the government from establishing an official religion in the U.S.

54 percent do not know that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, not the president.

Seventy-nine (79) percent of elected officeholders did not know that the Bill of Rights expressly forbids the government establishment of an official religion.

A large number (43 percent) of politicians did not know what the Electoral College does.

Only 32 percent of politicians can actually define what the free-enterprise system is – even though many of them may have campaigned for office pledging to defend it.

One of the reasons why there is such appalling civic ignorance is political correctness and multi-culturalism on college campuses, according to New York Times columnist David Brooks, who spoke after the press conference. . . .

Continue reading. . . .

A Prayer By Robert E. Lee

“Help me to be, to think, to act what is right because it is right; make me truthful, honest, and honorable in all things; make me intellectually honest for the sake of right and honor and without thought of reward to me.” (From the Truman Library)

Daniel Webster On The Christian Citizen

“[T]he Christian religion – its general principles – must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society.

“Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.” (US Senator, Secretary of State)

Anti-Israeli UN Is A Stumbling Block To Democracy And Peace

The current majority of anti-democratic nations and anti-Israeli sentiment makes the UN resolutions opposing Israel’s attack on Hamas both inevitable and self-serving. The UN’s inaction on Iranian nuclear cheating and its inability to stop Muslims from committing genocide in Darfur is clear evidence of hypocrisy. The UN would have us believe that Israel is guilty of committing a Nazi-like holocaust against peaceful Palestinians whose innocent fireworks’ displays have offended the intolerant Israelis.

Don’t you find it interesting that Libya has been given leadership of the UN human rights section? Other dictatorships have also been placed in key positions. The UN has a long record of quickly evacuating the moral high ground in favor of the interests of dictatorships with no regards for human rights. It is little surprise that Islamofascists have managed to get a majority of member nations to condemn Israel’s defense of its borders and citizens.

Corruption, financial scandals, and espionage should have resulted in the exile of the UN from American soil decades ago. The United States currently pays a minimum of 22% of the UN’s total operating budget. The UN Charter describes its primary purpose as “to maintain international peace.” It has consistently and clearly failed in this mission. In fact, in many instances, the UN has facilitated the continuation of wars, genocide, and human rights violations.

A Meditation For The New Year By Charles H. Spurgeon

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

I should not wonder . . . if the mere words of my text should sound like a pleasant song in your ears; but I am thankful that their deeper meaning is even more joyful. The newness which Jesus brings is bright, clear, heavenly, enduring. We are at this moment specially ready for a new year. The most of men have grown weary with the old cry of depression of trade and hard times; we are glad to escape from what has been to many a twelve-months of great trial. The last year had become wheezy, croaking, and decrepit, in its old age; and we lay it asleep with a psalm of judgment and mercy. We hope that this newborn year will not be worse than its predecessor, and we pray that it may be a great deal better. At any rate, it is new, and we are encouraged to couple with it the idea of happiness, as we say one to another, “I wish you a happy New Year.”

“Ring out the old, ring in the new;
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.”

(Sermon, 1816)