It’s only freedom of the press

May 18, 2006

It was probably just an innocent mistake, but I found this funny.

A set of flashcards designed to help applicants for U.S. citizenship learn basic civics has become one of the most popular items sold by the Government Printing Office.

But the $8.50 [tag]flashcards[/tag] — which contain questions and answers from the actual citizenship exam — won’t help immigrants learn much about the role of the press in American democracy.

Question 80 asks, “Name one right or freedom guaranteed by the [tag]First Amendment[/tag].” The answer lists freedom of [tag]speech[/tag], [tag]religion[/tag], [tag]assembly[/tag] and the right to petition the government — but omits freedom of the [tag]press[/tag].

The First Amendment Center’s Paul McMasters responded, “What I find ironic is that a device designed to help immigrants understand what our democracy is all about would intentionally or unintentionally fail to mention what the framers of our constitution considered the ‘bulwark of liberty,’ which was the press.”

Alfonso Aguilar, director of the office of citizenship at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, freely admits that the materials are incomplete and said that examiners have been instructed that anyone answering the question by citing freedom of the press will get credit for the right answer.

“anyone answering the question by citing freedom of the press will get credit for the right answer.”

Gosh, that’s nice of them. Of course, since we live in a teach to the test unreality due to Boy George II and No Child Left Behind, if you don’t test the knowledge, no one is going to bother learning it.

  • Faux pas? I think not. Harbinger of the Republikanner future-vision? More than likely, methinks, given just how badly the “free press” has shredded Kid George and company. And as for Aguilar, how about specifying when those “incomplate training materials” are going to be either fixed (with the correct card) or replaced?

  • Alfonso Aguilar, director of the office of citizenship at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, freely admits that the materials are incomplete and said that examiners have been instructed that anyone answering the question by citing freedom of the press will get credit for the right answer. He went on to say that they also have instructions from the vice-president’s office to pass along the names of those who answer freedom of the press to the FBI for a follow-up.

  • And if they answer “The only rights I need are my God-given rights to bear arms, drive a 1-ton, spread the word of Jesus, and get tax cuts”, they’re awarded citizenship right on the spot

  • Maybe they’re hoping that if they don’t mention it people will kind of forget about that one.

  • I’d believe it was just a typo if it weren’t for one small problem:

    On their Web site, (Citizen and Immigration Services) they also don’t include freedom of the press (download the English PDF and check out page 64, question 80). Oh, and hat tip to BoingBoing.

    So, anyone who thinks this is just some minor glitch would be wrong. Perhaps not surprised, but wrong.

  • Seems like they are going to annoint Faux News the official state press and be done with it soon. This way, they don’t have to go to expense to reprint the cards. (More money left for Hallliburton). Pity, the “free press” doesn’t do much of anything any way, so why bother? I don’t know what country Steve (#2) is living in but I don’t think it’s the one run by Dear Leader these past several years.

  • ” I don’t know what country Steve (#2) is living in…” – – – Frak

    That would be Ohio, where a number of people are discussing the possibility of ceding the Buckeye State to Canada. We don’t use Verizon, though—never know who might be “eavesdropping without a proper warrant.”

    “…but I don’t think it’s the one run by Dear Leader these past several years.” – – – Frak (again)

    Good Gods—you mean the snivelling munchkin of Pennsylvania Avenue thinks he’s actually been running a country—as you say—“these past several years?” Perhaps adding a phrase such as “to a point in time preceding the Stone Age,” or “into the dust” would make the comment a bit more accurate.

    We’re not as bad as Pennsylvania, though—their DNR website recently posted data on the successful deer hunting season; they spelled it “Dear.” One simply has to wonder if the Keystone State was referring to a certain “leader….”

    • Comments are closed.