Comments | byronhaverford: I need unique's boxing icon....

byronhaverford

I need unique's boxing icon....

Oct 20, 2010 10:39

At physical therapy today, I decided to randomly ask people whether they could recite the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. I wasn't expecting anyone to be able to (I couldn't do it word-for-word myself), so we moved on to multiple choice. For each of the following selections, I asked people whether it was part of the ( Read more... )

Comments 30

cellio October 21 2010, 02:44:34 UTC

Wow. I can't recite it word-for-word or anything like that, but I know what's in it (and would have had to clarify my answer to "separation of church and state" had you asked me).

I find myself curious whether any of the people you asked thought freeing slaves was in the bill of rights, and if so when they think it was passed.

byronhaverford October 21 2010, 10:01:21 UTC

Emancipation was supposed to be the question that determined validity. I expected everyone to get it right (and I think everyone did, although some people gave it some thought).

You could modify the question to ask "which amendment is responsible for....", and I'll bet /nobody/ knows those answers!

[Hint: emancipation = 13; crual&unusual = 8; L,L,PoH = N/A]

byronhaverford October 21 2010, 10:29:17 UTC

Upon reflection, I still don't understand why there is any objection to the association between "separation of church and state" and the First Amendment. Would you say that "emancipation of the slaves" is not referring to the 13th amendment? Would you say that the prohibition against "self-incrimination" is improperly termed "pleading the 5th"? These are the phrases by which we discuss these principles, even if they are not word-for-word quotes of the document that we are referring to.

unique_name_123 October 21 2010, 11:08:07 UTC

I am not personally invested in that one, so I am not sure I can answer, but I think it is because "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" means they shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" where as some people view "Separation of Church and State" to mean that no one, no where, in any government building, may mention "God". So a worker in a cube somewhere can't put up a plaque saying "Jesus loves me" because there is "separation of church and state ( ... )

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