The United States is a “Democracy” (according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services)

The phrase used in our courtrooms (stemming back to the 13th century) “The truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” would be an excellent guide for teaching history. But it is not to be. The revisionists have achieved their goal: students are indoctrinated and thereby society as a whole to so many falsehoods about our nation.

I can remember when I was a student answering school test questions with the answer(s) I knew that particular teacher wanted. There were times when I knew the teacher was incorrect (usually because of their personal bias on some historical happening), but experience had shown me to share an opposing viewpoint or even a fact was pointless (with some exceptions when one knew their teacher to be objective). Thus, in most instances, we knew what to write in order for our answer to be graded as “correct.”

I even recall a teacher becoming so angry when I shared some historically accurate facts with the class that they picked up several huge stacks of papers and threw them all over the floor and then stormed out of the classroom. I can also readily remember the teacher even we, as children, knew was a Communist. They brought their ideology (both socialism and Communism) into the classroom in just about every classroom discussion and activity (another one of those teachers whom you knew just what had to be answered to make the grade). That same teacher also denounced my sharing of a fact leaving no room for checking on its accuracy (which it was) because it countered their opinion which was stated to the students as a fact.

These things came to mind today as a result of reading the set of questions from which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services uses to determine if someone is knowledgeable enough for them to grant them citizenship. Seems they, like teachers of my past, have their own set of answers (regardless of accuracy) you had better provide or else you won’t make the grade of becoming a citizen. At a time when immigration and citizenship (two different things) are debated, it’s interesting to note just what this government wants its “legal” citizens to “know.”

Personally, when I read the “correct” answers to a number of these questions, it’s my opinion that persons with both an ignorance of history, a simplistic mind, and incomprehension of the U.S. Constitution wrote the questions and answered several of them.

So for those eager souls wishing to become U.S. citizens, what the government requires is that you must regurgitate the canned answers to prove you’re worthy of being an American. Pathetically sad. Prove that you’ll be a patriotic citizen by accepting the history they say is so.

The questions read like a test for say, third grade (at least the third grade I recall, but some have said it’s more indicative of the high school level in our current public education system, but I wouldn’t know).

And the “answers” to several are, in my opinion, oversimplified “truth,” questionable, ambiguous, and some downright wrong.

Take a look…the egregiousness of the mistakes shouldn’t surprise you, after all it was (I assume) done by some federal government employee(s). The so called correct “answers” to a number of these questions will make you cringe…say for example, to become a US citizen you must know that your freedom of speech “comes from” the Bill of Rights, and according to the USCIS (formerly INS) the form of government in the United States is a “democracy” (see question 78), and that the most important right the government has “granted” you is the right to vote, It was also interesting to learn that Congress declares war (if only it were practiced that way) and Lincoln “freed the slaves.”

First- here are the requirements for naturalization:, interesting in themselves, and I draw your attention particularly to the requirement of a “Good Moral Character” and “Attachment to the Constitution” (as our federal officeholders exemplify I suppose).

And as for that ” Knowledge of U.S. history,” here goes the Q & A (scroll to lower half of page for questions with answers rather than clicking each question individually)

I realize they are trying to produce a “nuts and bolts” type questionnaire, one that doesn’t require “essay” type answers, but this is pathetic. With all the red tape and years it takes some to become U.S. citizens, this “test” is an accurate reflection of the sorry state of the U.S. government and all of its wasteful oppressive bureaucracies.

Now I see new redesigned tests become effective Oct. 1, 2008, a glance at those reveals to my surprise that we have a “capitalist economy or market economy,” (what about all those bail outs?), and that there are “some” powers that belong to the states (with an implication that most rests with the federal government), and (not to my surprise) numerous propaganda questions regarding what loyalty means as well as asking potential naturalized citizens “When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?” Again there’s questions such as “What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?” and you can bet the answer of beginning the centralized planning we suffer under now or that he destroyed the Jeffersonian view of the Constitution isn’t provided as an acceptable answer.

I groaned as I read the benefits (question 86 current test) of becoming a US Citizen since the first one listed was “Obtain federal government jobs.”

It seems to be that rather than such a test, an understanding of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and those limitations by the people on the powers of the federal government should be emphasized, the safeguards against the federal government abusing its power, the freedom of the individual in our nation, and that it is we, the people, who dictate to the government what they may or may not do - not the other way around….but, of course, that’s not a message the U.S. government wants citizens born here or naturalized to grasp is it?.

Christine Smith is a freelance writer and political activist from Colorado. She has written numerous articles for state, national and international publications (newspapers, magazines, online publications) covering a wide range of topics: the arts, technology, business, politics, health, environment, social justice, human spirituality, and profile interviews with high achievers. Articles by Christine Smith at MWC News http://mwcnews.net/ChristineSmith

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