Going through more old papers today, I found the following mimeographed propaganda that was handed out in my school in 5th or 6th grade (mid-1970s):
Our Obligations as Citizens
In the Constitution of the United States of America, every citizen is guaranteed certain rights. When people have rights, they also have obligations.
These are some of the obligations that citizens of the United States have:
1. The obligation to vote. Each citizen has an obligation to vote for good officers for our government.
How old must you be to vote? ____________________
When is Election Day? ____________________
2. The obligation to uphold the Constitution by obeying the laws.
3. The obligation to serve on a jury if we are asked. The right of trial by jury makes serving as a juror an obligation.
4. The obligation to study and learn about our form of government so that we can be intelligent citizens.
5. The obligation to respect the rights of other people. When we have the right of going to a church of our choice, we must respect the rights of others to go to a church of their choice.
Historian Herby says, “For every right we enjoy, there is an obligation we must pay.”
I understand that 5th graders can’t be expected to write an essay about preemption or dual sovereignty. Nevertheless, questions #1a and 1b hurt my heart.
Seriously, with our de facto monopoly public schools, this guy really is preparing the voters of the mid-80s onward. I know they’ll eventually have a chance to catch up but still.
“The right of trial by jury makes serving as a juror an obligation.”
Yes, just like the right to a lawyer makes working as a lawyer an obligation.
As Mr. Creosote would say, “Get me a bucket.”
“Historian Herby”? Did he have Cub Scouts in the crawl space under his house?
Webelos wheeze below!
I’m picturing Historian Herby as a talking animal of some kind, maybe a beaver or a woodchuck.
He looks like a human in the accompanying cartoon. (Or at least he has a human head.)
Mr. Garrison: “I’m OK with not choosing between a morally compromised slate of candidates, but let’s see what Historian Herby has to say…”
Historian Herby: “Die! Die and go to hell!”
6. The obligation to murder defenseless third worlders if our rat bastard scumbag politicians think it might increase their insufferable stranglehold over the earth.
7. The obligation to indefinitely hold random third worlders in offshore prisons without charges.