LETTER: Ben Franklin knew ignorance of our rights leads to tyranny
To Ozaukee Press:
In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins.”
I agree with the writer’s statement in the editorial in last week’s Ozaukee Press, titled “Bring back civics teaching—for the sake of democracy,” that the biggest threat to democracy’s survival may be ignorance.
I also agree with the editorial’s statement that half of the people who are governed by this democracy “don’t have a clue about how it works” and that most Americans would flunk the U.S. citizenship exam.
This shows the need to get back to teaching American history in schools with a focus on the founding documents—the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
The editorial referred to a Pew Research Center study that found 51% of Americans are dissatisfied with how democracy works and 46% would be amenable to living under other forms of government, including rule by an individual leader. Could it be that 46% of Americans would be open to living in a monarchy or dictatorship or in countries with socialist or communist governments?
I certainly hope people are now opening their eyes and doing independent research. If more people go back to the founding documents and study them, they will be better educated about how to move forward in their communities.
To help facilitate this, the Patriots of Ozaukee are hosting a “Constitution Alive” course, free to attendees, in Saukville on Wednesday evenings. More information can be found at patriotsofoz.us.
Linda Conrad
Belgium
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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
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