A poll that pissed me off

[Spinaroonie]

This was a CNN (or maybe Gallup, I don't know) poll just on headline news a few minutes ago. This one pissed me off.

57 % of Americans say that Newspapers should be free to speak out against the military

48% of those polled say that the FBI and other groups should be able to monitor religious group.

Now here's the kicker...

49% believe that the First Admendment goes too far.

Too far?

"God Dammit I hate being able to formulate opinions that the government hasn't told me to. I hate how people are allowed to think socialism a good idea. Why the hell hasn't porn (anything that deals with bare ankles) been out right banned? 9/11- I saw it on TV and now I'm pissed. That liberal cuntrag known as the constitution is just an invitation for TERRORISM! TERRORISM! T-E-R-R-O-R-I-S-M! AaaauuggghhhhH! LET Teh EAGLE soar!!!!!!!!"

 

[Susano]

Frightening. Of course, we have to respect their freedom to believe that they shouldn't be free. At least it's not 51% yet.

 

[Spinaroonie]

It' just unfathomable to me... How can it go to far?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's why there is no absolute power in the U.S. Support lobbyists who speak out against all attempts to consolidate inequitable amounts of power, so there never will be.

 

[Spinaroonie]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's why there is no absolute power in the U.S. Support lobbyists who speak out against all attempts to consolidate inequitable amounts of power, so there never will be.

What does absolute freedom do?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

It sits on the couch all day watching porn.

 

[Spinaroonie]

It sits on the couch all day watching porn.

The American Dream.

 

[sunstruck]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".


Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. But I think of it like the Bible. People can twist it to suit their needs.

 

[Worm]

Politicians see the constitution as an obstacle to overcome rather than a set of rules to follow.

 

[Texan]

The poll is a good example of a very poorly worded poll. The questions are too broad and wide open for personal interpretation.

Think about it. 57% of people think the Newspapers should be free to speak out against the military. In the minds of many, that could mean the ability to publicize the "next moves" or strategic plans, and in so doing, jeapordize the lives of soldiers. The question should have been more narrowly defined.

Question #2. 48% of people think the FBI should be able to monitor religious groups. I'm sure many of the people polled believe the FBI should be able to keep an eye on "obviously dangerous" groups whether or not they are religious. I'm sure what many people were saying is that religion should not be an automatic cover from scrutiny by the FBI.

Question #3, and the results that got you upset. 49% of people think the First Amendment goes too far. I'm sure that MANY people believe the Supreme Court interprets the First Amendment too liberally. More than half the country believes it should be illegal to burn the American Flag, but doing so is protected by the existing court's ruling, based upon its interpretation of the First Amendment. Many people have differing opinions concerning copyright and fair use issues, as well as obscenity issues; all of which fall under the Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment.

The questions are too BROAD. It's kinda like asking, "Do you believe some dogs should be killed?" The question doesn't specify if the doomed dogs include dogs with a history of attacking children or dogs with rabies, or just stray dogs.

Relax, Spin old man..... I don't think the country is as radically conservative as the results might indicate. And remember, CNN is a bit prone to publishing poll results that get people upset. It's intentional. When the news is slow, they just make some of their own.

 

[Dillinger]

Most polls appear to me to be poorly worded - or, even worse, intentionally worded in such a way to get the outcome that those conducting the poll desire.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. That's why there is no absolute power in the U.S. Support lobbyists who speak out against all attempts to consolidate inequitable amounts of power, so there never will be.

Wait a second. What if they are willing to give ME the absolute power. I am already absolutely corrupted, so there is no risk.

Plus I'd make you Minister of Imperial Culture. Think of it, no "Beverly Hillbillies" reality show.

Give yourself over to the darkside. We will rule the world as father and son...metaphorically speaking.

 

[Spinaroonie]

Relax, Spin old man..... I don't think the country is as radically conservative as the results might indicate. And remember, CNN is a bit prone to publishing poll results that get people upset. It's intentional. When the news is slow, they just make some of their own.

True, however it's things like this and the Republican PR machine (Which, I have to hand it to them, really works well) that make it seem like that.

I just can't see how somebody can just go about and want to give up their civil liberties in order to take away somebody else's. (Odds are people thought the 1st Amendment went too far with such groups as KKK and NAMBLA)

I think Laurel once referenced a poll that said, IIRC, that something like 67% of people believe that Klan members shouldn't have trials because they "don't deserve them"

I love statistics mathmatically, I hate polls because people are morons

 

[Azwed]

I love statistics mathmatically, I hate polls because people are morons

We have a saying at my shop that 99% of all people are stupid.

 

[Laurel]

Oddly, if you read the article, you'll see that those most likely to think the First Amendment has gone too far are those without college educations and Republicans:

"Seven in 10 respondents agreed newspapers should publish freely, a slight drop from 2001. Those less likely to support newspaper rights included people without a college education, Republicans, and evangelicals, the survey found.

"Republican respondents also were more likely than Democrats or Independents to see the news media as too aggressive in seeking war information from government officials."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/30/national/main520314.shtml

 

[TallOne]

I love statistics mathmatically, I hate polls because people are
morons

Don't you know that 75% of statistics are made up anyway?

People are stupid, though a person may not be.

I'm one of those people always screwing up polls just for the heck of it and I know there are lots like me.

 

[Spinaroonie]

I havea link now

http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/nation/story/516894p-4102578c.html

 

[scylis]

scylis' First Rule: people are stupid.

and don't get me started on that Goodkind shit. he stole my First Rule! the bastard!

 

[Wrong Element]

Oddly, if you read the article, you'll see that those most likely to think the First Amendment has gone too far are those without college educations and Republicans:

"Seven in 10 respondents agreed newspapers should publish freely, a slight drop from 2001. Those less likely to support newspaper rights included people without a college education, Republicans, and evangelicals, the survey found.

"Republican respondents also were more likely than Democrats or Independents to see the news media as too aggressive in seeking war information from government officials."

I think Republicans are in general more likely to be anti-media. But a lot of this gets back to the identity of the current occupant of the White House. I suspect conservatives were a bit more gung ho for a free press when it was digging into Clinton's sex life. And to be fair, I remember seeing some left-leaning message boards that described media critics of Clinton as being guilty of treason. In 2002, skepticism toward the government is a bad thing if you're a Republican, and a fine thing if you're a Democrat.

I suppose I'm not terribly alarmed by the poll results though, if only because I strongly suspect those figures haven't changed much over time. It doesn't surprise me one bit that a good many people favor free speech only for speech they agree with.