You should have to pass a test like this before you can vote

[jonriv]

The sad thing is that most people eligible to vote, don't. If you don't vote- I think you should lose your right to complain. The reason that most do not vote is not that they fear their vote does not matter, they are just lazy and take their right to vote for granted.

I have a friend that grew up in and escaped communist Hungary- when he has not missed a vote since he became a citizen. He thinks it is shameful when people do not vote- since so many in the world do not have that right and so many have died protecting that right and trying to escape to where they could have that right.

[DonnieS]

Full Civic Literacy Exam (from our 2008 survey)

Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as other nationally recognized exams.

http://www.isi.org/quiz.aspx?q=FE5C3B47-9675-41E0-9CF3-072BB31E2692

<Brag on> I did WAY better than I thought I would - 32/33 correct. Yea me! <Brag off>

I've always thought you should have to prove some level of competence to vote, along with a positive ID.

32 out of 33 is pretty good, but you failed the test when you wrote the post title.

In the late 1800s, many of the Southern states instituted tests - they were called voter literacy tests - as a counter measure to the passage of the 15th Amendment. It took nearly 100 years after the 15th Amendment became law before these tests were virtually outlawed nationwide in 1965.

Here is an example: http://kpearson.project.tcnj.edu/intera ... /test.html

Yea, right, who would think you should be able to read to be able to vote? After all, if you cant read, htf do you read the ballot ? My apologies to all that I offend - NOT.

[jonriv]

Full Civic Literacy Exam (from our 2008 survey)

Are you more knowledgeable than the average citizen? The average score for all 2,508 Americans taking the following test was 49%; college educators scored 55%. Can you do better? Questions were drawn from past ISI surveys, as well as other nationally recognized exams.

http://www.isi.org/quiz.aspx?q=FE5C3B47-9675-41E0-9CF3-072BB31E2692

<Brag on> I did WAY better than I thought I would - 32/33 correct. Yea me! <Brag off>

I've always thought you should have to prove some level of competence to vote, along with a positive ID.

32 out of 33 is pretty good, but you failed the test when you wrote the post title.

In the late 1800s, many of the Southern states instituted tests - they were called voter literacy tests - as a counter measure to the passage of the 15th Amendment. It took nearly 100 years after the 15th Amendment became law before these tests were virtually outlawed nationwide in 1965.

Here is an example: http://kpearson.project.tcnj.edu/intera ... /test.html

Yea, right, who would think you should be able to read to be able to vote? After all, if you cant read, htf do you read the ballot ? My apologies to all that I offend - NOT.

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

[DonnieS]

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

Unfreaking believable. Its hard to believe that kind of stuff, but its hard to believe how things like the Holocaust or American slavery could happen either. Very important to study and learn from the past, no matter how bad - and then go forward.

My kids were treated with disrespect in some national tournaments in the North - South Carolina area some 8 years ago, apparently from what we were told, certain people there didnt approve of my white 10 year old daughter walking arm in arm with her hispanic teammates. Can not imagine what it was like for blacks.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

Unfreaking believable. Its hard to believe that kind of stuff, but its hard to believe how things like the Holocaust or American slavery could happen either. Very important to study and learn from the past, no matter how bad - and then go forward.

My kids were treated with disrespect in some national tournaments in the North - South Carolina area some 8 years ago, apparently from what we were told, certain people there didnt approve of my white 10 year old daughter walking arm in arm with her hispanic teammates. Can not imagine what it was like for blacks.

When we moved to rural VA. friom NJ in 1990, it was like stepping back in time ... This area did not have telephone service until 1969 and still had many living without indoor plumbing in the early 90's and still does ... if you were not born in the County you will NEVER be from there and they make sure you know it ... Much was said in jest, but we accepted it ... And in hindsight, that is the same way minorities were/are treated there and live in the community ... It is considered more acceptable for a white man to marry a black or hispanic woman than visa-versa ... There is also much homophobia ... So, your DD had 2 strikes against her if you were in a rural area ...
There is also a bizaare 'cast' or 'class' system that exists ... But that's an entire different thread ...

[DonnieS]

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

Unfreaking believable. Its hard to believe that kind of stuff, but its hard to believe how things like the Holocaust or American slavery could happen either. Very important to study and learn from the past, no matter how bad - and then go forward.

My kids were treated with disrespect in some national tournaments in the North - South Carolina area some 8 years ago, apparently from what we were told, certain people there didnt approve of my white 10 year old daughter walking arm in arm with her hispanic teammates. Can not imagine what it was like for blacks.

When we moved to rural VA. friom NJ in 1990, it was like stepping back in time ... This area did not have telephone service until 1969 and still had many living without indoor plumbing in the early 90's and still does ... if you were not born in the County you will NEVER be from there and they make sure you know it ... Much was said in jest, but we accepted it ... And in hindsight, that is the same way minorities were/are treated there and live in the community ... It is considered more acceptable for a white man to marry a black or hispanic woman than visa-versa ... There is also much homophobia ... So, your DD had 2 strikes against her if you were in a rural area ...
There is also a bizaare 'cast' or 'class' system that exists ... But that's an entire different thread ...

I didnt take the disrespect as these old coots might be thinking these 10 y/o kids might be gay, that didnt occur to me at the time, but who knows. What we were told is that 'people didnt take to white kids mixing with mexicans'. This is the same place where a couple of years later we beat a team called the Canadian 14u team, dont know who they were but they were not used to losing - our kids beat them and the local paper posted a story with this headline "Predominantly Hispanic Team Beats Canadians ". The girls ever since then have referred to themselves as 'the predominantly hispanic girls'.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

Unfreaking believable. Its hard to believe that kind of stuff, but its hard to believe how things like the Holocaust or American slavery could happen either. Very important to study and learn from the past, no matter how bad - and then go forward.

My kids were treated with disrespect in some national tournaments in the North - South Carolina area some 8 years ago, apparently from what we were told, certain people there didnt approve of my white 10 year old daughter walking arm in arm with her hispanic teammates. Can not imagine what it was like for blacks.

When we moved to rural VA. friom NJ in 1990, it was like stepping back in time ... This area did not have telephone service until 1969 and still had many living without indoor plumbing in the early 90's and still does ... if you were not born in the County you will NEVER be from there and they make sure you know it ... Much was said in jest, but we accepted it ... And in hindsight, that is the same way minorities were/are treated there and live in the community ... It is considered more acceptable for a white man to marry a black or hispanic woman than visa-versa ... There is also much homophobia ... So, your DD had 2 strikes against her if you were in a rural area ...
There is also a bizaare 'cast' or 'class' system that exists ... But that's an entire different thread ...

I didnt take the disrespect as these old coots might be thinking these 10 y/o kids might be gay, that didnt occur to me at the time, but who knows. What we were told is that 'people didnt take to white kids mixing with mexicans'. This is the same place where a couple of years later we beat a team called the Canadian 14u team, dont know who they were but they were not used to losing - our kids beat them and the local paper posted a story with this headline "Predominantly Hispanic Team Beats Canadians ". The girls ever since then have referred to themselves as 'the predominantly hispanic girls'.

It is more likely it was a ' mixing of the races ' type thing ... That is taboo as well as socializing with those who don't have the same 'breeding' as you ... Now we are delving into the bizarro 'cast' system that exists in some rural areas ... In the County where we lived, they elected a Sheriff who was a former Green Beret who had a record and a history of domestic violence ... After an off duty drunk driving accident and an armed stand off at his house in which his wife was the hostage, he stepped down and became the Chief of Police in the next town over ... All possible IF you have the right breeding ...

[ontheblack]

Donnie- the test was only for non-whites-(that's why it is discriminatory) most people in Alabama during that period (black or white) would not have passed that test.

Most people in Alabama and 49 other states wouldnt pass it today.

I would be happier with a test like this in order to graduate from high school. More importantly, having to pass a test like this in order to teach HS.