Five Freedoms vs. The Simpsons

Simpson's win.

CHICAGO, March 1, 2006 – Civics teachers nationwide are letting out a collective, “Doh!”

A new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum survey finds that only about one in four Americans (28 percent) are able to name more than one of the five fundamental freedoms granted to them by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Yet when it comes to knowledge of popular culture, Americans are considerably more tuned in. For example, almost twice as many Americans (52 percent) can name at least two members of the "The Simpsons" cartoon family.

Wow. That explains it, I guess. If people don't know what their freedoms are, they sure as hell don't know when they're being taken away.