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Gabbai of Lemberg's avatar

What makes Vivek unamerican is that he thinks a civics test and studying hard are what makes an american. Actually its closer to sleepovers, biking around suburbia with friends, and the football qb - prom queen idealization that makes you American. Thinking that the A+ and no social life is better than the A- with friends, having a fun childhood because “line go up more” is precisely what makes him not American. The more he studies, the better his grades, the bigger hole he digs.

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The American Tribune's avatar

Yes, exactly

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An American Writer & Essayist's avatar

I agree, but I do think American History, Civics, etc. should be taught in schools to better prepare our people for the responsibilities of a citizen.

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The American Tribune's avatar

Yes, true

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Lost Crusader's avatar

Great article! Perfectly articulated what I've also been thinking, but had trouble articulating when I raise concerns about immigrants self-segregating.

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The American Tribune's avatar

Thank you!

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Dr Tara Slatton's avatar

You don’t need to pass a civics test to be American but you should have to pass at least one in your life to be able to vote…I don’t care much if voters can name the Presidents but they should be able to name the three branches of government and describe their duties. They should be familiar with the founding documents of our country and the philosophies that built them. That said I think Vivek is going to find his vision of what American childhood should be a very hard sell.

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The American Tribune's avatar

I think a propertied voting system of the Rhodesian mold would be more effective at screening out the incompetent than a history test, which would probably always have a leftist bent

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An American Writer & Essayist's avatar

I personally prefer two pathways to earning the right to vote and run for office.

1. Law Enforcement or Military Service.

2. Being a taxpaying citizen with children.

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The American Tribune's avatar

I broadly agree, but qualifying by being a net taxpayer requires the continuation of the income tax, which is a problem.

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Dr Tara Slatton's avatar

Only if your bar for incompetence is very low. I mean it would certainly be better than nothing but I know a lot of dumb people who own homes and plenty of competent intelligent people who don’t. I also know a fair number of people who are competent and intelligent in their fields but who have no idea how the government is supposed to work.

The kind of test I envision would be pretty hard to lean either right or left. Once in place you would certainly need major safeguards around changes to the test to prevent one side or the other from politicizing it. But it also doesn’t seem like the sort of thing that should need to “updated” so the necessity for change should be minimal.

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Centaur Write Satyr, MBA's avatar

Can Vivek be saved? Or does $1B+ immediately make you ally with globalism? Asking because I was really impressed with him this time last year. Now, I dunno. Trust is a precious commodity.

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The American Tribune's avatar

I don’t think he can

I don’t think that wealth makes him an enemy, but his opinion of America and Americans certainly does

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Centaur Write Satyr, MBA's avatar

Table stakes: get him his First Holy Communion. Then we'll talk, Vivek Christiansen.

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