What Americans Know

I am continually astounded at the ignorance American's show of their own history and geography let alone their awareness of the world outside their own borders. I have already related the tale of the uneducated preacher who held forth for over an hour and a half about Revelation One and then met me and admitted complete lack of any knowledge of the existence of Toronto Ontario. That was nearly a year ago now.

 

You may remember that when two former presidents of these United States met in Toronto they expressed surprise to learn that we now require passports to cross the American Border though one signed the enabling legislation and other was in office when it was implemented.

 

My hosts on Cape Cod had no knowledge of the Halifax Explosion of 1917, the largest blast to occur until the first Atom Bomb was dropped on Japan in 1945. Here on the Jersey Shore the gal on the campground desk admitted no knowledge of Cape Cod even though it's just 500 miles up the coast.

 

It would seem that unless it occurred in my own backyard it isn't important and I don't need to know it. If it didn't take place in America or American's didn't do it, then it didn't happen or isn't worth knowing. Such historic insularity and isolationism is at odds with America's current position as the world's policemen and sole remaining super-power. No wonder policy-makers felt safe in attacking Iraq on the pretext of their having weapons of mass destruction. Should it surprise us that so few Americans exercise their democratic right to vote.