In what many may see as a "pigs fly" moment, actor Richard Dreyfuss, long known for his involvement in leftist causes up to and including efforts to impeach George W. Bush, appeared on Mike Huckabee's weekend Fox News program to promote the importance of U.S. citizens knowing "our constitution or our history."
He went further, noting that "the constitution is the most single greatest step toward humans improving civilization since the beginning of man's sojourn on earth." Those aren't exactly the typical messages we see delivered by the Hollywood or media elites these days. Instead, those groups seem to be doing all they can to ignore very significant encroachments on our fundamental freedoms originating in Washington. [See video below.]
Given the history seen at Dreyfuss's NewsBusters tag, it would be wise to remain in "trust but verify" mode regarding his positions and activities. With that caveat, the goal of his Dreyfuss Initiative is to ensure that "Civics will be taught in America’s classrooms, starting in the elementary levels up through grade 12."
From the report at Real Clear Politics:
Actor Richard Dreyfuss: If Someone Doesn't Believe In American Exceptionalism, Hit Them In The Mouth
Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss talks to FOX News' Mike Huckabee about the importance of teaching the constitution and American exceptionalism.
"We were responsible for the greatest revolution in the history of civilization. We gave to 98% of the human race freedoms that they have been lashed for, lost fingers for or had their heads chopped off for and we gave it to them for free and we are the most revolutionary nation that has ever been and ever will be and we don't know enough about our constitution or our history to know why we should be proud of it," Dreyfuss said on FOX News' "Huckabee."
"George Washington said the constitution should be central, the party should be peripheral. Now we've got it all backed around and now the parties are central and the constitution is peripheral. We don't know anything about why the constitution is the most single greatest step toward humans improving civilization since the beginning of man's sojourn on earth," he said.
... "Whenever you hear someone say American exceptionalism [doesn't exist], you should turn to that person and say, 'if you don't prove that statement, I'm going hit you right in the mouth.' Because they don't prove it, and they can't," Dreyfuss said.
Dreyfuss's tone in his "hit you" statement was not antagonistic, nor did the audience interpret it that way.
The final excerpted paragraph at the RCP link is missing one very important letter. First, the paragraph:
(Dreyfuss said) "We are the sovereign power in this country. You said that we can choose to have the state governments take care. We don't choose. It's in the constitution. Education is in the hands of the state and we have the right to tell the federal government to get the **** out of here and we do."
The video clearly shows Dreyfuss saying "Education is in the hands of the states" (plural). That of course is consistent with the idea of telling the feds to "get out."
I would hope that Mr. Dreyfuss introduces himself to the "Fed ed" initiative known as Common Core, which syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin, concerned parents, and genuine education experts across the land agree will, among other things, virtually "eliminate American children’s core knowledge base in English, language arts and history." His Dreyfuss initiative doesn't have a chance of widespread adoption if Common Core becomes fully entrenched.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
