This is who you're fighting for....

[Chinadoll]

Don't know if anyone saw The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night. His entire audience was military. At the start of the show Jay is about to show a clip and precedes the clip with, I know this is an all military show, so I decided to see how much the average American citizen knows about the Military/ Military history. (At this point I'm cringing, because when ever the media chooses to seek opinions from the *average* American, they always choose people with the most inane answers.) He turns to his all military audience and says, "This is who you're fighting for..."

Here's basically what the clip consisted of; this isn't exact wording, but close enough.

Jay: Who is our Commander in Chief?
Person #1: I don’t know….I can’t remember.
Jay: His first name is George…Do you know any famous politicians named George?
Person #1: I just can’t remember.
(Correct Answer: George Bush)

Jay: In WWII, what country invaded Poland?
Person #2: Canada
(Correct Answer: Germany)

Jay: What was Hitler’s first name?
Person #3: Hitler? I don’t think he had a first name. He just used one name, like Cher.
(Correct Answer: Adolf)


Jay: In WWII, what country did Japan bomb?
Person #4: Pearl Harbor
Jay: ok, what country is Pearl Harbor in?
Person #4: Iraq
(Correct Answer: USA)

Jay: What is the headquarters or main command center for our military?
Person #5: ummmm
Jay: Ever heard of the Pentagon?
Person #5: yeah sure
Jay: How many sides does it have?
Person #5: 10 Jay: No
Person #5: 12 Jay: No
Person #5: 8 Jay: No
(Correct Answer: 5)

Jay: What is an MRE?
Person #6: Like a MRI
Jay: No…
Person #6: Mills Recording Entertainment?
(I would have hoped that if the public didn’t know exactly what it stood for that they would at least have associated it with food that the military consumes. Correct Answer: Meals Ready to Eat

And lastly,
Jay: Complete this slogan… “The Few, The Proud….”
Person #7: “THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE HAPPY!”
(Correct Answer: The Few, The Proud, The Marines)

When I wrote Joey(my fiancé in the Marine Corps) last night, I told him about that segment. I also put in about the Marine slogan being The Few, The Proud, The Happy. Just had to ask him..So Honey, are you happy?!

I just cringed during that entire segment. Just in complete disbelief at some of the answers given. I really wonder if some of these people should be suing their former school districts for robbing them of the education they deserved.

edit: oopsie. I just cut and paste part of this from a letter I wrote Joey so if anyone was wondering what Day 47 was doing in there that I just took out...it was the header of his letter. I number all his letters. It's been now 48 days he's been gone.

[yorkster]

I SAW THAT !!!
I could not believe it

It was very funny- I was laughing so hard!

But at the same time it was scary that there are really people that know so little (and they would allow themselves to be on TV looking sooooo bad/dumb)
I don't know which answer was the worst- it was either the Canada answer or about Pearl Harbor being a "country"...................

I don't know, they were all bad. FUNNY though.

[Pam]

I missed it but it sounds like one of the "Jay Walking" segments where he interviews people on the street who aren't the 'sharpest knives in the drawer.' Sometimes I have to wonder if they are pretending to be that dumb. It's hard to believe they are serious. That said, it is still one of my favorite segments and always makes me laugh.

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by Pam
Sometimes I have to wonder if they are pretending to be that dumb. It's hard to believe they are serious.

I've wondered that too...can be really be the dumb/ignorant? It has to be staged.....doesn't it?!?!

[iceyshiver21]

Jay: In WWII, what country invaded Poland?

That the only one I didnt get....

[Chinadoll]

Originally posted by iceyshiver21
That the only one I didnt get....

Neither did my Mother...but I figured she should have known given all the schooling she had. And she did eventually get it when I said Hitler was from what country?

[Ann]

The only one I didn't know was the Marines' slogan...

It must be staged. Seriously, no one can be that stupid...

[wolfsoul]

I didn't know that MRE one or the slogan

Canada invade Poland?!!? I thought that everyone thought this was the peaceful country.... lol

[marysmerrycats]

I think its all "staged"

[CattleDogMom]

LOL....

That was funny....

Some people just choose to be "passive" and not really pay attention to "current events."

My hubby is in the ARMY...National Guard. One time my husband said I'm in the ARMY...this guy said "the National Guard isn't military..." Alot of people don't realize that the National Guard IS the ARMY. They forget that when all of our soldiers go off to war, at least some of the Military has to stay behind and protect us dummies here...LOL...

Crystal

[Paul]

   I wonder if people give answers like Pearl Harbor/Iraq just to get on TV. If you give a correct answer your answer probably will not be used. If you give an outrageous answer you will be rewarded with a few seconds of infamy.

      Paul

[marysmerrycats]

you are so right Paul, they see Leno and the cameras... they know the answers,they just want to pretend to be stupid.

[Cataholic]

I don't know why I choose to publically ridicule myself..but, I am THAT stupid. I mean, I am formally educated, I have a doctorate, but, I truly am that stupid when it comes to history, world events, probably the things that matter most. I am just not interested. I know all the states in the country, but can't tell you any capitals. I don't know who is on the money my country issues, can't really tell you much about WWI or II, don't know capitals of other countries...Name me the top ten, shoot, top 100 international figures, and I would know maybe 3-4 of them, and their significance.

I just don't really care to know that stuff. I can tell you alot about law, medicine, animals, human traits, logic, some science, computers, I am mechanically inclined, can do most home improvment projects myself, but, I can't answer those types of questions. That isn't where my strength or natural curiosity lies. And, really, alot of it is rote memorization. Someone I know very, very well can name nearly every person of international significance, and knows so much about American history...but, look at him with tears running down your face, and he can't even figure out you are upset!!

[catlady1945]

I'll bet a lot of people in the military don't know the answers to those questions either!

[NoahsMommy]

I'm sure there are many who did know the answers, but that wouldn't be "entertaining"....that's how our society seems to be now.