According to a poll in the UK:
- 47% of Brits think the 12th century English king Richard the Lionheart was a myth.
- 23% think World War II prime minister Churchill was made up. The same percentage thought Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale did not actually exist.
- 3% think Charles Dickens is a work of fiction himself.
- Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi and Battle of Waterloo victor the Duke of Wellington also appeared in the top 10 of people thought to be myths.
- 58% thought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective Holmes actually existed; 33 percent thought the same of W. E. Johns’ fictional pilot and adventurer Biggles.
We like to think we’re smarter here in America, but then I read the news and realize that I’m quite likely wrong. We must remember that Heinlein said that we must never underestimate the power of human stupidity, or as Homer Simpson put it, “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.”
Why do I remind you of this? Today is “Super Tuesday” in many states. Many stupid people will be voting. It is your responsibility to counter them. Go to the polls and make an intelligent and informed choice.
Even if you are not voting today, investigate your candidates, learn their positions and what they say. Think about how politics will work when they are in office. Will they be able to move our country forward in a positive direction, working in a productive manner with congress, providing transparency in government actions, and ensuring your tax dollars are used in an effective fashion. We’ve had political gridlock in Congress since the 1990s — we must move forward in a positive manner. It is up to you to make the intelligent choice.
