> Most citizens are completely unaware of the multitude of rights possessed by the people and assume that the government has to tell them what rights they have. That way is serfdom.

I know this is frowned upon, but +1 anyways.

> Then again, with one semester of government class in 12 years of compulsory state-controlled education -- and that taught by a coach half the time -- it's no wonder that we allow the state and its officers to walk all over us.

Yeah well my government teacher threw a book at me, literally. Question authority at your own peril.

My main problem with your statement is that if a student is "susceptible" to state-controlled education, they are also susceptible to really any ideology. It is the people who think differently who are most likely to be persecuted, and also need protection from it the most.

We need constitutional limitations on state power.

The U.S. constitution[1] must be amended to enumerate and accord the states a limited specific set of rights, and all other rights must be reserved for the people.

[1] Alternatively, individual state constitutions could be amended to have an enumerate powers clause added to them -- but I doubt those deep red Republican "conservative" and "small government" states would want to limit the power of the state to abuse marginalized groups. Conservative hypocrisy is unnerving.

Lol, and progs are any better?

Progressives are indeed better in this case.

Even though they are not big supporters of limited small government (which I favor), at least they are not actively trying to suppress black people and other non-white minorities -- instead they're fighting for their rights.

To me, justice is more important than small government.

Of course civics aren't taught in a meaningful way. Expecting state schools to teach anything that might challenge the power of the state is profoundly unrealistic.