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October 10, 2007
interesting
So, as of this month if you want to be an Australian citizen you'll have to sit a citizenship test. (Don't even get me started on the potential problems an Australian citizenship test could cause....there are just so many possibilities for corruption and bias that I don't even want to go there.)
The Chaser went out to see if Aussies on the street could answer the questions. You can just guess what happened.
If you want to try your hand and see how you might do, scroll to the bottom of the page.
Now the US has had a test for a while, but it seems there is 'new and improved' version out there. Have a go at it yourself See how you do.
Is this what we want? Where being able to regurgitate information from a booklet proves that you will be a good citizen?
Really?
Call me crazy but I just think this is a waste of time and money. Why not spend this money on health care or the aged or education? Oh, wait we need to try to keep all of the 'scary' people out. That might make us feel safe again.
Sorry to get all serious on a Wednesday, but this whole exercise just gets me all upset. If we all just spent less time trying to alienate each other and more trying to see through each others eyes we might just find that we are more alike than we thought.
And on that note, I think I'm going to go get ready to out to dinner. So there.
-gg (who would pass both tests without any studying, but that's not the point)
Posted by gadgetgirl at October 10, 2007 06:01 PM
Comments
Gah. I got the number of Amendments wrong. I never could keep the later ones straight.
I thought that the US immigration test was already fairly extensive. I remember my Korean Grandma telling me that she had to pass a test on the branches of government, etc, and basically answer questions that I knew half the dumbasses in my graduating class would've failed.
Posted by: Kris at October 10, 2007 07:19 PM
It seems citizenship tests are a hot topic in blog world right now. :)
http://sanfranciscosue.blogspot.com/2007/10/2007-australian-citizenship-test.html
Posted by: crumpet at October 11, 2007 01:34 AM
Yeah, there has been a test for a while in the US, but I'd love to compare the old test to the new test. I just wonder how it has changed.
Posted by: gadgetgirl at October 11, 2007 06:05 AM