Simpsons Let No One Ever Speak of This Again Under Penalty of Catapult
The popular Goggle box testify "The Simpsons" debuted 28 years ago today as a regular series, and amidst its cultural contributions are more than a few references to the Constitution.
Granted, with more than 600 episodes in the tin can for the satirical animated comedy, "The Simpsons" have touched (and re-touched) a lot of topics. But the whole Constitution-Simpsons connection got its share of publicity near ix years agone, when a museum-commissioned poll showed Americans knew more about "The Simpsons" than the Constitution.
The McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum was opening in Chicago in 2006 when it deputed the poll.
The phone survey found that simply 28 percent of Americans could proper noun more one of the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution'south First Amendment, only more than half of Americans could name at least ii members of the fictional Simpsons family. In addition, 22 percent of Americans could proper noun all five Simpsons family members, while just 11 percent of folks knew that freedom of the press was guaranteed nether the Starting time Amendment.
Since and then, the McCormick Tribune Liberty Museum has airtight-- information technology lasted virtually three years -- while "The Simpsons" has endured as a cultural icon. And in fact, the show has taught us a few Constitutional lessons along the way.
Dorsum and so, the website Simpsons Crazy listen seven examples of constitutional illuminations in the Tv series, and we as well checked "Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide" for a few boosted references. So here's a brusque list of ramble lessons and references amongst 24 years of satire!
1. The Beak of Rights
In an 1999 episode "Brand Room for Lisa," Homer Simpson encounters a traveling Smithsonian exhibit featuring the Beak of Rights, the Liberty Bell, Fonzie'south jacket from "Happy Days" and Archie Bunker'southward chair from "All In The Family." Lisa has to explain the Neb of Rights to Homer, who is shocked that Bart doesn't know who Fonzie is.
Clip: Homer Steals The Bill Of Rights
"It guarantees all of the basic freedoms- speech, religion, the right to a speedy trial," she says.
Things go tragically wrong after Homer removes the Bill of Rights from its glass case, and gets chocolate on the document. When security guards try to attack Homer, he literally tries to hide behind the Neb of Rights, but he has licked the words off the Viii Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
To absolve for his deportment, Homer has to pay $x,000 to the exhibit's sponsor, a phone visitor that wants to put a jail cell belfry in his house as compensation.
2. The First Amendment
In a 2004 episode chosen "Bart-Mangled Banner," Bart accidentally "moons" the American flag at a schoolhouse event. The incident causes a national outrage flamed past a talk show host. The family unit is ostracized locally and nationally. At church, Lisa speaks about the First Amendment, after Bart is told to go along quiet.
Clip: Bart Moons The Flag
"Congress shall make no law abridging the liberty of speech or of the press. That'southward from the First Amendment to the Constitution," she says. However, a SWAT squad arrests the family unit for violating the fictional "Government Knows Best Act." The family unit is later shown watching a cartoon nigh the Constitution that portrays the "Bill O'Rights" as its "crazy drunken cousin." The family eventually escapes to France but returns to the United states every bit undocumented immigrants.
3. Article V
The Constitution's Article V allows for the founding document to be inverse through the amendment process. Not only exercise "The Simpsons" take on the amendment process in the 1996 episode, "The Day The Violence Died," they tackle copyright issues and the famous "I'm Just A Bill" drawing from Schoolhouse Stone.
In the episode, Bart discovers that an old man named Chester Lampwick is the real creator of the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon serial, starting a courtroom copyright boxing. The popular cartoon is taken off the air, and replaced by "deadening" cartoons such as one called "Amendment To Be."
Clip: A Debate About Copyright Law In Court
That drawing opens with a similar shot from "I'chiliad But A Nib," but it is a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw flag burning sitting on the steps of the Capitol.
"But why can't nosotros just make a law against flag called-for?" ask the child. "Considering that police would be unconstitutional. But if we inverse the Constitution...," says the amendment. "Then we could brand all sorts of crazy laws," the child counters.
In the cartoon, Congress passes the flag burning amendment, and Itchy and Scratchy return to Telly after the Postal service is found guilty of copyright infringement.
4. Article I: Congress
The 2003 episode "Mr. Spritz Goes To Washington" features a parody of Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington: with Krusty the Clown playing Jimmy Stewart's role.
The episode skewers most Washington institutions and especially Congress. After the Simpsons protest about a federally approved flight path over their home, Krusty gets elected to Congress when an elderly representative dies. But things go wrong quickly as Krusty heads to Washington.
Clip: Krusty wins the Election
"I swear to uphold and protect the Constitution of these United States. So relax, gun nuts," he says after his election.
But like Jimmy Stewart, Krusty is placed on do-nothing congressional committees, and he can't even mount a filibuster, since Congress has left a floor session. The Simpsons and Krusty are taught by the Capitol'south janitor about how to get a bill through Congress. They blackmail a Congressman, get another boozer, and attach their airplane noise neb as a rider on a "Flags for Orphans" bill that is guaranteed to pass.
5. The 18th and 21st Amendments
Yes, there is an unabridged Simpsons episode called "Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment" and it deals with the issue of Prohibition in Springfield.
In this 1997 adventure, local government discovers that information technology had a prohibition subpoena on its books for the by 200 years that says "spirituous beverages are hereby prohibited under penalization of catapult." The town is soon aggress by speakeasies and an Elliot Ness-like character trying to enforce liquor laws. Homer Simpson is arrested equally the infamous Beer Businesswoman and placed on a catapult for punishment.
Clip: Homer's Cruel and Unusual Penalization
"You lot can't do this! All my husband did was violate a police that doesn't make sense," yells Marge Simpson. "Now, I'll acknowledge, car crashes and fistfights have been downwardly recently but prohibition has price the states our liberty- our freedom to drink!"
Homer gets a reprieve when the 200-year-old certificate shows that prohibition was repealed 199 years later the law was written.
6. Article Two: The Executive
In the 2008 episode "E. Pluribus Wiggum," Mayor Quimby moves the town's presidential primary up to adjacent Tuesday, after Homer accidentally blows upward Springfield's fast-food district and a bond referendum is needed. The election as well makes Springfield the first presidential primary in the nation, angering New Hampshire.
Afterwards being swamped by political operatives and journalists, the offended residents of Springfield put their back up backside viii-twelvemonth-quondam Ralph Wiggum as president, leading Lisa Simpson to raise a constitutional objection.
Prune: Cablevision News Debates Ralph'south Campaign
"Ralph is only viii years old! It says in the Constitution, y'all have to be 35 [to be President]," she says. "The Constitution? I'grand pretty sure the Patriot Human action killed it to ensure our freedoms," counters Bart.
"Ooh, the Patriot Act is and so terrible! The regime might observe out what library books I have out! What's next, finding out what operas I go to?" adds Homer in a mocking fashion.
There are more references to the Constitution scattered throughout the series, including a reference to Bart'due south hereafter occupation - every bit the Chief Justice of the United States - in an early episode that also makes some startling claims nearly Earl Warren!
Source: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/what-we-can-learn-about-the-constitution-from-the-simpsons
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