And how many TV viewers who first heard about the Jackson gaffe (or about the plaque on a Trump golf course that "honours"  those who supposedly died in a civil war battle that never occurred) went, "Huh?" Because they don't know their own history, either. Well, heck, they're not the President, so maybe they can be excused.  

But here's the thing that is inexcusable: you never HAVE to crack a book anymore to be well-informed.  Don't need to have newspapers flung at the doorstep, either.  Just "Google" it.  Easy, huh?  (A previous generation's kids used to moan, "way too hard," when faced with a 300-page hardback.  An answer to their prayers, right?)  But no.  Won't do it.  Can't do it.  Don't THINK to do it, but--judging from what we read on these pages--don't think twice about sounding off, exposing their ignorance. 

Trump's reaction when told local historians derided that fake-battle plaque? "How do they know? Were they there?" Inexcusable? Nowadays, acceptable. Presidential, even.