Robert Siegel, host of National Public Radio's news program "All Things Considered," lectured a standing-room only audience in Macalester's Kagin Commons on Tuesday about the dangers of ignorance of current events.

Siegel is a 27-year veteran of National Public Radio (NPR). He was news director for four years and has hosted "All Things Considered" for the past 16 years.

The audience, a mixture of Macalester students and local NPR fans, welcomed Siegel's speech and interrupted him occasionally with brief applause. After the lecture, audience reaction was markedly positive.

"It is always good to hear how the people who are telling you about the workings of the world think, where they come from, what biases they have," said Sarah Graves '04.

"His expertise is like a treasure," said Mary Busch of Minneapolis. "I am very impressed with his breadth and fairness."

"He's kind of preaching to the choir... but I need to hear this stuff," said Bloomington-resident Michael Bender. "It's good for the soul."

Siegel, speaking from the podium in the Alexander G. Hill Ballroom, worried aloud that ignorance and tolerance of ignorance are becoming ubiquitous in United States culture.

He cited a poll that found that 60 percent of Americans believe that Saddam Hussein had a role in the Sept. 11 bombings, even though no U.S. official has ever made such an accusation.

Siegel stated that he believes this ignorance has particularly strong ramifications because of the populist nature of U.S. politics. He worries that public opinion as a whole is far too malleable and accepting of any suggestion from the current U.S. administration.

"Political debate is becoming so impressionistic that the possibility of true disaster is out there," Siegel said.

The "All Things Considered" host said that one possible cause of ignorance of world events in the U.S. is "gross simplification and generalizing."

Referencing the study about Saddam Hussein and the Sept. 11 attacks, Siegel said he believes the U.S. public mistakenly sees Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein as equitable nemeses because they are both America-hating extremist Muslim Arabs.

The result of this stereotype, according to Siegel, is confusion about Hussein and the World Trade Center bombings.

Siegel also blamed cultural rejection of current events knowledge for what he believes is the spread of ignorance.

The veteran of public radio claimed that dissemination of news was much more universal several decades ago. He said that he remembers hearing five-minute news briefs on the "Top 40" radio stations when he was in his youth.

"My parents' values had to intrude on my entertainment," Siegel joked.

Now, Seigel says, because of deregulation, there are no such briefs and "Top 40" listeners are much more ignorant of current events.

Although most of the audience appeared enthralled with the lecture, several Macalester students had some minor misgivings.

"[The ignorance theory] was not really a groundbreaking type of proclamation," Nick Fagerlund '05 said. "It's kind of a no-brainer, if you will."

"I wish he would have talked a little more as to why what he was saying was important." Graves said.

"Many of us at Macalester have said and heard others bring up the points he did, but why should I sit and listen to him in particular?"

While Macalester students did not have to travel far to attend Siegel's lecture, several audience members made quite a trip to see the NPR host speak. Professors from Carleton in Northfield, MN and from University of Wisconsin at River Falls participated in a question and answer session following the lecture.

Indeed, many attendees were dedicated "All Things Considered" fans. One member of the audience, a resident of Minneapolis, said that Seigel is "kind of a hero."