Constitution Day

September 17th is Constitution Day.  As I write this I realize that the day has passed.  I did not want to write about Constitution Day because I presumed, incorrectly, that there would be numerous discussions about the constitution.  Despite the fact that it seems too many Americans are oblivious to the Constitution, I still feel it pertinent to discuss the U.S. Constitution.  There are three reasons why I believe it is important to discuss the constitution.

1.  The Constitution is supposed to limit government.  I feel like most people when I comes to the current state of our government.  All I want to do is close my ears and my eyes and ignore it.  It seems we have less and less of a distinction between the parties in our country and more and more of a blurring of constitutional lines.  Unfortunately, those who have very little interest in the constitution will have very little understanding of when our government abuses its power.  I’m not a black helicopter, conspiracy theory person, but I am growing increasingly concerned by leaders of both parties who do not abide by the constitutional restrictions on government power.  Take the Syrian situation.  The President discussed his ability to send troops into the region without Congressional approval.  Congress hasn’t even debated a declaration of war.  This is government operating outside of constitutional parameters.  Likewise, we had the passage of the Patriot Act, which has been supported by both parties.  All I can say about this is … the 4th Amendment?

2.  The Constitution recognizes fundamental rights.  Certain rights, those that we are created with by our creator, are protected by the Constitution.  This means, in theory, that governments are instituted to protect these unalienable rights (remember the Declaration of Independence).  Rights such as freedom of religion, speech, right to bear arms are all such rights that fundamental to our standing has Americans.  Yet today more and more people are willing to give up those fundamental rights—-rights that are supposed to unalienable.  Take guns for instance.  People are giving up their right to defend themselves and their property because they are told it will make for a safer community.  Just the opposite, however, occurs.  Having a basic understanding of the constitution and the reason we have the right to bear arms and why our founders believed it was important is vital to the freedom of all American individuals and our nation.  Therefore, discussing the constitution puts us in remembrance of our fundamental rights.

3.  The Constitution is a protection against Tyranny.  What does tyranny look like?  It can come from despots like Castro or Hitler or any other “bad” guy you can think of.  However, tyranny can also arise from a King who is clothed in regal authority and who promises protection and prosperity (Remember King George).  Without a basic understanding of the constitution, it is often difficult to assess when tyranny is occurring.  “Eternal liberty is the price of liberty.”  Thomas Jefferson

So another year has passed and another constitution day has passed as well.  It makes me reflect on what our society is thinking about when it comes to the constitution.  Do we value our liberty as much as the generations that preceded us?  From what I’m seeing it’s difficult to answer that question in the affirmative.  I can only hope that those brave enough to discuss the constitution will take up the light of liberty for others and help shine that light on the darkness that seems to be lurking ever so frequently in the recesses of our society.

Until Next Time,

David A. Standridge