Constitution Day 2012

Monday, September 17, 2012 is Constitution Day, marking the 225th anniversary of the document that doesn't give us our rights (as many incorrectly think), but codifies the protection of these rights, which flow to us naturally.

The US Constitution also established our remarkable form of government, with its bi-cameral Congress, and an ingenious series of checks and balances between the three branches.

Some people claim that the Constitution is "outdated" and has "lived its course", or that it was written by men, long ago dead, who lived in a very different time; I heartily beg to differ.

Our Founders were life-long, classical students of history, philosophy, economics, rhetoric, mathematics, and government.  They were the beneficiaries of two-thousand years of the failures and successes of man's attempt to civilize and govern himself, and they leveraged and borrowed the best parts from each phase when crafting their vision of a United States.  Contrasted with this deep span of experience from which they drew upon, our country, as well as the Constitution, is very young, and very current.

What is disturbing is the apparent lack of understanding and appreciation of this amazing document by our youth.  Each generation, it seems, receives less education about the Constitution than the previous, in spite of the fact that the US Department of Education mandates that all schools receiving federal funds implement a program of awareness of it, annually on September 17th.

Sadly, if our young people do not understand their Constitution, they will have no idea whether their politicians are following it, or abusing it.

If you aren't sure whether your local school district is complying with this important mandate, perhaps you could send them a note.

Read more here: http://granitegrok.com/blog/2012/09/constitution-day-2012