Celebrate Constitution Week

Liberty Action of the Week: September 16, 2003 

Celebrate Constitution Week by Mary Lou Seymour 

After the American Revolution was ended and the final treaty of peace signed (September 3, 1783), the nitty gritty work of setting up a government designed to keep the new nation "free" began. The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation (which had been adopted in 1781). It soon became clear that, rather than amend the existing Articles, the Convention would draft an entirely new framework of government. All through the long hot summer (without air conditioning!) the delegates debated, drafting and redrafting the articles of the new Constitution. 

Finally, on September 17, 1787, the new Constitution was signed by the delegates and sent out to the states for ratification. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, securing its adoption. The Constitution was ratified on July 2, 1788. 

Last year, when I wrote about Constitution Day, it seemed that the celebration of Constitution Day was slipping by unnoticed. My friend and co-editor of Rational review, R. Lee Wrights, had begun a campaign Promoting the passage of a resolution proclaiming Constitution Week Sept 14-20 through the Libertarian Party affiliates in his state, and reports this year that "What began as a local endeavor quickly grew into a national movement. I am proud to report that the US Constitution Resolution has either been adopted or being considered for adoption in over half the states in the union." 

And it appears the "big guys" are jumping on the bandwagon. An organization called "Constitution Day" promotes a national celebration for Sept.17 at 2:00 PM. This year, "The half hour program will begin with President George W. Bush leading all the 120,000 schools in the nation in the simultaneous recitation of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution broadcast by Fox News. Immediately following the recitation of the Preamble there will be a roll call of the 50 United States beginning with Delaware, the first state to ratify the Constitution, ending with Hawaii the last to be admitted to the Union." Apparently, this organization has been a going concern since 1997, but this year, for a "national first," they are promoting a joint celebration of the Constitution and the "Pledge of Allegiance." 

Whoa there. The author of the Pledge of Allegiance, Francis Bellamy, was a socialist, and "In his Pledge, he is expressing the ideas of his first cousin, Edward Bellamy, author of the American socialist utopian novels, Looking Backward (1888) and Equality (1897) .... [which describe] in detail how the middle class could create a planned economy with political, social and economic equality for all." The "under God" part (the part that the Courts keep ruling is unconstitutional), was added in the midst of the "Red Scare" of the 
50s. 

Though I'm not a big fan of the Pledge of Allegiance to begin with (I don't support pledging "allegiance" to a flag, and I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state), I REALLY draw the line at mixing celebration of the Constitution with the Pledge of Allegiance. 

It's a sad state of affairs when our Constitution, which was drawn up to limit the power of the government, is being mingled with an instrument that promotes the expansion of government. Though why this surprises me, considering how the current regime in the dismal swamp of DC and their minions throughout our land trample on the Constitution almost daily, I don't know. 

For this week's action, then, I suggest we not only promote the celebration of Constitution Day, and Constitution Week, but that we register disapproval of the mingling of Constitution Day with the statist trappings of the pledge of allegiance and point this out with letters to the editor, calls to talk radio, etc. If you're really feeling brave, call your local school and tell them you don't approve of their taking part in this bastardized "Constitution Day" celebration, and why. Let's make it clear that there are some of us, at least, who understand what the Constitution really means and why it was written. 

For more info on the making of the Constitution, see the materials from the Constitution Society, FoundingFathers.Info and the National Archive. If you have children or grandkids in school (or homeschooling!), the National Archive has an excellent selection of materials suitable for use on Constitution Day ... make sure, at least, that the children that YOU have contact with celebrate Constitution Day in an appropriate fashion. 

And, of course, while we are celebrating Constitution Day, let's never forget that several states ratified solely on the basis of a promise that the first Congress would amend the Constitution to include a Bill of Rights, spelling out the immunities of individual citizens and restrictions on the central government. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. 

In these "interesting times", we need more than ever to continue to educate our fellow citizens about our Constitution, before it is really and truly too late. 

Til next week For Freedom Mary Lou 

PS: The Liberty Activist Resource Directory is now available as a "premium" available to supporters of LAotW, a donation of $15.00 gets you the "key"! The actions and resources in the Directory include those I've compiled working on the column, including the alternate actions and resources mentioned in the columns, as well as additional resources, in a handy database format, divided into Actions and Resources and organized by subject. And thanks to those of you who have sent me entries for the Directory, those are always welcome! 

PPS: And don't forget, every week, between columns, I "blog" any updates I receive on this week's action or other items of interest in the Liberty Activist Blog. 

PPS: And, check out the alternate actions for this week: Petition: Stop the RIAA and Celebrate Banned Books Week, details and links on the website! 

LINKS FOR THIS WEEK'S COLUMN 

US Constitution Day 2003 http://www.libertyforall.net/2003/archive/aug31/constitution.html 

Constitution Day http://www.constitutionday.com/ 

The Pledge of Allegiance, a Short History http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm 

Constitution Society http://www.constitution.org/ 

Founding Fathers Info http://www.foundingfathers.info/ 

The Creation of the Constitution http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/charters_of_freedom/constitution/co...

Constitution Day Activities http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/constitution_day/const...

Liberty Activist Resource Directory http://www.rationalreview.com/ladir.shtml 

Liberty Activist Blog http://libertyaction.blogspot.com/ 

Alternate Actions http://www.rationalreview.com/mlseymour/091603.shtml 

Liberty Action of the Week is edited by Mary Lou Seymour. 

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