MID-CITY It’s the Constitution’s party and it can cry if it wants to.
OK, the Constitution can’t shed tears, but if it could it probably would today, it’s 220th birthday. Instead of receiving gifts, the Constitution is getting the cold shoulder.
That’s because an overwhelming number of Americans don’t know, or could care less, about the roughly 460-word document, considered to be the most important piece of writing in U.S. history as it established the underlying framework of our government, and outlined our most sacred freedoms.
“It’s the Constitution’s birthday? I didn’t even know,” said Angela Finnegan, an office manager who was enjoying a cup of tea at the 18th Street Coffee House Saturday morning with some friends.
“Well, in that case, happy birthday Constitution,” she said as she raised her cup for a toast. “I don’t really know how I should feel about it. I mean, it’s not like the (Fourth of July or Memorial Day) where you get time off and there’s a lot going on around it. I don’t think I would have even known if (a reporter) didn’t bring it up.”
Finnegan isn’t alone. Most people surveyed in Santa Monica were not aware that the Constitution, which was ratified on Sept. 17th 1789 by the Constitutional Convention, was celebrating a birthday. What may be even more shocking is that a large number of folks could-n’t name the first three words of the all important document, which are, “We the people …”
“It’s sad, but it’s true,” said John W. Whitehead, president and founder of the Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization in Virginia that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated.
“Most Americans have never read the Constitution,” said Whitehead, an enthusiastic supporter of the Constitution who is all too happy to send out pocket-sized versions of the document to anyone who asks for one — and even those who don’t. “Studies show that Americans are Constitutional illiterate. Most high school seniors don’t even know what the First Amendment is.”
For the record, it states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religions, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceable assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia 220 years ago in response to dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation and the need for a strong centralized government, according to the Library of Congress. After four months of secret debate and many compromises, the proposed Constitution was submitted to the states for approval. Although the vote was close in some states, the Constitution was eventually ratified and the new federal government came into existence in 1789.
At no time in the last 30 years have Americans needed to know the Constitution more than they do today, what with the federal government, and in particular, the Bush Administration, reaching further into the private lives and freedoms of the people, Whitehead said.
“Since 9/11 we have witnessed the accelerated decline of the Constitution. It really has just gone wild,” said Whitehead, who has written several op-ed pieces about the Bush Administration’s increased ability to control all branches of the federal government. “You need to know what’s in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights because if you don’t, how will you ever be able to object. You must take action and the first step is to read it.”
Over at the Santa Monica Main Library, where copies of the Constitution is readily available, Greg Williams was somewhat ashamed that he didn’t know the significance of today, but he did fair better than most when he was able to name seven of the first 10 Amendments that make up the Bill of Rights, as well as the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, the 18th Amendment, which banned the sale of alcohol, and the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote.
“I have to give credit to my high school government teacher,” Williams said with a grin. “He made us remember every single amendment and recite the Preamble. It was pretty grueling and at the time I did-n’t think it was worth the effort, but right now, I’m feeling pretty good about it.”
Williams said he wasn’t surprised that most people aren’t aware of the Constitution’s big birthday. It’s not something that the media focuses on, he said, and it’s not a national holiday.
“Perhaps it should be,” he said. “I think something as important as the Constitution should warrant a three-day weekend.
“Even if it’s just an excuse for people to get out of town or sit around and barbecue, at least it would get us to maybe look it up on the Internet out of curiosity or veg out in front of the TV and watch some PBS special on it or something.”
Part of the problem, people said, is that the Constitution isn’t “sexy,” like Independence Day where people hold large parties and there are fireworks to light up the night sky. Independence Day also has more drama attached to it as people think of the deadly battles fought to win our freedom.
“The Constitution just doesn’t seem that cool,” said Jared Rodgers, a 17-year-old from Los Angeles who believes his teachers will be doing something today to commemorate the occasion. “I mean, it’s an old piece of paper sitting in a museum somewhere. How do you get up for that?”
It’s easy, said the folks at the National Constitution Center. For starters, people can check out a two-hour film on the heated debates that took place in the sweltering summer of 1787, “A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation.” Others can make T-shirts or host public readings. Others can set up a mock signing and allow folks to make changes to the document to better reflect conditions today.
Or for those who are looking for a little more fun could play drinking games, such as taking a shot of booze for every amendment passed, something not suggested by the center.
Whitehead said whatever you do, just make sure it includes reading the Constitution.
“I think we need to get communities to host Constitution classes or public readings so that we can talk about what’s in it and what we need to do to protect it,” Whitehead said. “We are talking about the greatest document of all time. People come from around the world to study it more than 200 years after it was written. I think it deserves more respect than it gets.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 17, 2007. Read the original PDF.