Today is Constitution Day. It was this day in 1787 when the delegates appointed by the Several States to attend the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution and the resolution to submit it to the states for ratification.
Some have called it -- even those who support constitutionally limited government -- "just a piece of paper."
But it is far more than that. It is the embodiment of the principles of self-governance, shared authority and responsibility, distribution of powers, and accountability to the people.
It also represents the culmination of centuries of humanity's growth in understanding how to move ourselves forward as a society. The Constitution and its construct of a democratic republic designed to safeguard human liberty stand as the pinnacle of intellectual achievement.
The vast majority of the major philosophical and intellectual developments since the Constitution's drafting and ratification have been aimed at eroding or tearing down the institutions it was written to preserve. Yet, despite the tortured interpretations of its language in the 224 years since it was signed, the Constitution -- and its intended principles -- has endured as the centerpiece of our nation. This is a testament to the wisdom which went into the drafting of it.
I will be observing Constitution Day in my own, quiet manner, by finishing the book "The Road To Serfdom" and if time permits starting "Atlas Shrugged" -- two books written during a time when the push to subvert constitutionally limited government and the Rule of Law was picking-up steam and which warned heavily against doing so.
It is through the Constitution we remain free to read and discuss such literature.
It is through the Constitution we are free to dance in celebration of America's greatest philosopher, Thomas Jefferson.
It is through the Constitution we are free to challenge those who hold seats of power as well as thwart their attempts to enjoy them in perpetuity.
And, it is because of the Constitution that America remains unique on the world's stage.
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