Selling the Constitution

Jolly old Ben Franklin would not be amused at the commission’s mascot, Bison tennial Ben.

The commission insults James Madison, the eloquent, experienced scholar-politician most responsible for the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I cringe with shame when we, the people of California, are asked to celebrate the 200th anniversary of our basic law with “201 Trivial Questions,” and even more trivial bumper stickers, T-shirts, buttons printed with clever slogans. It demeans the Constitution when it gets lost in the glittering and irrelevant shallowness of Bison tennial Ben, astronauts, celebrities, Olympians and political dinners at $500 per plate--not to mention a market research survey tied to a sweepstakes.

The history of the American Revolution and the establishment of our constitutional republic is a real story that surpasses TV, movie or library shelf fiction.

The 55 experienced political leaders from 12 of the 13 “sovereign, free, and independent” states who gathered in Philadelphia in May, 1787, to revise the ineffective Articles of Confederation provided suspense, wisdom, conflict, patience, compromise, humor and a cliffhanger finish on Sept. 17, 1787.

A fascinating way to begin to appreciate the Constitution is to read it.

Patriotic speeches, fireworks, parades are suitable and echo the first celebration of the work of our Founding Fathers.

Commemorative signing of the Constitution by millions of Californians is meaningless unless citizens read it, re-read it and think about it. The Constitution is short--only 29 pages in a free-of-charge paperback that can be obtained from your assemblyman or state senator. The book also includes other history documents--the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence--and the 104-page Constitution of California.

The Constitution is not intimidating. We can be grateful that it protects our individual rights and obstructs abuse of power by any of the three branches of government.

CLARA LINK

Pasadena