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“The National Archives Building’s architect,
John Russell Pope, designated space for two large murals in the Rotunda for the
Charters of Freedom. These oil-on-canvas paintings were painted by artist Barry
Faulkner in 1935–36. Faulkner created allegorical scenes depicting the writing
and adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the
United States. These massive murals, each about the size of a city bus (14 feet
by 37.5 feet), add life and color to the space.” This mural is of the signing of the
Constitution. George Washington stands front and center. |
There is already a
Constitutional crisis existent. But it is not merely a recent one, nor is it
the result only of elected officials who blatantly disregard its provisions. The
preponderance of fault lies with much of the American electorate who have cared
little to naught about this most fundamental expression of American nature,
character, and construct.
Oh, for sure, many, when
they were in high school memorized the Preamble. But I doubt that they took the
time or cognitive energy to learn or discover that the Preamble describes the
scope and purpose of the Constitution.
We the People of the United States,
in Order to
form a more perfect Union,
establish
Justice,
insure
domestic Tranquility,
provide for
the common defence,
promote the
general Welfare,
and secure
the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain
and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Aside from the much cliched throwing about of the
first three words and maybe the Second Amendment, most citizens have not read
the fullness of the Constitution. Nor do they refer to it to ascertain the accuracy
of some statement a candidate or elected official may state. Nor yet do they
even have a copy in their possession or know where to find one on the internet.
It is no
wonder that we are in a state of Constitutional Crisis. Few people are aware of
the Constitution’s significance. Many people do not care.
Upon entering service in the military, elective or
appointive office, serving as a Election day poll worker, we speak an oath to
support and defend the Constitution.
I think most people raise
their hands and in a perfunctory manner recite the oath out of a sense of mere
bureaucratic correctness. I assert that one cannot in sincerity offer reverence
to something with which they have not become familiar.
If ever you have had to
file for bankruptcy protection, or think that you may need to one day, the
Constitution makes that provision. If you are a songwriter, publisher, artist
or other person of the creative arts or inventive processes, the Constitution
provides protections of your works for you. If you enjoy driving state to state
without having to acquire a different driver’s license for each state, thank
the Constitution.
Without the Constitution, without the diligent
adherence to the Constitution, we will become an unpredictable hodgepodge of “who’s
got what rights today?”
It is not only the
responsibility of schools and teachers to make the content of the Constitution
well-known, much more so, it is the duty of each citizen to become sufficiently
informed of the content that they will know when elected leaders are abdicating
their own oath which they had taken.
The first three words of
the preamble of the Constitution are not words that place burden on elected
officials, they place the burden to maintain the Constitution on the citizenry…
We the people, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
You can become familiar with the Constitution at:
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
