The point, Fern, is that simply reading the Constitution is not enough to understand either intent or significance. It is a performative political act, nothing more. My high school dictionary (I still have it) includes a copy of the Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence. School kids hand out copies of both- in their …
The point, Fern, is that simply reading the Constitution is not enough to understand either intent or significance. It is a performative political act, nothing more. My high school dictionary (I still have it) includes a copy of the Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence. School kids hand out copies of both- in their entirety- in small, pocket-size pamphlets at elections. I have one within reach in my work space. I don't know anyone who has gone onto elective office who hasn't had to read both in the course of their education.
And yet, there exists libraries of Constitutional interpretation and of case law that are read in contradictory ways. In what way does reading the Constitution in front of the Congress change how the citizens of this country see what it means?
Better we take that task on ourselves, within our communities at all their levels, listening to the variety of ways the Constitution is understood, and really discussing why that is, and how we come to some kind of common understanding about what the Constitution is FOR, not just the words. The words have been argued over ad infinitem. I really am trying to grasp what it is you think this performance is going to accomplish, but so far I don't get it.
The point, Fern, is that simply reading the Constitution is not enough to understand either intent or significance. It is a performative political act, nothing more. My high school dictionary (I still have it) includes a copy of the Constitution as well as the Declaration of Independence. School kids hand out copies of both- in their entirety- in small, pocket-size pamphlets at elections. I have one within reach in my work space. I don't know anyone who has gone onto elective office who hasn't had to read both in the course of their education.
And yet, there exists libraries of Constitutional interpretation and of case law that are read in contradictory ways. In what way does reading the Constitution in front of the Congress change how the citizens of this country see what it means?
Better we take that task on ourselves, within our communities at all their levels, listening to the variety of ways the Constitution is understood, and really discussing why that is, and how we come to some kind of common understanding about what the Constitution is FOR, not just the words. The words have been argued over ad infinitem. I really am trying to grasp what it is you think this performance is going to accomplish, but so far I don't get it.