Winston Churchill once remarked that the United States democracy was, “the worst form of government ever devised by man ,,,  except for all the rest!“  Prompting the eloquent tribute was his undying admiration of, and profound respect for the United States and its Constitution.  I am proud to share his sentiments.

Therefore, we should be deeply saddened over continuing reports that this year’s Constitutional bicentennial celebration may be a total “bust”.  But, then again, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.

During the past decade, millions of people across the country have staged, particularly in, and/or viewed a series of elaborate reenactments of, and celebrations commemorating a number of well-known episodes in American history.  While each of these celebrated events represented a significant milestone in the evolution of our society … from that of a feeble, colonial dependency into a strong, vibrant and independent republic … none were truly unique to the American experience.

These carefully choreographed, and often expensive, activities usually had a festive air and were periodically capped off with spectacular fireworks shows.  Undeniably, those celebrations contributed to producing a marked upsurge in patriotic rhetoric and pride in America, not to mention a thriving business in the manufacture and sale of bicentennial and Statue of Liberty souvenirs and other paraphernalia.

This year America celebrates the 200th anniversary of the writing of its Constitution … providing a unique opportunity for a national self-examination of not only the underlying principals and enduring structure of the American political system …  but also the relevance this uniquely American document has in the United States of 1987.

Our Constitution has endured, not only because it was written by men of infinite brilliance who possessed absolute truths, inviolate for all ages, but rather because they had the collective wisdom to understand that in the evolution of a free society, change would be inevitable and desirable.

Without question, arguments can be made that the Constitution, as written, was seriously flawed, particularly as it denied women and blacks the same inalienable rights granted to other Americans.  But, the fact corrective change was possible within the political framework provided by the Constitution serves to demonstrate one of its greatest strengths.

This nation has survived governmental scandals, periodic assassinations of its elected and unofficial leadership, a Civil War, economic depressions, and many socially divisive and gut-wrenching controversies … most of which would have toppled lesser systems.  Yet the political fabric outlined in our Constitution has held this country together.  Where else in the history of the human species have so many lived so free for so long?

Currently there is a proposal before the Constitutional Bicentennial Commission to hold a meeting of the Congress in Philadelphia, and another to coordinate a simultaneous national “Pledge of Allegiance”.  However fashionable and newsworthy such events might appear to be, they add little, if anything, of substance to a greater appreciation of this singularly unique document and the strength of the democratic system it created … the authorship of which these media-driven events are designed to commemorate.

That does not, however, suggest that either of these activities lacks value or should be vacated.  Rather, it might indicate a prudent reordering of priorities and resources related to the Constitutional bicentennial celebrations.

A more significant, although admittedly more complex, commemoration would focus on a well-conceived and well-executed series of programs designed to promote a fundamental understanding of the Constitution of the United States.  From such programs, the American public might gain greater insight into the historic context in which our

Constitution was written as well s an appreciation of how this marvelous document has been able to remain the cornerstone of our system in the face of two centuries of continuous and dramatic social, economic political and technological change.

Additionally, people might finally reflect on the not only the breadth of freedoms and individual rights they enjoy … but also the responsibilities such a society demands of its citizens if those freedoms and rights are to endure.

When 1987 has come and gone, how should we measure the effectiveness of the bicentennial of the Constitution?  How will we be able to judge whether our Constitutional celebration was a success or a “bust”?

Rather than rerunning endless video footage of school children mechanically reciting the Pledge or Allegiance to the Flag, or the inevitable avalanche of photographs of the members of the 100th  Congress carefully posed in and around Independence Hall, perhaps more fitting and meaningful metrics might be considered.

Among these might be:

  • How many eligible Americans exercise their voting franchise during the 1988 and 1990 elections … at all levels; federal, state and local?  (Interestingly, no president has ever received more than 35% of the potential popular vote, and one captured the nation’s highest office with only 11.4% of it.)
  • At the end of the 1987-88 academic school year, how many high school and college student will be able to pass a comprehensive exam on the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, subsequent amendments of the Constitution and major Supreme Court decisions clarifying aspects of those documents?
  • How effectively we begin to communicate to the peoples and leaders of other countries (particularly to developing and third-world nations) the individual freedoms, opportunities and blessings offered by our society?
  • How willing we are, as a nation, to insist America remain a society of permanent ideals, rather than one committed to permanent friends and permanent enemies?
  • How effectively will the American people react to the subtle, but cancerous, erosion of individual liberties in the name of “governmental efficiencies”, “national security”, of other catchy cliches?

or

  • How truly tolerant we Americans are when it comes to listening to others, whose words and actions … while not directly or materially affecting them … and fully permitted under First Amendment rights … may be upsetting, and possibly downright offensive, to their personal sensibilities?

Ours is an imperfect system!  It is flawed because we live in a pluralistic and ever changing society.  Our nation’s founding fathers could have no clearer insight into the American of 1987 than we now have into the world our descendents will inhabit a century from now.

But, we, as the framers of our Constitution, must understand how precious freedoms and human rights are … and how critically important it is to understand and protect them.

The greatest legacy we can leave for those Americans who will celebrate the third anniversary of the drafting of our Constitution is to leave it as unchanged as possible, particularly in areas of human rights, personal freedoms and individual privacy.