Throughout the history of this country we have seen riots and marches and events that have helped people express their displeasure with the government, how they are being treated or their place in society. We have these liberties because of the constitution. Constitution Day became a holiday in 2004 with the purpose of helping citizens and students learn more about the nations history and the liberties that they hold that are protected under the constitution.
September 17, is a day to celebrate the ratification of the constitution. This may be my inner history nerd coming out, but this is such an amazing day to really think about the liberties we have and why we should protect them. As a society we take full advantage of our liberties without fully understanding why we have them or where they come from. Such as the right we have to march and express our displeasure of the government comes from the first amendment of the Bill of Rights and even the ninth amendment that states there are rights we have that may not be listed, but we still need to preserve them and make sure they are not being violated. This is why the constitution is such a cool document, because as society changes it allows for the constitution to change and mold itself into what society needs at that time. The constitution itself does not change, but the premises of what amendments mean and how we understand the meaning of events can have large impacts on laws and how we treat people. Having a basis of understanding of the constitution will also help us be a more informed society on issues that arise from presidential powers, gun control and human rights.
I’m not saying we all have to read the whole constitution and dress up like James Madison or Alexander Hamilton. But, history is important for understanding where we have been and where we are going. Understanding even where we have been because of the constitution and the laws it has helped and the precedents it has placed can help us understand our future and where we may be headed as a society. September 17th, gives us a day to think about our government and how we are protected as a society for We the People of the United States are here to protect each other and ourselves from injustice and ensure all people are treated equally.