The 227th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution: Today's Important Date Will Be Sparsely Showcased

For decades now, our national and local media mavens here
have handed short shrift to the nation's most significant
document, the presumed highest law of the land, our often
imitated Constitution. Such a shame, because the process
to create the document is as fascinating to learn about as the
resultant body of laws is inextricably connected  to who we
are.

The Founders were a group of men who assiduously prized
learning, and it showed. Jefferson, Minister to Paris, could only
participate by packet, which took six weeks from Europe to the
Colonies. But what an immense influence he was, sending books
to Madison about civilizations from all around the world, Greece,
Rome,  Asia, Northern Africa, on governments and trade practices
they had  erected in their successful societies. (Of course English
Common Law was the greater portion, already practised by
Colonial  lawyers and administrators.)

Madison, who wrote most of the Constitution, had all of these
references to consult for the duration of the Constitutional
Convention, which ran from May to September, 1787.
European Enlightenment values were imprinted into our
document, which has stood for 227 years, only added to by
amendment 27 times. What an astounding achievement: sitting
down, deliberating as to the best society to create, entailing
issues of due process, human rights, legal aspects of declaring
war and conducting trade...

But you won't see much on  the free networks tonight or
cable news, except on rare history programming. George
Santayana still has the telling words on the subject--
"Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed
to repeat it".  George wouldn't be surprised to discover
how few constitutional rights, requirements, obligations
and privileges are understood by the average adult
American.

Our ignorance imperils us all--THAT does get showcased
on every night's news broadcasts.