BYRD’S EYE VIEW: Constitution Day 2005: A Great Success
From the desk of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
Washington, DC (HNN) -- On a September afternoon in Philadelphia in 1787, an amazing event took place. Some of the brightest and bravest men of that, or any, generation came together to forge the document that continues to guide our nation today: the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitution’s Preamble established our government’s purpose in just a few simple words: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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." One paragraph, followed by a few pages, gave this nation direction and structure. We all cherish our liberty, and our liberty is enshrined in the Constitution.
Because it is so fundamental to each American, I have been increasingly concerned about the lack of understanding of the Constitution, especially by young people. Studies have shown that more young people know the names of the three Rice Krispies cereal characters than know the three branches of government. We need to put an end to such ignorance.
That’s why, last fall, I wrote legislation creating Constitution Day. Because of this law, students across the country are asked to spend some time every September 17 -- the date on which the Constitution was signed in 1787 -- learning more about our founding document.
This September, the nation marked the very first Constitution Day. I have been nearly overwhelmed by the excitement and the creativity that teachers and students have shown in celebrating this special day.
In West Virginia, hundreds of students gathered at Wheeling Jesuit University for a special day-long program on the Constitution. The West Virginia Department of Education produced a special television presentation, distributed to more than 200 schools, about the importance of the Constitution to young people and its roots that stretch back for hundreds of years. Some schools recreated the Constitutional Convention, with children portraying George Washington and Ben Franklin. Other schools took a closer look at our freedoms -- such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the right to bear arms -- and how each freedom needs to be guarded zealously.
From coast to coast, the inaugural Constitution Day was a great success. I look forward to next year’s activities. More importantly, I look eagerly ahead to the day when Americans not only cherish the Constitution but also understand its content and its importance to our lives.