09 10

10 September 2010

Getting Ready for Constitution Day

Next Friday, the 17th of September, is Constitution Day, celebrating the signing of the US Constitution. I love the Constitution! Unfortunately, I haven't come up with any satisfactory traditions to start in my family in order to celebrate this amazing document. I'm definitely taking suggestions, so if your family does something cool, please share it in the comments! In the meantime, I'm posting quotes. Here's a couple to start off with. I hope you enjoy.


Preamble:
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.




No nation has been more greatly blessed than the United States. We live in a land which has been called choice above all other lands by divine pronouncement... Our government came into existence through divine guidance. The inspiration of the Lord rested upon the patriots who established it, and inspired them through the dark days of struggle for independence and through the critical period which followed that struggle when they framed our glorious Constitution, which guarantees to all that self-evident truth proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness."

-Joseph Fielding Smith, General Conference April 1943
Quoted in A Glorious Standard: For All Mankind
by Christopher S. Bentley, page 42





[The] great essentials of that document, the Constitution of the United States, which God Himself inspired, is the law of Zion, the Americas.

So, Brethren, I wish you to understand that when we begin to tamper with the Constitution we begin to tamper with law of Zion which God Himself set up, and no one may trifle with the word of God with impunity.

-J. Reuben Clark, General Conference October 1942
Quoted in A Glorious Standard: For All Mankind
by Christopher S. Bentley, page 43

4 comments:

Jeannetta said...

Well done, I love the J. Rueben Clark quote!
I'm weary of the constant barrage of "they weren't Godly men", and "it's a fundamentally flawed document". Sigh.
As for traditions, we always watch "A More Perfect Union"; it's too long and would bore Monkey, but get a copy and you and Andy watch it, we watch it yearly--much to my children's chagrin!
This year, on the 16th and 17th there is a webinar hosted by the Heritage Foundation; I posted it on my wall.

Ritsumei said...

Hmmm. I've never heard of "A More Perfect Union," but maybe it's time to look it up. Thanks!

Cellista said...

We don't have any great traditions either. I need to come up with something.

We've watched "A More Perfect Union" a few times, but it's still a little long for my boys. In fact I have an extra copy of it if you'd like. Just send me your mailing address.

Ritsumei said...

I'm seriously pondering some festive cupcakes. Every celebration needs good food, and anything that would work for Independence Day would work for Constitution Day. I'm thinking that the festive and fun added to some sort of thinking tradition - like watching this video you both recommend - would make a lot of sense.

Cellista, I'll happily send you both my mailing address & a little $$$ to cover shipping. That's very kind of you!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin