Why should Americans read the Constitution?

Question

It seems that a lot of Americans have a very limited knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. What should we tell people who don't think such knowledge is important? Give as many good answers as you can think of!

Thanks.

Answer 1

That is simple it is what America is about . We are proud to be Americans in this country we have freedom and rights. Many have died so we may have the right to the US constitution that knowledge may come to their rescue.

Answer 2

A lot of Americans have a very limited knowledge of a lot of things.  I don't think there is anything that you can say that would change things.  What might work, however, is if you could create a slick reality show or game show that requires knowledge of the Constitution to win money.

Answer 3

You'll know when your rights are being taken from you. That sounds good to meeeee.

Answer 4

Because the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution is the very ground and basis for our being a nation that we say we value.  Without an understanding of what makes a nation great, there is no hope that nation will remain great.

Also, to refute the lies of the Federalist Society.

Answer 5

knowledge is power

Answer 6

Americans should not only read it, they should commit its contents to memory as, contrary to some notions, the US Constitution, not the Bible, is the foundation of American law.

And they should know the history of its creation, the events that led up to it and the mindset of its writers.  They should know that the first 10 amendments just barely made it in the Constitution, and one could only speculate on the consequences to this nation, if these had not made it!

And they should be aware, that it is the FIRST AMENDMENT, the Right To Free Speech, that is the Master Right. Free Speech is the Master Right upon which ALL other rights hang or are derived.  If Free Speech fails, then all the other rights will topple like Dominos not long after as they are derivative from it.  There is no freedom without Free Speech, or not for very long.

However, the Bill of Rights, really does not go FAR ENOUGH. The rights listed in the Japanese Constitution are far more extensive than in the US Constitution. The European Bill of Rights, adopted by the U.S.E  is at least 10 TIMES more extensive than the US Bill of Rights and much less ambiguously worded.  

I'd recommend that all Americans push for the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human RIghts as defined by the United Nations which are ultimately derived from the philosophical principles outlined by Thomas Paine in his landmark work "The Rights of Man". It was Thomas Paine, from England, who so helped create the United States and influenced such American luminaries as T. Jefferson and B. Franklin.   Thomas Paine created the philosophical concept of Natural Rights, those that CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY by anyone, anytime, anywhere, by no government EVER. These Natural Rights are derivative from Nature or Nature's God [whichever you prefer] and are ETERNAL.  Just being born on planet Earth qualifies you for them!

A Right CANNOT be taken away.  A privilege can.  Free Speech is a right.  Driving on the highways of the USA is a privilege.

When all the people of the Earth demand recognition of their rights, and are willing to wage war on the enemies of Freedom, we'll have them.

Adolf Hitler made a very interesting statement in Mein Kampf. "Those who do not fight for freedom, do not deserve it."   You might find it strange, that I, a Jew, would be in agreement with Hitler, but in this one statement of his, I am.

Even the evilest of men, can sometimes speak the truth.

Now, we've become lazy, spoiled and fearful. We don't stand up for ourselves and our rights and freedoms are being stripped away faster than the Forests of the Amazon perish by the chainsaw.  And we do NOTHING.   What happened to the spirit of Revolution and Firey Revolt against Tyranny that brought the Americans international respect?  

What ever happened to the spirit of Abraham Lincoln who wrote "Governments exist by a mandate of the people, and if their rights are not respected, the people have the right to revolutionary overthrow of the same."   Lincoln said this, not Lenin or Marx.

And for those who believe the lies of the Dominionists who imagine America has a special covenant with God and are mandated by God to control the entire planet.  America has no such covenant with God. It does not have the right to topple sovereign nations and force the world to do its bidding.

The words of Dr. Billy Graham should suffice: "America was never intended by the founding fathers to be a Christian nation. It was rather intended to be a secular nation, but one where religious liberty was granted, and one which happened to have a majority of Christians in it."   Amen and Amen

I, myself am a Humanistic Jew, I have no intention of being forced to follow the dictates of somebody else's conscience, or to follow the customs of a religion other than my own.  I am no Puritan. This Puritanical mindset is the sickest most oppresive mindset of any that exist.  There can be no freedom where Puritanism holds sway.

I say boldy to all Dominionists and all the Christian Fundamentalists out there [not all Fundamentalists are bad guys--some like Dr. Billy Graham, agree or disagree with him, have integrity and are worthy of respect.] who want to force all to do their bidding, that I will not bow to your will, I'll not be forced into your mold, nor allow you the victory you seek.  I ask a question of you.  You say you believe in God?

Then answer me this.   You seem to hate g**s, and Lesbians, Hindus, and Muslims and just about everybody that does not conform to your ideology. You seem to hate s*x. You hate the human body and find it disgusting and sinful.  You talk of love, but show little evidence of it.   I ask you: Who created the human body? Who created s*x? Who created the Muslims, the Jews, the Hindus?  Who created g**s and Lesbians?   By your logic, God has to have created all the above.  Then why are you calling evil and sinful and disgusting that which GOD has made?   Why do you hate these people so? Why do you attack them at every opportunity.  It is not YOU that I attack, it is the bogus and harmful ideology of hate that I oppose.  So do not obfuscate facts and cloud the issue.    I'd be rather afraid to take God's creation and call just about everything in it evil, disgusting and Satanic!   I remember Jesus of Nazareth saying we all should love our neighbors as ourselves [a quote from Deut. chap 6 following the famous S'hma prayer] and curiously enough I don't remember the wording as "Love thy neighbor as thyself, unless the happen to be Muslims, Jews, g**s or Lesbians...." I don't remember an ESCAPE clause, a loophole that allows hate an entry.   That's probably why I've always liked this Jesus fellow, but rather dislike some of his followers.

Answer 7

Tell them to go bury their head in the sand and stop breathing.  The Constituion is the what are country was founded on.  That is what we stand for.  It's in corporate america terms "Our Mission Statement".  People need to read and understand it more importantly understand it.  If more people understood what it means we would not be facing as many problems as we are as Americans.  We have the right to speak up and be heard.  We, all Americans, are this country.  Not one person.  WE ARE!!!!!  More people need to understand the Constitution and follow through with its meaning.

Answer 8

Check this out.  I had to learn about our constitution in high school.  When I listened to this it made me go back and study the constitution again.  Yeah read the constitution.  You're american aren't you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBo4E77Z...

Answer 9

Americans should read and understand the Constitution because it defines the rights and responsibilities that Citizens have entrusted to them.

It tells them the limits of authority that goverment has.

It also allows you to understand just how important the process of participating in elections and your local goverment is to you, your family, and the community.

Answer 10

Its there right and privilege to know what it is and what it says.  Knowing the constitution could get them or there loved ones out a bogus charge someday.  Everyone should learn there rights, and if they dont many people throughout life will take advantage of them.

Answer 11

out loud and often

Answer 12

People just need to know their rights.  I'm Canadian but I took a course on American Jurisprudence and I actually found the Constitution to be quite interesting, and I was surprised at how much of it is so different from what most Americans think they know about it.  For example, I recalled what Americans were saying about the right to free speech during the Dixie Chicks scandal, and I compared it to what the Constitution actually said.  There's so much that people think they know, when they actually have it all wrong!

Answer 13

You must read the Constitution. This lists your rights. All of them. If it is not in there it is not a right.

Answer 14

We live in America! This should be reason enough. We should know what living in America means- what our rights are, what our forefathers fought for..

Answer 15

It is the primary duty and knowledge of every citizen to know by heart their constitution...especially its preamble....its territory, its form of government, the divisions of its government, the primary duties of its governance towards its people, their rights and privileges, their responsibility to the state and people.

People must know their constitution and whatever amends therein to call the attention of people in the government in the event that they are already violating and abusing the people of their functions and duties in their governance.

The people can impeach their president and other impeachable members of the 3 divisions of the government.

You must know your constitution so you know what do you expect from your leaders in the various levels of government and its machineries...with corresponding responsibilities....

Not knowing your constitution is as if not knowing that you are a citizen of your nation....because you  are living like not knowing your family and your abode....that is why the country is falling apart and letting their leaders abused them and the machineries of the government is not performing well because nobody or very few voices is calling the attention of those in  power to make good in their service to the people...despite that in all the people do...the government imposes taxes but not of equal representations of such taxes go back to the service of the people....for no taxes without equal representations to the people....

The constitution is the basic foundation of the land or country or nation...and no laws shall be made and can be implemented in violation of the fundamental stipulations of the constitution....such laws is unconstitutional and therefore ILLEGAL....

No officials of the nation shall be elected or shall seat in power to represent the people NOT CALLED FOR BY THE CONSTITUTION....AND NO LAWS SHALL BE ENACTED NOT IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION....

THE CONSTITUTION IS THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF SUCH COUNTRY....AND ITS COLOR OR FLAG AND ITS SYMBOLS IS DEFINED IN THE CONSTITUTION....THEREFORE...TAKE OUT THE CONSTITUTION, THAT COUNTRY IS IN PERIL....AND THEIR PEOPLE SHALL BE IN CHAOS....ANARCHY....DISSOLVED.

I am not an American, a Filipino and our first constitution of 1935 was patterned in the Constitution of the United States of America, hence twice has been amended. bye.

Answer 16

we need to start with our education system. If you don't know where you came from, how do you know where you are going? Our history is poorly taught in public schools. We MUST put a higher emphasis on our Constitution, and what our founding fathers vision of this country was. Unfortunately, political correctness has hampered teachers. How many students know what the bill of rights are? What were the Articles of Confederation? What the civil war was really fought over? Start with our schools!!

Answer 17

To notice the words " seperation of church and state" appear nowhere in the constitution

Answer 18

cuz if you dont you get an F on history!

Answer 19

How else are we going to know what our rights as U.S. citizens are?  Also, we can distinguish when Fascism or Communism are setting in.

Answer 20

people should know what this country is all about.  many of us have forgotten it was founded on freedom.  freedom isn't free.  we all need to remember that and guard carefully against loss of our dearly won freedoms.  we have already lost some freedoms with the national security act, etc.  we could lost more because some people stand to benefit from others oppression.