The Law of the Land

From the desk of Senator David Pearce

The signing of the U.S. Constitution took place on Sept. 17, 1787, which means that this document has governed our country for 225 years. In recognition of this event, as well as the men and women who work to uphold the tenets of the document, Sept. 17 is celebrated as Constitution Day, while the week of Sept. 17-23 is known as Constitution Week.

Constitution Day as we know it today was created by law in 2004. The inception of Constitution Day took place in Iowa in 1911. The year 1939 saw a print campaign run by William Randolph Hearst in an attempt to establish a national Citizenship Day. By 1949, the governors of the contiguous 48 states agreed that this was an important celebration and proposed placing for the day of recognition and then three years later, Congress renamed it Citizenship Day.

The Constitution is the blueprint for our laws and for our government. This country’s founding fathers were not merely writing down suggestions for a more organized community. They were drafting solid rules and mandates for the good of the nation in which they were trying to build for the citizens.

Two of the greatest men of thought of their time expressed their views on the Constitution that still hold true today. Abraham Lincoln held that the Constitution was an institution in its own right, saying, “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.” Lincoln understood that the rights that citizens have held so dear over the last 225 years were imbued to us by this outline. However, another statement that remains true to this day is Benjamin Franklin’s assertion that, “The U.S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.”

Both men certainly understood the basis of our country’s Constitution. It outlines Americans’ right and responsibilities, as well as freedoms. What we need to remember is that our freedoms are privileges and we work to both understand and earn them.

With that in mind, as your Missouri lawmakers wrapped up the recent veto session in the Capitol, we continue the process of looking forward and consider new legislation for the upcoming session, slated to begin in January 2013. We endeavor to both safeguard the liberties of our constituents, as well as ensure citizens’ rights to pursue paths to happiness.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.

Senator David Pearce serves Bates, Cass, Johnson and Vernon counties in the 31st State Senatorial District.