65 years ago when I participated in contests giving speeches about our Constitution, I talked about our Rights and Responsibilities guaranteed by this precious document. It seems to me now that not enough attention is being paid to responsibilities. Why should unwanted children be forced on a society that doesn’t take care of them? Why should guns be put in hands of people who will not or cannot use them responsibly? How can a new document create a more responsible society?
This is a really amazing writeup of this play and I found the audience reaction to be particularly profound as reported.
Because yes...the problem isn't solely the fact that we have a Constitution that can be misused, it's the fact that the United States as originally designed incentivizes the Marjorie Three Names of the world. This country was established with stolen labor on stolen land for the pleasure of colonizers, and because of that it's going to be a struggle to keep the hard-fought rights we've had to claw away for.
Thank you so very much for recommending What The Constitution Means To Me on Amazon Prime. It is so amazing and profound. I’m 70 and have been screaming about the very real need for the Equal Rights Amendment for decades. The play’s family story message makes every constitutional slight even more real. It’s not just about horrendous Supreme Court decisions but it’s about people who have suffered because of an antiquated document that preserves and protects white men over all.
It’s sad that its message is so appropriate for today’s struggles for equality and basic human rights. I’d vote to abolish but with the sorry state of the Republican party we’d probably be going deeper into the 50s.
We were fortunate enough to see a production of the play at Syracuse Stage last year. Amazingly produced, thought provoking. A well-conceived and well written play.
Stephen, if you're keeping a tally, mark me down as one who favors a new Constitution, version 3.0. Version 1.0 was the Articles of Confederation, and our country is currently constituted under Version 2.27 (reflecting the 27 amendments). Version 3.0 would incorporate the Bill of Rights, including equal rights for women (no need for an ERA), as articles right from the outset; would not mention slavery at all; would not have an Electoral College; and would impose a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court Justices, among other, more democratic provisions (no Senate, a unicameral legislature).
We definitely wouldn't get a good outcome from a constitutional convention, because the Electoral College is part of what assures the relevance and hampering impact of rural conservatives. They in "Real America" need to stop the godless cities in supposedly "Fake" America from extending too many rights to those they wish to destroy. They also need to keep their state-based regimes of terror as part of this - a weaker Federal government and weaker legislation is how you do this.
It was necessary to keep this union together given how much of it benefited from and was designed to utilize slavery, for example.
I disagree Stephen. But only because a constitutional convention could be hijacked by the right wing and end up being worse than we have now. Thinking Federalist Society here.
You make a good point and I don't disagree. I'm aware of the near impossibility of getting a new, improved Constitution ratified any time soon, and I know the Republican state legislatures are keeping a constitutional convention up their sleeves in the hope that they can get their odious agendas codified in the highest law of the land. But let's nevertheless keep at our reforms. One day...
Do you think we have people as smart as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson anywhere near D.C.?
I just went and watched it on Amazon. Hope it has updates post Dobbs. It's very good and I am so angry right now. Thank you for mentioning it 👍
So glad you saw it!
65 years ago when I participated in contests giving speeches about our Constitution, I talked about our Rights and Responsibilities guaranteed by this precious document. It seems to me now that not enough attention is being paid to responsibilities. Why should unwanted children be forced on a society that doesn’t take care of them? Why should guns be put in hands of people who will not or cannot use them responsibly? How can a new document create a more responsible society?
This is a really amazing writeup of this play and I found the audience reaction to be particularly profound as reported.
Because yes...the problem isn't solely the fact that we have a Constitution that can be misused, it's the fact that the United States as originally designed incentivizes the Marjorie Three Names of the world. This country was established with stolen labor on stolen land for the pleasure of colonizers, and because of that it's going to be a struggle to keep the hard-fought rights we've had to claw away for.
Thank you so very much for recommending What The Constitution Means To Me on Amazon Prime. It is so amazing and profound. I’m 70 and have been screaming about the very real need for the Equal Rights Amendment for decades. The play’s family story message makes every constitutional slight even more real. It’s not just about horrendous Supreme Court decisions but it’s about people who have suffered because of an antiquated document that preserves and protects white men over all.
It’s sad that its message is so appropriate for today’s struggles for equality and basic human rights. I’d vote to abolish but with the sorry state of the Republican party we’d probably be going deeper into the 50s.
I’ve already passed the play info on to others
Thank you! Yeah, I think WTCMTM is such an amazing piece of work.
We were fortunate enough to see a production of the play at Syracuse Stage last year. Amazingly produced, thought provoking. A well-conceived and well written play.
Oh, yeah….term limits!!!
Stephen, if you're keeping a tally, mark me down as one who favors a new Constitution, version 3.0. Version 1.0 was the Articles of Confederation, and our country is currently constituted under Version 2.27 (reflecting the 27 amendments). Version 3.0 would incorporate the Bill of Rights, including equal rights for women (no need for an ERA), as articles right from the outset; would not mention slavery at all; would not have an Electoral College; and would impose a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court Justices, among other, more democratic provisions (no Senate, a unicameral legislature).
We definitely wouldn't get a good outcome from a constitutional convention, because the Electoral College is part of what assures the relevance and hampering impact of rural conservatives. They in "Real America" need to stop the godless cities in supposedly "Fake" America from extending too many rights to those they wish to destroy. They also need to keep their state-based regimes of terror as part of this - a weaker Federal government and weaker legislation is how you do this.
It was necessary to keep this union together given how much of it benefited from and was designed to utilize slavery, for example.
I disagree Stephen. But only because a constitutional convention could be hijacked by the right wing and end up being worse than we have now. Thinking Federalist Society here.
The sad fact is we couldn't have a constitutional convention now because of what red states would do. 🤬
You make a good point and I don't disagree. I'm aware of the near impossibility of getting a new, improved Constitution ratified any time soon, and I know the Republican state legislatures are keeping a constitutional convention up their sleeves in the hope that they can get their odious agendas codified in the highest law of the land. But let's nevertheless keep at our reforms. One day...
Yes! Let’s start a tally! I’m open to ideas.
I saw it at the Kennedy Center several years ago. I’m sure it was before the passing of Justice Ginsburg. It would probably land even harder today.
It’s so good! I’m looking forward to watching the filmed version.