Just because it comes in your size doesn't mean you should wear it.
Case in point (and, ladies, you're welcome).
That adage isn't just for clothing either...In fact, it is apropos on other occasions, such as reading. Just because you can read a thing, doesn't necessarily mean that you should read a thing (looking at you Robert Jordan!) or that you will understand said reading material (I took graduate classes in the Philosophy of Physics from Oxford professors...trust me on this one).
Bastard. Hardest. Bastard. Class. Ever. Bastard.
And, the adage absolutely is salient to an object of veneration, such as the Constitution of the United States, that brilliant flexible document from the Enlightenment. It should be taken with gravity, because it is weighty, it is important (especially Article III, really go read that one), and absolutely should not be read aloud by those who do not understand it, honor it, or care about the provisions it doesn't like (such as the XIVth Amendment) simply to score cheap political points.
But, that would be asking too much, wouldn't it? Per the BBC
Republicans have opened the second day of their rule in the House of Representatives with a full reading of the US Constitution, the first time the entire document has been read aloud in Congress.The reading was prompted in part by Tea Party activists concerned that the document has been somewhat sidelined.
Representatives from both parties took turns reading different sections.
The fact that democrats went along with this political grandstanding was absolutely nauseating. Simply nauseating.
I am all for reading the Constitution. I think everyone should read it. My daughter read the entire thing, then paraphrased it in her own 9 year old vernacular. As a result, she's a better person, a better student and a better citizen. Everyone should have to do it. As an AP Government student, I didn't. Taking political science classes in college, I didn't. Hell, even in most law schools it's not required to read the entire thing (really, most people never even read the Public Lands clause until it's time to study for the bar).
So, rather than grandstand, I've decided to perform a public service, one that I hope you sincerely will take me up on.
1. Below is complete version of the Constitution. Every word, every amendment. Please read it.
The Constitution with Annotations | File Size and Format |
|---|---|
| Preamble | PDF 56K |
| Article I. Legislative Department (also see Supplements) | PDF 1.1M |
| Article II. Executive Department (also see Supplements) | PDF 640K |
| Article III. Judicial Department (also see Supplements) | PDF 836K |
| Article IV. States' Relations (also see Supplements) | PDF 249K |
| Article V. Mode of Amendment | PDF 112K |
| Article VI. Prior Debts, National Supremacy, Oaths of Office | PDF 164K |
| Article VII. Ratification | PDF 52K |
| File Size and Format | |
| First Through Tenth Amendments: Bill of Rights | PDF 96K |
| First Amendment--Religion and Expression (also see Supplements) | PDF 819K |
| Second Amendment--Bearing Arms | PDF 64K |
| Third Amendment--Quartering Soldiers | PDF 40K |
| Fourth Amendment--Search and Seizure (also see Supplements) | PDF 293K |
| Fifth Amendment--Rights of Persons (also see Supplements) | PDF 458K |
| Sixth Amendment--Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions (also see Supplements) | PDF 220K |
| Seventh Amendment--Civil Trials | PDF 108K |
| Eighth Amendment--Further Guarantees in Criminal Cases (also see Supplements) | PDF 184K |
| Ninth Amendment--Unenumerated Rights | PDF 60K |
| Tenth Amendment--Reserved Powers | PDF 96K |
| Eleventh Amendment--Suits Against States (also see Supplements) | PDF 148K |
| Twelfth Amendment--Election of President | PDF 56K |
| Thirteenth Amendment--Slavery and Involuntary Servitude | PDF 76K |
| Fourteenth Amendment--Rights Guaranteed: Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process, and Equal Protection (also see Supplements) | PDF 1.1M |
| Fifteenth Amendment--Rights of Citizens to Vote | PDF 140K |
| Sixteenth Amendment--Income Tax | PDF 96K |
| Seventeenth Amendment--Popular Election of Senators | PDF 80K |
| Eighteenth Amendment--Prohibition of Intoxicating Liquors | PDF 76K |
| Nineteenth Amendment--Women's Suffrage Rights | PDF 76K |
| Twentieth Amendment--Terms of President, Vice President, Members of Congress: Presidential Vacancy | PDF 68K |
| Twenty-First Amendment--Repeal of Eighteenth Amendment | PDF 88K |
| Twenty-Second Amendment--Presidential Tenure | PDF 56K |
| Twenty-Third Amendment--Presidential Electors for the District of Columbia | PDF 44K |
| Twenty-Fourth Amendment--Abolition of the Poll Tax Qualification in Federal Elections | PDF 56K |
| Twenty-Fifth Amendment--Presidential Vacancy, Disability, and Inability | PDF 56K |
| Twenty-Sixth Amendment--Reduction of Voting Age Qualification | PDF 40K |
| Twenty-Seventh Amendment--Congressional Pay Limitation | PDF 56K |
Via the U.S. General Portal Access www.gpoaccess.gov.
2. That can be daunting, and sometimes thing pertaining to individual liberties, powers of the President, Administrative law as a shadow government and Congressional powers are absolutely inscrutable to the non-legal trained (and, even then, to us). So, if you find yourself befuddled by the language, try these helpful pointers to understanding the Constitution of the United States:
- Read the history of how it was formed. A more fascinating story will never be told.
- Check out the Amendments which were proposed, but never ratified by the States.
- For those with no legal education, or for those who truly want to understand how things work, and do so in generally laymen's terms, you will absolutely do no better than Prof. Linder's Constitutional Interpretation site at the University of Missouri-KC, School of Law. This should be required reading for every senior in American High Schools and/or Freshmen in College.
- For those with an advanced understanding, such as law students, poly sci folks, lawyers, and regular ole informed, educated citizens with a fascination for such, I highly recommend Jack Balkin's Balkinization blog. While this largely revolves around Executive powers and the interplay between politics and Constitutional law, the discussions are always lively, and more than well-researched.
Seriously. You owe it to yourself, and you owe it to your country.
You also need to find out who this Virginian is, one who bears a University named in his honor in that State, was the 4th President of the U.S., and absolutely dead-on about most things constitutional...since, you know, he wrote the fucking thing.
-d.s.
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