We, the people, need to know history

By Jason H. Silverman - Special to The Herald

Lately, in my history of the Old South class, I’ve had some interesting discussions with my students about John C. Calhoun’s theories on the Constitution of the United States. Therefore, the Constitution has been on my mind recently as I have read about the state of South Carolina’s lawsuit to create an “I Believe” license plate with taxpayer’s money. When U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie handed down her 57-page decision ruling against South Carolina and ordering the state to pay not only its own trial costs but those of the litigants as well, the whole issue made me think about Americans and their knowledge, or lack thereof, of so important a document as their Constitution. Judge Currie declared that the creation of such a license plate, subsidized by the state, was clearly unconstitutional, yet her decision provoked an expected hue and cry.

Readers of my columns will not be surprised to learn that I have always had little faith in our political leaders’ knowledge of American history and the key documents upon which America was built. But, apparently, ignorance about the Constitution and other significant documents such as the Declaration of Independence is reaching epidemic proportions in this country with little of the fanfare that accompanies the swine flu pandemic. And both are serious ills that adversely affect the nation’s health. I only wish there was an inoculation for ignorance of one’s past.

A recent survey from the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum in Chicago showed that Americans know more about “The Simpsons” than they do about the First Amendment and, I don’t know about you, but I find that quite frightening. A similar study undertaken by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia confirmed that few Americans, and particularly even fewer younger Americans, understand our Constitution and the civil rights and liberties that Americans take for granted virtually every day of their lives. Do you think that fact about “The Simpsons” was scary? The National Constitution Center’s study found that more youth could name the Three Stooges than the three branches of government!

Now that’s scary!

All of this is quite a shame because the Constitution is a document important to each and every one of us. It makes no difference if you are a student in school or an elected official in the halls of government, the Constitution deserves to be understood. It was revolutionary in its time and, even 220 plus years after it was written and signed, it still is emblematic of the most successful example of human freedom and liberty in history.

No one can claim that the Founding Fathers were perfect men, but they did have a brilliant understanding of the nature of government. They saw with a pristine clarity what happens when government is allowed to grow unchecked,

They specifically established the Constitution to restrain the federal government and protect the rights and liberties of the citizens. They carefully tried to enumerate the powers of the federal government and made it clear that the government was to exercise only those powers explicitly listed. American history would indicate that they weren’t always successful, for many who followed arrogantly and ignorantly ignored their eloquent warnings.

I think the Founding Fathers would be appalled to see how intrusive the federal and state governments have become today and how today’s leaders have trampled upon the document that Washington, Madison and their contemporaries agonized over for five long months in a locked room with the windows sealed tight in Philadelphia lo those many years ago.

“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned,” wrote Thomas Jefferson, “is the sum of good government.” It would appear that both the Democrats and the Republicans need a refresher course in this.

Today, the federal and state governments seek to intrude in nearly every aspect of life. They regulate, or attempt to, virtually everything, thereby infringing on Americans’ civil liberties like never before. And, ironically, at the same time both levels of government have shown an incredible inability and refusal to regulate themselves.

Think for a moment about those issues in today’s news at either the state or federal level that infuriate you and then reflect upon Thomas Paine’s words from over two centuries ago. “The greatest tyrannies,” Paine wrote, “are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.”

The Lion of the Senate in his day, Daniel Webster, elaborated on this thought. “Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of power,” he said. “It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.”

Too many people have forgotten these warnings. Perhaps it’s time we committed them to memory and forced our elected leaders to learn them as well.