Tuesday, January 29, 2013

What Really Is Radical?

So apparently at the end of 2012, a Georgetown University professor of Constitutional Law had an opinion editorial published in the New York Times titled, "Let's Give Up on the Constitution." I almost never read the New York Times, probably because I'm not sophisticated. I'm not a professor and I'm definitely not a Constitutional scholar. I have read the Constitution though and find it very simple. I'm not sure that I really need a professor to explain it to me. Sure, there are a few words in it that I must look up, but I find using the dictionary to acquire the true meaning behind words rather educational. Even though I find the Constitution simple, I find it radical at the same time. More about that later.

Anyway, this professor, his name is Louis Michael Seidman. I'm not sure why any mention of him always includes his middle name. Maybe all Georgetown University professors use their middle name. I always thought using a middle name was only done for serial killers. Maybe his desire to kill the U.S. Constitution isn't the first time he's exhibited this type of behavior toward a nation's Supreme Law. Anyway, I came across an image of him, superimposed with a quote, supposedly from him. I cannot really be sure he said it. Perhaps he did, perhaps he didn't. I did read his op-ed though, and although the quote was not in it, upon the basis of what was published, it does sound like something he could have said. Here's the photo:




Based on what I read, I decided to dissect the three sentences, just off the top of my head. This is what I came up with...

I've got a simple idea - Yeah, the Constitution is actually a pretty simple idea. We'd be better off if more people, including Politicians read it and followed it to the letter of the law.

Let's give up on the Constitution. - And replace it with what? As I said, it's really a pretty simple document founded on the notion that "We, the People" control the government and when you think about it, that's actually the best way to establish a government.

I know, it sounds radical, but it's really not...
- Actually, "We, the People" ordaining and establishing a Constitution with the sole purpose of instituting a "new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness" sounded radical in 1776 and 1787. It still sounds radical today in 2013. If it wasn't radical, you wouldn't want to fight so hard against it. And since you admit, your idea is really not radical, then I really don't want to hear much more about it....


Because to me,
the best ideas ARE simple AND radical....

*Having taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution, thus my dismissive attitude toward the professor’s stance to “Give Up on the Constitution”....