Here's my Constitution - Introduction to the series

As part of my Road Trip, a common factor among everyone I've visited is that they are VERY dedicated to the defense of the Constitution.

For myself, on March 17, 1967, I took my first Oath of Enlistment in the USAF. Since then, I've taken several such oaths, and not just at the Federal level.

My Constitution means a lot to me. I was then, on 3/17/67, and am still today, prepared to lay down my life in the defense of my Constitution. I have fought in war to protect this Nation against foreign enemies, and I have fought on the streets to protect my community against domestic enemies. I am fighting still, to preserve an understanding of our Nation and it's guiding document from the predation of those who would casually re-define the Constitution to serve their base purposes.

All that said, and said with conviction, I have recently noticed a problem with my dedication to the defense of my Constitution: I'm getting to be in a distinct minority. There are too many who want to change the Constitution (and believe that they are entitled to), and their are too many more who just don't understand what it says. When I first learned about the Constitution, lo those 55 years ago, there was a clear understanding about the document by my teachers. After all, it had been less than a decade since this nation had fought three very tough foes in World War Two, and a goodly number of those teachers had done the fighting. Since then, however, it seems to have become fashionable for teachers to present the Constitution to students as a theoretical concept only (an amorphous one at that), and not as an absolute guide to citizenship, which it is.

I think my good friend the "Layabout Sailor" may have recognized this, because he sent me away out of Dickinson, TX with a very good book, "The Heritage Guide to the Constitution", a compendium of scholarly thought on our Most Important Document. The list of legal scholars who have contributed to the book is long and illustrious, and Ed Meese was Chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board.

I'm not reading this book as a page-turner, but when I dedicate myself to reading a chapter, I do it as if there's going to be an exam shortly, including the taking of notes.

There WILL be an "exam". We just don't know when, but I have the definite feeling it will be in my lifetime.

I have decided to write a continuing series about my readings here at the Rivrdog Blog. Each essay will attempt to give you my take on that Article or section thereof, or each Amendment. I will summarize what the scholars of the book had to say about those individual subjects.

When it's all done, I hope to be better educated as a citizen, and if my written communication is in top form, readers should be able to gain some better understanding of our Constitutional culture at the same time.

Wish me luck.