Commit to unity on Constitution Day

September 17th marks 230 years since the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America.

This enduring document proposed to join together a diverse group of Confederated States to form a new nation in which the supreme power would be vested in its people but exercised through representatives they select by free and fair elections.

While the Constitution, through the original seven Articles, set forth how our government would be formed and function, it is the Preamble that captures the essence and spirit of what has been called the Miracle of 1787.

WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION, ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In the Preamble we can hear the aspirations of our Founding Fathers for a new nation, we can measure the challenges of today for our Country and we can dream of what our United States can be for the next generation.

To fulfill the promise of the Preamble, citizens must be engaged.

The Constitution has withstood a great civil war and has served as a beacon of liberty and freedom through two WORLD Wars and other military actions around the globe.

It has proven to be a harbinger of hope for those fighting for civil rights and continues to provide a source of strength and continuity for our country today.

On this 230th anniversary, let us recommit to supporting our Constitution and always remember that if we participate, WE THE PEOPLE are the Government. David Woods Executive Director, Engaged Citizenship

Note: A ceremony commemorating the signing of the Constitution will take place on Monday, Sept. 18 9 a.m. on the steps of the Historic Courthouse, West Chester. Engaged Citizenship has helped facilitate this event but it is hosted by the Chester County Intermediate Unit. Attending will be about 150 students from Chesco Schools, area elected officials, the county Bar Association and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Bullier-in-chief

West Chester East is in the news with another sad instance of bullying, on a truly and personally destructive level.

All of us, and especially those of us from pre-internet, pre-social media generations should try to understand that the “public spaces” and “peer communications” that we grew up with have been transformed far beyond the constraints of schools and phone calls to literally everywhere and every word all the time – thanks to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

The evil genie is out of the bottle; these tools of mass mischief aren’t ever going to be removed or effectively regulated.

People and the behaviors we practice and model must do better.

My view is that our only hope is to improve the acceptable standards and behaviors in the new public spaces and that it must begin where deep and lasting standards always begin. In the home – in the behaviors modeled by parents and older siblings.

Then in our institutions – in the behaviors modeled by those in positions of authority – our most visible adult examples.

Back to today’s reality: the most recent and shining example of a visible authority figure NOT modeling respectable adult standards.

The President – the Bullier-in-Chief. Trump continues to be what he has been for his entire life – well-documented for decades – and now observed on an almost daily basis. A classic bully.

What once was exhibited by him mostly against schoolmates and then business peers is now publicly practiced against senators, representatives, former Presidents, and former colleagues and appointees! But change begins with us. We must not allow in our leaders and worse yet, in ourselves, bullying behaviors.

Please make our schools, our children’s environments, their social media worlds, safer places. John Conrad West Chester