Revise the Florida Constitution? Yes, and here are some suggestions

Frank Cerabino

Dear Gov. Rick Scott: I am writing you to offer my services as one of the Floridians you appoint to revise the Florida Constitution.

As a borderline upstanding citizen in this state, I would consider it a high honor to be among the 60 Floridians chosen to comb over this state document, which requires revisions every 20 years.

In anticipation of being selected to the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, I have already begun working on my own, coming up with four potential revisions for my fellow committee members to consider. Here they are: Revision No. 1: Does Florida really need the section on “treason?”

Article 1, Section 20 of the Constitution discusses “treason against the state,” and prohibits Floridians from giving “aid and comfort” to the state’s enemies.

Is the situation that dire in North Florida with Georgia Bulldog fans? People reading this paranoia in the Florida Constitution might get the idea that we are gearing up for some kind of civil war here.

Which would be wrong, considering that the state’s biggest enemies these days are dirty water, disease-carrying mosquitoes, and summer.

Revision No. 2: Marriage defined

Article 1, Section 27 of the Constitution still contains the now-unconstitutional definition of marriage as “the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife.” And goes on to say that “no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”

I realize that many of my fellow committee members will be selected by some of the leaders who pushed for this now-unconstitutional provision to be inserted into the state constitution eight years ago. And some may want to let this provision stand, as a kind of enduring, toothless protest against gay marriage.

So as a compromise, I suggest that if the committee allows this unconstitutional