TAMIU Sheds Light on the Relevancy of the Constitution

When the panel invited by Dr. Peter Haruna for a special lecture in honor of Constitution Day, was presented a question about the relevancy of the Constitution of the United States in the 21st Century, the question was met with a resounding “yes”.

Dr. Haruna, an associate professor of American National Government, hosted a special Constitution Day lecture on September 17th in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Success Center and was joined by Dr. Mark Menaldo, Director of Political Science, Dr. James Norris, associate professor of Political Science, and key speaker, Mr. Douglas Ferrier, Director of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library.

Mr. Ferrier gave a concise speech and highlighted the history of the Constitution and how it came to be. He held the attention of the audience as he described how the representatives from the original 13 states came together to revise the Articles of Confederation, but moved to begin anew with a Constitution. He went further on to describe the trials and obstacles that our founding members went through in order to get the Constitution approved.

After Mr. Ferrier’s lecture, Dr. Menaldo was asked to provide his thoughts. With a firm voice he said, “We take everything for granted today, but one thing we take for granted is that we are individuals…[it is] as natural to us as breathing air.”

He went on to comment, “The concept of the idea of being an individual took a revolution of the highest proportions…which was an outgrowth of the way constitutions were [previously written].” This statement seemed to entrance the audience as a unique view of how revolutionary the Constitution actually was at the time.

Dr. Haruna then provided his perception of the Constitution. “The way I view the constitution…may be very simplistic…but it helps me get a handle of what the Constitution was intended [to do]. [The Constitution] is a commonly founded document that helps us to, at least frame our ideas, at least frame our arguments and use this founded document to persuade each other rather than baseball bats and [beating] each other to death.”

At the end of the lecture, the audience was offered to ask questions to the panel, which included the one about the Constitutions relevancy in today’s world. Mr. Ferrier explained further, “I believe it is still relevant. It does not always work the way we would like it to, but it still works.”

Dr. Haruna added to that statement citing some landmark cases like Dred Scott v. Sandford, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, “One of the accomplishments of the US is the fact that the Constitution has endured…In spite of all of these [cases], we have something that we can hold on to. And I thank, whether it is relevant now, helps me understand that at least there is something that we can hold on to.”

After questions, Dr. Haruna then questioned the audience’s knowledge of the Constitution. If answered correctly, the participants received a special gift that included a pocket book of the Constitution of the United States of America that Dr. Haruna commented that he never is without.

All in all, the Constitution Day event was an educational highlight of the nationally recognized day to celebrate and honor the document that made our country what it is, and that continues to develop our country.