Freedom is something many people take for granted. In the United States our basic freedoms are outlined in one document, the Constitution. However, apart from learning the preamble in grade school, most Americans know very little about the document and its relevance today.
A new federal holiday, Constitution Day, is being celebrated Sept. 17 to change that. Students on The University of Memphis campus can participate by attending Constitution Days this week.
The event is sponsored by the History and Political Science departments on campus. Shannon Blanton, a political science professor, is one of the organizers.
"We're hoping for a good turnout," she said. "This is going to become an annual event on campus, so we're trying to get off to a great start and hope we educate people in the process."
Blanton said the U.S. Congress passed a law in 2004 mandating that any educational institution receiving federal funds must organize events on its campus to commemorate the new holiday. The organizers hope to make the campus aware of the holiday while creating a campus-wide discussion on the importance of the document.
The first event is a forum at Rose Theater this afternoon at 3. Some of the guest speakers include U of M provost Ralph Faudree and Steven Mulroy, a law professor and an authority on civil rights and liberties. Blanton said the participants will lead a discussion on how the Constitution applies to students' rights and higher education.
Robert Gudmestad, a history professor and authority on early American life, will be one of the panelists at the discussion. He is hoping the event raises awareness of the document and its place in today's society.
"People today don't pay much attention to the Constitution until they think their own rights have been violated," he said. "It is important to understand what it actually says and why it has withstood the test of time or we will start to forget about it."
He explained that the document is one of few things that all Americans have in common and that the new holiday can be used as a way to bring people together to recognize what makes the United States special.
Tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in room 220 in Mitchell Hall there will be a screening of "National Treasure" followed by a discussion on political participation and freedoms in America with Gary Edwards of the history department.
"We wanted to offer something fun besides just standing up and talking," Blanton said. "This will be a chance to watch a good movie to stimulate discussion."
David Allison, a senior history major, is looking forward to attending the events.
"Today more than ever the Constitution is important," he said. "Not enough people actually know what it really says and it's our responsibility to understand what it says in order to be good Americans."
