Helping hands: Let’s put ‘Us’ back into USA at this year’s Constitution Day Celebration

One of the most foundational of American concepts is a government “by the people.” But amid our current political dysfunction, it often seems that the loud voices drown out everyone else. As a result, few of us believe that we have the capacity — and the responsibility — to play an active role in setting the direction for our country.

It’s time to change that.

Please join us for this year’s Constitution Day Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 3. (No football!) We will again hold deliberative roundtables on issues of importance to our democracy.

This will not be a debate. While debates can be useful, the structure assumes that the wisdom is in the front of the room. This will be a deliberative conversation, with trained moderators who will help us stay on track, but more importantly, work to ensure that every voice is heard. That is why your participation is important.

We will be asking fellow citizens to wrestle with several foundational questions. Were we to amend our Bill of Rights for the 21st-century — it was the Founders intent that we should do so — what would we change?

Should basic healthcare be a right? Should we have a right to digital privacy? What would a Second Amendment for the 21st century look like?

Clearly, not questions with easy answers. But with a thoughtful willingness to consider other perspectives — and a recognition of our shared values — we can discover areas of common ground, and a place from which we can move forward.

The results will be shared with both the community and our elected officials, but you might ask: “What difference will this make?”

My answer: You will be helping to lay the groundwork for a Constitutional convention for the 21st century. The U.S. Constitution remains the practical framework for how our democracy functions. But the leaders of that era could not have anticipated everything, and they knew that important issues were being left for future generations to resolve.

In preparation, we need the practice of having civil conversations — demonstrate that such conversations are possible, and potentially productive. If we are to fulfill Lincoln’s vision of a “government by the people,” we need to exercise our citizenship skills.

Invite your neighbors! Let them know that it is possible to have meaningful, productive conversations with people with whom you might otherwise disagree. Let them know that you still believe in American democracy: “We, the People,” collectively, have the capacity to set the direction for our country.

Let’s put us back in U.S.A.

Constitution Day roundtables

Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Delta High School, State College, followed by the Madison Award for Civility in the Community

More information: www.constitutiondaycentre.org.

David Hutchinson is the president of Constitution Day Centre.