By Selwyn Duke
Recently I wrote a piece titled "Obama the Justifier," which exposed President-elect Uh-change’s contempt for the Constitution. In it, while I defended the supreme law of the land, I also stated that is wasn’t as if people such as myself believe the Constitution is infallible. My purpose in doing this was to point out that while, like the left, we might have ideas about how the document could be even better, unlike the left, we have enough discipline, respect and honor to accept the proposition that if you live in a constitutional republic, you should abide by its constitution (unless its dictates are tyrannical). While I think this is reasonable, a reader took exception to one element of my position, writing:
"I am at total odds with you regarding the constitution. The
Constitution given to us by the shedding of blood is a perfect document
and contains absolutely no flaws. Every problem facing this Country is
due to the fact that we abandoned it’s principals 100 years ago.
E.H."
Dear E.H.,
Since we both obviously agree that Americans should abide by the Constitution, I very much doubt that we’re totally at odds. However, your assertion that the Constitution is a "perfect document" is interesting. Do you really believe that?
First, the claim that any human document is perfect is not very tenable. Perfection, my friend, is not a thing of this world. But there is also a logical fallacy in your statement.
As we know, you can’t improve upon perfection. Thus do you believe that the Constitution doesn’t need to be changed, for a change from the perfect renders the thing in question imperfect. But if you believe the document is perfect now, this means that it could not have been so when the founders created it, as it has been changed since then. In fact, it has been altered numerous times, with 27 amendments having been added.
Moreover, if you believe the Constitution is perfect today, then it only became so in 1992, since that’s when the 27th Amendment was ratified. So, do you believe then that it was flawed for virtually all of our history? You must, since it has never remained static for all that long.
Do you believe it was perfect when adopted in 1787? If you do, then it ceased to be so in 1791 because that’s when the first ten amendments were ratified. So when was it perfect? After the 13th, 17th or 22nd amendments or some other? Then, of course, in 1919 we ratified the 18th amendment which instituted Prohibition but then repealed it with the 21st in 1933. So which was the flaw in the Constitution? The prohibition against selling alcohol or the allowing of it? Was the document only perfect between 1919 and 1933 or flawed during that period? I think you get the point.
This is why, E.H., you have to look before you leap, think as opposed to reacting emotionally. We also err gravely when we deify things of this world, be they a presidential demagogue or a noble document.
The Constitution deserves our respect, but perfection, the divine, resides only in Heaven. It’s not found in the Oval Office or even in the dark interior of a safe in the State Department.
© 2008 Selwyn Duke — All Rights Reserved
selwynduke.com 
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