Constitution Cafe

The United States Constitution has been a flawed document since its inception over 200 years ago. It would be fascinating to see Thomas Jefferson’s reaction to the idea that our nation is still touting the original Constitution. The world is constantly evolving. Our citizens, leaders, perceptions, thought process and concepts change continuously. Jefferson suggested rewriting the Constitution every twenty years to keep it relevant to the nation. Why in the world would this country not update its Constitution from time to time to remain in alignment? Before reading Constitution Café, I rarely thought about the Constitution. This read provided insight into what the Framers had in mind when this document was drafted. I had no idea that the phrase “We the people” did not include everyone regardless of social status or race at the time it was written. My first time reading it in its entirety was during a government class taken last year. Like many other Americans, I found it to be very boring and outdated. My sentiments are shared with an individual by the name Jeanne who states, “The Constitution is so boring. It hardly says anything about freedom and equality and rights – not until way near the end, like an afterthought” (Phillips, p.15). Our government half-heartedly cleaves to its articles; it seems frozen in time, and intended only for the era in which it was written. Our government gives a vibe of “do as I say, not as I do”. It is pointless to make a laundry list of rights and duties if the leaders themselves do not abide by them. In drafting the Constitution, I am sure the Framers thought they had our nation’s best interest in mind, however, the lack of consistency in following its guidelines over the years suggests something different. Constitutional rules do not guarantee that the government will do right by its citizens, nor does it instill trust. The book exposes the flaws in how the Constitution was written in such an indefinite manner. Although the...