IDEA: After-school Constitution Study classes

[arendt]

ALSO: Constitution Study CDs

Most Americans don't know squat about their own Constitution,
much less the history that led to it.

If the rightwing can publish book after book, produce show after
show explaining their twisted version of the Bible, why can't we
start teaching and selling our side of it.

It is gripping history:
How the founders were all Deists and Freemasons
Washington Innaugurated in Masonic Regalia
Adams treaty "The US is not a Christian Nation"
Habeus Corpus - from the Magna Carta
The Bill of Rights
Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia statute of religious freedom
The Federalist Papers on the separation of powers
the separation of Church and state
no religious test for public office
no establishment of religion
The disastrous consequences of playing word games:
a "person held to servitude" (slave) is 3/5's of a person
a corporation is a person
Conscientious objection (the Jehovah's witnesses in WW2)

All you have to do is teach the history and teach the Constitution
and the fundies will go batshit. Let them try to block the classes -
it would show them for what they are. Don't have to preach.
The history speaks for itself. Of course, you have to point out
the falsehoods spread by the rightwing. But you just have to
cite the truth.

If someone like Thom Hartmann could put together a curriculum,
I would teach it at my local high school.

The CD could also be produced pretty easily, I think.

What do you think?

arendt

[Eric J in MN]

1. Have you bought any books by Thom Hartmann?

Why can't you use one of those for an outline?

[arendt]

3. Yes. But this should be done by a professional writer and activist...

so it gets done in a timely fashion.

I haven't got time to do the research to make it bulletproof.
And believe me, it had better be bulletproof or they will
arrest you on some trumped up charge about "corrupting
our youth".

arendt

[acmejack]

2. I think it is a good idea!

But I would suggest extending it to an entire teach at home on-line curriculum. When vouchers are forced upon us and the fundies have their way with public school curriculum, a market will surely develop. The religious radicals already have a similar on-line service.

[karlrschneider]

4. I think that is a terrific idea...and it ought to be made available free

to anyone who wants it. Not just a CD, but a DVD (or a box of several). That sounds like a project Tim Robbins might have interest and ability to pursue. It wouldn't take a huge capital outlay, if production talent could be scared up free or at minimal cost. Hmmmmmm

[Lars39]

5. I like this idea.

Reminds me of Chavez handing out copies of Venezuela's constitution.

[arendt]

8. Missed that. Please tell me more. n/t

[Lars39]

11. Memory's fuzzy, but here's what I found:

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_417.shtml
<snip>
" were seen carrying pocket-size copies of the 1999 Venezuelan constitution. Women’s groups were there because of anti-discrimination articles in the constitution; Indigenous leaders because this is the first constitution to recognize their people’s rights," he wrote.

Mr. Wiesbrot concluded that the marchers saw themselves as "defending constitutional democracy and civil liberties" against the "threat of fascism," which they believe is the political platform of the opposition–the people that sponsored the April coup<snip>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's another article detailing goals of eradicating poverty and illiteracy:
http://tinyurl.com/74b2g

[arendt]

12. Thank you. Very interesting.

Nobody has commented on this thing all night.

I guess only a few folks think this is a good idea.

arendt

[Lars39]

14. .

[ulysses]

6. schoolhouse rock.

Catch them where they are.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. You need to study constitutional case law, the actual cases that shaped

this country. Stuff that interprets free speech, right of assembly, free exercise of religion, the Establishment Clause, due process (both federal and state), equal protection, etc. The Constitution is the tip of the iceberg. Teach about the heroes and heroines of the Constitution as well.

[arendt]

9. Its tough to draw a line between history and hagiography

For example, some people think that when Justice John
Marshall invoked "judicial review", that he was grabbing
power for the judiciary.

Also, the minute you get too far into interpretation, the other
side will start up with their "original intent" and "strict
construction" bullshit.

That's why I think you have to stay with the history as
much as possible - to avoid the right's propaganda machine.

If you get too deep into case law, the average kid's eyes
will glaze over.

Can you give some examples of "heroes
and heroines of the Constitution"?

arendt

[arendt]

10. one last front page kick before bedtime n/t

[arendt]

13. front page kick n/t