Siddarth Kamath Week 4: Does our Constitution Define Us?
As early as the beginning of the 19th century, we, as American citizens, have fought for our rights. One such movement was toward women rights which specified the joining in male dominated discourse and also the advocating of their views in political elections. Around the same time was the Civil War where there were many debates on the rights of slaves and their interrelationship with their surrounding peoples. Another even though not in the United States was the French Revolution, which many know to be the death of many monarchs and the beginning of a republic for a time being. All these events converge to the rights of the people, and more specifically, the citizens of the United States. This document does seem quite detailed though do they truly serve the purpose of protecting and displaying the diverse identities in the U.S.?
According to harvard.edu, Alan Jenkins gives thought-provoking responses to this central question. he says that though the American Constitution does allow the right to amend its amendments and creates a superficial safety net, it would be better to explain certain rules such as the economic policies and more specifically the intricacies of public life. Public life most commonly known and seen as an individual's identity is vital to be understood before making this claim. As a citizen of the United States, or an individual in the United States, we would like our voices to be heard. We would like to speak when we would like, participate in gatherings, and in other words share our views. Though the extent to this statement is not clear, if inappropriate language is used when does the amendment cross its limit. Also, when can I speak and not speak, such as during an important meeting. These limits have to be further expressed to make a concrete ruling for the individual.
The identity does not only include the voice, it also includes the ethnicity, cultures, age, experiences and more. These may not be defined in this renowned document and may not be able to be added due to the complexity of these topics that can be brought up and discussed further. Is it possible to create a document that can rule diligently in every circumstance found for each individual or citizen in the United States? Unfortunately, not. Though, we can be proud of the extent to which this document has prevailed, its importance toward all its people (everyone follows it), and its elaborate writing which should be emphasized for being written many years ago. Ultimately, the United States Constitution does fulfill most of our rights, but with continued progress and determination, we can make it into the deserving, powerful piece of work that we can all follow and enjoy.
Hi Siddarth! I really liked how you tied in identity with the law, specifically the Constitution. While it's not a perfect document in a multitude of ways, it does make an effort to assert that "all men are created equal," and you convey that thought process very well throughout the blog post. I also like how you repeatedly say that there is room for improvement in the system set up in this country. While what we have right now is solid, there's no reason we shouldn't keep aiming higher and keep attempting to make it fairer for everyone. Giving context about fighting for change in the introduction paragraph also helped set up the rest of the blog as well as your stance on the topic in a very nice way. Great job!
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