http://stash.norml.org/congress-censors-18th-amendment-while-reading-constitution
By "Radical" Russ Belville on January 7, 2011
(FOX News) Newly sworn members of the House reading aloud the country’s founding document on Thursday didn’t recite every verse and article of the document because Republicans decided that the obsolete parts can be skipped since they’ve been superseded by amendment.
For instance, lawmakers did not read the 18th Amendment, which imposed prohibition on liquor in 1919. However, they did read the 21st Amendment, which repealed prohibition in 1933 and is still in force.
Republicans also left out the part about counting slaves and Native Americans as three-fifths of a person.
The Constitution does not have any deleted portions, merely amended portions. To not read the archaic portions of the document is to not learn from the mistakes and misjudgments of our past. It is an insult to all the activists who fought for civil rights to not recognize this country was founded by men who believed only white male landowners should be allowed to vote.
Not reading the 18th Amendment is also an insult, both to those who worked so hard to bring about the 21st Amendment and to our historical remembrance of the folly of prohibition. The 18th marks the first time the Constitution was used to restrict freedom and to take away rights from the people. The 21st is the only time an amendment has ever been repealed. The fact that both had to happen regarding government’s prohibition of alcohol but no amendments have been required to prohibit cannabis and other drugs shows how twisted the interpretation of the Constitution’s Commerce Clause has become.
No comments:
Post a Comment