For those UNM students, staff and faculty that might have missed Civics class in high school – or might need a brush up on the history and importance of the United States Constitution – take the time to visit the UNM Student Union Building Room Lobo A&B from 2:30-4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 17. That’s when the University will celebrate “Constitution Day” with a joint symposium with speakers from the School of Law and the College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of History.
Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the final draft of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. In 2004, the federal government designated that any public education institution receiving federal money must celebrate Sept. 17 as “Constitution Day.” Since then, UNM has celebrated this day by holding a seminar to educate members of the UNM community about the importance of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights in their lives.
UNM School of Law professor Chris Fritz will discuss, “The People’s Sovereignty and American Constitutionalism.” Fritz, an attorney who also earned a doctorate in history, will draw upon his extensive knowledge of American Constitutional History and Comparative and Historical Legal Perspectives – two courses he teaches at UNM – to explain the concepts behind his presentation to seminar attendees.
“The study of America’s constitution-making can remind us of how much stock the Revolutionary generation placed on government serving the public welfare if it was to remain legitimate,” Fritz said. “It’s often overlooked how much importance the Framers placed on the active involvement of enlightened citizens strictly scrutinizing the government.
“I suspect today’s widespread political apathy would have dismayed them,” Fritz continued.
Following Fritz’s presentation, UNM History Professor Mel Yazawa, an expert in early American history and American Constitutional history before 1877, will explain, “Why the Founding Fathers Hated Democracy.”
Question and answer sessions will follow each of the presentations. Refreshments and free pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution will be provided to all attendees. Please contact Carole Jablonski at 277-7381 for more information.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; e-mail: bhendrix@unm.edu
Posted by scarr at September 13, 2007 03:43 PM