Real Estate & Property Law

The Real "Prime Directive" - Happy Constitution Day

By Robert Thomas (inversecondemnation.com)

[Barista's note: is it any coincidence that Constitution Day is just one day -- a single day! -- before National Cheeseburger Day? Two awesome days in a row a coincidence? We think not.]

On the day we celebrate Constitution Day (or should we say Khaaaaan-stitution Day?) we have to admit that pretty much nothing beats One Named Kirk's reading of the Preamble. 

KIRK: This was not written for chiefs.Hear me! Hear this! Among my people, we carry many such words as this from many lands, many worlds. Many are equally good and are as well respected, but wherever we have gone, no words have said this thing of importance in quite this way. Look at these three words written larger than the rest, with a special pride never written before or since. Tall words proudly saying We the People. That which you call "Ee'd Plebnista" was not written for the chiefs or the kings or the warriors or the rich and powerful, but for all the people! Down the centuries, you have slurred the meaning of the words: "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution." These words and the words that follow were not written only for the Yangs, but for the Kohms as well!

He might be from Iowa, but that guy who plays him is from north of the border, so our kudos to a Canadian for the best dramatic rendition of our founding document.

So does this make Kirk an textualist, a living constitutionalist, or an original-public-meaning guy? Here's a hint, from the script:

SPOCK: Does our involvement here also constitute a violation of the Prime Directive?

KIRK: We merely showed them the... meaning of what they were fighting for. Liberty and freedom have to be more than just words. Gentlemen, the fighting is over here. I suggest we leave them to discover their history... and their liberty.

Beam me down, Scotty!

Full post as published by inversecondemnation on September 17, 2020 (boomark / email).