OUR VIEW: Constitution not a ball and chain

Funny thing about the Constitution – it has these crazy little things called amendments.

Funny thing about the Founding Fathers – many of them held ideas radically different from the majority of people today.

In a recent letter to the editor, one student built most of his arguments on what the Founding Fathers intended for our nation when it was created. In that letter and another preceding it, both students based many of their arguments on what was meant for the country in the Constitution.

But what far too many people do not take into account is the Constitution was built to be a living document. Whether you do or do not like or agree with the arguments presented by the two USU students does not matter.

The Constitution is supposed to have the ability to change. Written into the text of the founding document of our country is a provision that allows itself to be amended.

The people who built our country realized that it would change and their values and ideals would most likely not be the same 230 years later. Amendments are there to let people change their government to reflect the overarching societal influences and concerns as a group of people evolve their way of thinking over time.

It is inappropriate to refer to the Constitution as completely concrete; it has changed and will change.

Additionally, while the Founding Fathers’ intent is a good reference point, if we referred to the Founding Fathers’ beliefs on what our tiny new nation should have, slavery would still be in effect. They were smart men, but not the absolute authority for future generations.

Hold whatever views you would like to, but remember that part of our society and country’s government is built on the premise that we are meant to adapt to fit the changing world.