Constituting America a path to helps us take our country Back

If you haven't already, please check out Constituting America. If you feel so compelled, please donate to the cause. Can there be a better way to understand the intention of our Forefathers?

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Actress Janine Turner and her business partner Cathy Gillespie have come on-line with a web-based educational product to teach children at all levels about the history of our country. This information has been missing from their school curriculum for too many years. Many months went into the design of this repository of knowledge. The developers knew that to win America back we must start with our children, their teachers and start from the very beginning. Their site at Constituting America provides a user-friendly location with all the needed tools to study the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Federalist papers. Beautifully conceived, they have developed lesson plans that may be downloaded by teachers in the near future. Participants are encouraged to write essays on their reading and understanding of the U.S. Constitution and Federalist Papers. Essays are posted on their web page at Constituting America. Constituting America’s main initiatives for 2010 are:

1. We The People 9.17 Contest – This contest gives kids grades K-12, depending on their grade, the opportunity to submit an entertaining short film, PSA, cool song or essay, and younger kids the opportunity to submit a poem or holiday card, all with the theme, “How is the United States Constituting Relevant Today.” Entries are due July 4! Prizes for high school students include $2,000 scholarships, a trip to Philadelphia, and Governor Huckabee has invited the winners to be on his show! Younger kids receive gift cards, and public recognition on our website and elsewhere. More details are available at Constitutingamerica.org 2. September 17 – Constitution Day – Constituting America is planning activities in Philadelphia on September 17, Constitution and Citizenship Day, including a press event at National Constitution Center highlighting contest winners. Constituting America also plans to produce a DVD of winning contest entries, available to schools by DVD and downloadable on the website, for use by teachers and schools in implementing the Constitution related curriculum requirement mandated by federal law each September 17, Constitution and Citizenship Day. This DVD will be shown at the Constitution Center’s theatre on September 17, as well. 3. 90 in 90 = 180: History Holds the Key to the Future: A National Conversational Blog/Reading of the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers. Beginning April 20 through media outreach that included Janine’s appearances on Hannity, Fox & Friends, Cavuto, Huckabee, the Bill Bennett Radio Show, Mark Levin Radio show, and many others.

Constituting America invited citizens to join in reading the U.S. Constitution and Federalist Papers in 90 days. The reading and blogging schedule, as well as the reading material, is posted on the website. Each day a guest Constitutional Scholar posts his or her thoughts on the reading of the day, and Janine and Cathy post essays as well. Contributing Guest Constitutional Scholar Bloggers include W.B. Allen, Dean and Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University; David J. Bobb, Director, Allan P. Kirby Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship of Hillsdale College; and Joerg Knipprath, Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. The entire project and website is designed so that any user, with minimal computer skills, can easily navigate and find source information, study materials. There is a special section called additional links, that provides access to virtually everything known about the topics at hand. Juliette Turner, Janine’s daughter is the National youth director. In her capacity she runs the program for younger school children, those in middle school and high school. Contests involve submitting art work and drawings for the younger children. Middle school children can write poems and make up songs, while high school participants enter into essay and video contests.There are neat prizes for each category. Using a quote from Thomas Jefferson, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” The mission of Constituting America is based upon this principle: America will not and cannot survive unless her citizens, her children, and her students are educated about the validity, necessity and Providential Divinity of the Constitution. The Constitution should not be dismissed or relegated to obsolescence, for as surely as this is done, democracy will meet its demise. Knowledge of the contents of the Constitution and the values of our founding fathers is pivotal to enduring these challenging times. A renewed, rekindled enthusiasm and a patriot’s desire for the understanding of our Constitution begins with its accessibility. Challenging the mindset of those who consider our Constitution to be antiquated is our mission. An enlightened America regarding her roots, her basis, and her thesis is the key to America’s pertinent survival. Americans have rights. Americans must have knowledge to understand them. Students, educators, and interested members of the community are encouraged to begin reading the Federalist Papers, just one a day. In doing so they begin to understand the huge concerns of our Founding Fathers as they developed the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights and our Constitution. A heads up to all moms and dads. Wouldn’t this be a great gift and an excellent way to spend serious time with your children? Random thoughts while observing the passing charade, I’m J.C. Jim Campbell runs Charging Elephants.