Fort
GreeneVille Chapter DAR
Local
DAR Promotes Constitution
Week Awareness
Tuesday,
September 17, 2013, begins
the national celebration of Constitution Week. The weeklong
commemoration of
America’s most important document is one of our country’s least known
official
observances. Our Constitution stands as a testament to the tenacity of
Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties and freedom,
and to
ensure those unalienable rights to every American.
The
tradition of celebrating the
Constitution was started many years ago by the Daughters of the
American
Revolution (DAR). In 1955, the Daughters petitioned Congress to set
aside
September 17-23 annually to be dedicated for the observance of
Constitution
Week. The resolution was later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed
into
Public Law #915 on August 2, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The aims
of the celebration are to (1) emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for
protecting and defending the Constitution, preserving it for posterity; (2) inform the people that
the Constitution
is the basis for America’s great heritage and the foundation for our
way of
life; and (3) encourage the study of the historical events which led to
the
framing of the Constitution in September 1787.
The
United States of America
functions as a Republic under the Constitution, which is the oldest
document
still in active use that outlines the self-government of a people. This
landmark idea that men had the inalienable right as individuals to be
free and
live their lives under their own governance was the impetus of the
American
Revolution. Today,
the Constitution
stands as an icon of freedom for people around the world.
"We
must remember and teach
that those who wrote the Constitution believed that no government can
create
freedom, but that government must guard freedom rather than encroach
upon the
freedoms of its people" stated Merry Ann T. Wright, President General
of
the DAR. "The Constitution by itself cannot guarantee liberty. A
nation’s
people can remain free only by being responsible citizens who are
willing to
learn about the rights of each arm of government and require that each
is
accountable for its own function. Therefore, Constitution Week is the
perfect
opportunity to read and study this great document which is the
safeguard of our
American liberties. We
encourage all
citizens across the country to take time this week to guard that which
is
committed to us by our forefathers... our freedom."
DAR
has served America for 120
years as its foremost cheerleader.
In
1928, the Daughters began work on a building as a memorial to the
Constitution.
John Russell Pope, architect of the Jefferson Memorial, was
commissioned to
design the performing arts center, known as DAR Constitution Hall.
Today, DAR
Constitution Hall is the only structure erected in tribute to the
Constitution
of the United States of America.
Known
as the largest women’s
patriotic organization in the world, DAR has over 165,000 members with
approximately 3,000 chapters in all 50 states and 11 foreign countries.
The DAR
has long promoted patriotism through commemorative celebrations,
memorials,
scholarships and activities for children, and programs for new
immigrants. For
more information about DAR and its programs visit www.dar.org or call
(202)
628-1776.
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