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Fort
GreeneVille DAR Promotes Constitution Week Awareness
Wednesday, September 17, 2014, 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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