Patriotism is one of those shifty values the ultra-wrong Rightists claim for themselves. We all feel attached to our homes. We feel connected to a local landscape. We identify ourselves with the people of our land. We extend these feelings as loyalty to our whole nation and especially to its Constitution, which we know is more important than any piece of land, set of buildings, group of people, political faction or color on a map.
Apart from its history of interpretive court decisions, the U. S. Constitution is framed and informed by two other documents. First is the Declaration of Independence which many regard as a preface to the Constitution. Second is the Bill of Rights, which most of us regard as an integral part of the Constitution. Yet, some want to strip out parts of this Bill of Rights or revise parts of it to suit themselves. Personally, I want it all to stay the same, but add another Article or two, amending it.
I’d like to see an Amendment that grants equality between a citizen and a “corporate person”, notwithstanding differences of finance. This already exists, somewhat hidden behind lawyers, wealth and legal practice, but should be spelled out. There would be no need for this if an Amendment stripped “legal personhood” from corporations and returned them to the status of associations offering no shelter to individuals for wrong-doing or the harmful consequence of their decisions and deeds. This would apply also to political parties, some of which have had disastrous results without accountability.
Another Article needed by our Bill of Rights is one that establishes representation for living things on earth, for the soil itself, for wilderness and natural waters. Our entire society depends on these things, yet we let them stay voiceless, subject to the whims of property owners and high finance whether they shall be used, abused or protected for future generations. At present, everything is up for grabs, saved only by timely actions of counties, states and federal Congress. Nothing sacred is invulnerable. Nothing is safer than the conscience of people allows, many of whom demonstrate repeatedly that they have no conscience or caring for anything but themselves.
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