A good time for a history, civics, and grammar lesson

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by HatterDon, Jul 4, 2012.

  1. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    With all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about Justice Roberts "shredding the Constitution" by those either somewhat or grossly ignorant of how our government works, I thought July 4 might be a good time to reflect.

    This is the preamble to our Constitution, everything that follows is devoted to these duties and goals of our government:

    to form a more perfect Union
    insure domestic tranquility
    provide for the common defense
    promote the general welfare
    secure the blessings of liberty

    This is from Webster's on-line dictionary:

    On this 4th, I will celebrate the victory of my nation over a monarchy and the successful defense against secessionists that ensured its survival. Those secessionists, by the way, quit the nation after coming up with a backward reading of the Constitution that justified it all.

    Thus endeth the lesson, fellow citizens.
     
    #1
    HatterDon, Jul 4, 2012
  2. jimsig

    jimsig Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2008
    Location:
    Boston
    Isn't it great that our country is based on a gramatical error. How can some thing be "more perfect"? :D I'm sure most people don't even realize the mistake.
     
    #2
    jimsig, Jul 4, 2012
  3. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    Hope you all had a good 4th. Some say it is on the way to celebrating something else other than our exceptional history and character. I don't think so.. our country and the people who make up the bulk of the productive population will pull us through.

    It was no error and not a mistake. Documents are riddled with colloquial and common usage variants. 'More perfect union' is the best flowery descriptive in as few words.
    And this has been addressed many times:
    https://www.google.com/search?q=meaning+of+"more+perfect"
    There are two meanings in general usage:
    "Yesterday I said the weather was perfect, today it's more perfect." {funny... right now, anyway}
    "Since I can never achieve perfection, how can I be more perfect?"
    One can assume the Founders scribe -as well as the immediate readers- were aware of the biblical assertion that 'nothing of man is perfect'.
    Perhaps Don would prefer 'Sustainable'... no?
    ;)
    But
    I'm not going to argue syntax with Don... he evidently believes that government can solve everything. Thus his stressing of 'general welfare' {we're on our way to that!} and HEALTH. He cant point to a single historical example of that ever happening.

    The more the wheels come off our country the more we'll hear we aint trying hard enough. And that people who criticize government foofs and inequities, by giving examples, 'hate government'.
    We ALL depend on our government to do the right thing, for ourselves and our country. And the world. We are still the last best hope.
     
    #3
    pettyfog, Jul 8, 2012
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