The Honorable Clint Bolick Gives Inspiring Speech at Inaugural Constitution Day Lecture Series
By: Gabby Revilla
On Thursday, September 14, 2017, Arizona Supreme Court Judge Clint Bolick delivered an address to a room filled with public officials, students, and other community members at the Inaugural Constitution Day Lecture held at Arizona State University.
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In his lecture, Justice Bolick stressed the importance of federalism in today's political climate, saying that it is the crux of our constitutional foundation. He stated that federalism allows for the freedom and expansion of different viewpoints, something that is overlooked today in both politics and the media.
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In attendance was Irina Baroness von Behr, a Republican congressional candidate for District Nine. She stated that the 17th Amendment is vital to our country because without it, normal citizens, or even just women in general, would not be able to run for office.
"To me, going way back, our Founding Fathers said, 'We the people,' and we the people need to decide who we have running for our office, not the Boys Club," said von Behr. She said that if we started placing more focus on on the Constitution and uniting as a country, people would see that despite our differences, we all want the same thing.
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The 17th Amendment gives the people the power to vote for their state senators, something that was not done for the first 125 years after the government was established. This allows for better representation of teh constituency, and as von Behr mentioned, allows for a more diverse group of people to lead the country. Coming from a biracial background herself, the Republican candidate believes that we need to put our parties aside and focus more on improving our country and making sure that every voice is heard.
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A common theme from Justice Bolick's lecture and other attendees was the need for civic engagement. Millennials are often criticized for not being politically aware, but Irina Baroness von Behr believes it's never too late to get involved.
The 66-year-old firmly believes in engaging with the community, no matter one's age or gender. She is a strong advocate for women in office, stating that it's time for women to stand up. For the longest time, the U.S. government has been comprised of mostly older Caucasian men and has thus resulted in legislature that may not appeal to people of all backgrounds. It is up to the next generation to change that stigma and get involved.
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Doing so also involves gaining a better understanding of the Constitution, as Justice Bolick mentioned. Many people do not view it the same way as they did 100 years ago, and that it what has inevitably led to the large amount of bipartisanship.
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According to Bolick, Abraham Lincoln highly praised the Constitution, describing it as, "the frame of silver to protect and adorn the apple of gold that is the Declaration of Independence with its ideas of human liberty, equality, and the laws of nature and the natures of God."
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In order to further our country, we need to embrace the real meaning of the Constitution and set forth what our Founding Fathers originally wanted to accomplish. Doing so entails higher levels of civic engagement, especially within diverse groups, and working through federalism.
Photo Credits:
Top - Margaret Naczek
Bottom - Stephanie Shields