Constitution Day event Sept. 17 at LCC

By Abby Cowels
Staff Writer

Constitution Day arrives Tuesday, Sept. 17. To celebrate, LCC is hosting a discussion panel during which students and alumni can join in, ask questions and create healthy conversation. This year’s theme is “A Constitution That (Still) Matters?”

The discussion will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in Arts & Sciences room 1122, in-person as well as livestreaming via Webex. Attendees can pick-up a free pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution at the event.

“In 2004, a Constitution Day law was passed which commemorates the date of Sept. 17, 1787; the day on which the Constitution was signed by 39 delegates in Philadelphia, said Michael T. Giles, PhD., LCC assistant professor of Political Science. “As a public institution, we're obligated to commemorate the Constitution every year and provide some education and programming around it.”

All students are welcome to join in on the discussion, even just to observe, listen and educate themselves. It is an open and safe place to ask questions, please see the political discourse ground rules online prior to the event.

“So why celebrate The Constitution?” Giles asked. “That is, why celebrate the republic? Do we have a republic worth celebrating? This is a foundational political question. All other debates, in some way, lead back to this one.

“… One of the purposes of Constitution Day, is to raise this question year after year. It is a question we must always ask ourselves. So, I am excited to see what our panel of students and alumni have to say, because we have some very thoughtful students.”

Come learn, utilize your freedom of speech, and be a participant in creating a “The Marketplace of Ideas” among individuals and peers who want to engage in constructive conversations around this topic.

For more ways to celebrate and learn, visit the LCC Library on the second floor of the TLC building for a Constitution-themed book display.