Keep Doing What You’re Doing

This quote from Rep. Mike Talboy captures my sentiments exactly:

”This is akin to us putting up an amendment to the people to rename the state of Missouri, the state of Missouri,” said Talboy, D-Kansas City.

I’m not in favor of constitutional amendments that say nothing new. The fact that something is good, true, or protected by law doesn’t mean we need an amendment about it in the state constitution. (For example, the ice cream cone is the official dessert of the state of Missouri, but voters haven’t approved an amendment to that effect.) No one would take the Constitution seriously if it contained reiterations of all legal protections, down to the nitty-gritty details.

That’s why I object to the proposed constitutional amendment that just passed the state House of Representatives. The proposal states that Missourians have a right to pray in public schools, which is hard to disagree with, because they already do. The sponsor says he’s reacting to some cases in which students’ rights were infringed on; my response is that we should continue to enforce existing laws.

The amendment would also require public schools to display the Bill of Rights. Personally, I think it would look kind of funny on the walls of the early childhood education centers. But even if displaying the Bill of Rights at all public schools is the best idea since sliced bread — or should I say, ice cream cones — it’s not important enough to go in the Constitution.

Instead of tacking on a new amendment to reaffirm every law on the books, we could add just one amendment: “Good job, Missourians. Continue to obey the laws you already have, and keep it up.”