Magna Carter and Flag Day: linked in history

Editor’s Note: Two dates rapidly approaching on the calendar caught our attention. We hope they are of as much interest to our readers as they are us.

 

Our legal foundation

Americans tend to view the Founding Fathers with reverential awe, as if they alone gave birth to representative democracy, first with the Declaration of Independence and then with the Constitution.

It’s true that the Declaration reflects their extraordinary courage and boldly sets forth the ideas on which our republic would be founded. It’s also true that the Constitution serves as the blueprint for the most resilient and adaptive systems of government ever designed.

But the principles these men espoused - of liberty, of justice, of due process and our very system of law - can be traced back 800 years, to a meadow outside of London. It was there on June 15, 1215, that John, King of England, was forced to sign the Magna Carta, the document that would change the course of human events.

We expect that the Founding Father would be among those lining up to pay homage at any observances of the day, knowing that without it, the American experience would be vastly different.

At the time the signing of the Magna Carta (Latin for “great charter”) was viewed by King John as a stalling tactic to stem the momentum of a rebellion against him. He ceded some rights of the monarchy to undercut the argument that he was inflexible and tyrannical.

Instead, the idea that laws apply to the monarchy, or the government, as they do to the people has resonated for centuries. Though only four clauses from the Magna Carta remain part of British law, these include some words that Americans may find familiar:

 

“No Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised [dispossessed] of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.”

 

Our Bill of Rights includes many of these protections and, in fact, nine of the 26 provisions in those constitutional amendments can be traced to the Magna Carta. The Founding Fathers were fairly clear about borrowing from that document, even that’s been somewhat obscured by history.

We would do well to mark the occasion, recognizing that many of what we consider to be the cornerstones of American law were actually hewed from a British quarry.

Respect Old Glory

We are a century removed from the 1916 proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson to mark Flag Day, the anniversary of the date when the Second Continental Congress adopted our first national banner.

At the time he called for Americans to mark the occasion every June 14, and to “stand with united hearts, for an America which no man can corrupt, no influence draw away from its ideals, no force divide against itself …”

Yet, with each passing year, we see more disrespect for the stars and stripes. We see homes and businesses routinely flying tattered, torn and ripped flags. Many lack proper lighting at night.

These are all violations of U.S. code. And while punishment for violations is virtually nonexistent, we would urge everyone reading to treat with respect the flags in your care.

If your flag is ripped or damaged, dispose of it properly. Contact an American Legion office or a Boy Scout troop for assistance. Our local American Legion conducts a flag burning ceremony.

We encourage everyone to show their appreciation for our national banner. Going that extra mile for Old Glory would be a good place to start.

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Staples World

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 100 Staples, MN 56479 Telephone: (218) 894-1112 - Fax: (218) 894-3570 Toll Free: 1-888-894-1112 E Mail: office@staplesworld.com; editor@staplesworld.com

Deadline: Friday, noon

 

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