“We the People” Are?
“We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”
—Thomas Paine
America as a nation, and we as a people, are unique and special—both individually and collectively. Everything we are as a people and as a nation, everything we stand for, and everything that created and shaped the foundation upon which our nation was built at its inception was unlike anything the world had ever seen. It was a story unlike any other that had been written in the pages of world history. The principles, philosophies, values, and ideas that form the cornerstone of our nation are what created the uniqueness of America and of us as a people. These are the very things woven into the threads and fibers of the fabric that forms the tapestry of our nation, defines us as Americans, and gives meaning to both the idea and the actuality of the phrase ‘We the People.’
It is this very phrase, ‘We the People,’ that serves as a summation of America—its foundation, its purpose, and our place within it as Americans. These words are where we begin and where we end. They are simple yet extraordinarily complex, and, at the end of the day, so much of what America represents can be distilled into this phrase: ‘We the People.’ These three simple yet complex words define us and our nation. They cannot be overlooked, ignored, disregarded, abandoned, replaced, or negated.
During my graduate work, I came across a quote that I will never forget because it made a profound impression on me. There is immense wisdom and truth in these words by Akhil Reed Amar, author of America’s Constitution: A Biography, which so powerfully describes and explains the profound significance of ‘We the People’:
“With simple words placed in the beginning in the document’s most prominent location, the Preamble laid the foundation of all that follow. ‘We the People of the United States . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution . . .’ These three words did more than promise popular self-government. They also embodied and enacted it. Like the phrase ‘I do’ in an exchange of wedding vows and ‘I accept’ in a contract, the Preamble’s words actually perform the very thing it described. Thus, the Founders’ ‘Constitution’ was not merely a text but a deed—a constituting. We the People of ordain. In the late 1780’s this was the most democratic deed the world had ever seen.”¹
The inclusion and placement of these three simple yet profound and powerful words helped define the very direction, course, shape, and design of our nation and our identity as Americans. Furthermore, without these three words, the direction, course, shape, and design of our nation could have been immensely, drastically, and profoundly altered. These three words are fundamental to the definition of who we are as Americans and what our nation represents. You may be thinking at this point, Okay, are you being a little dramatic? Are you exaggerating or overstating the meaning, value, and importance that three words can have for a nation and its people? I absolutely do not think so.
The immense, profound, and important meaning of these words cannot be overstated or exaggerated. Throughout the chapters of this book, I will discuss and examine the meaning of these words and the significant place they hold in the foundation and fabric of our nation. I will explore the meaning and definition of the phrase and idea of ‘We the People.’ I will also address what it means to be a part of ‘We the People’ and explore the purpose embodied within this phrase. Through these chapters, together we will explore, seek, and discover the answer to the question: ‘We the People’ Are?
As we continue to explore this question throughout the chapters of this book, my hope and desire are that you will gain greater knowledge and understanding of the foundation of our nation. I want to offer insights that provide greater clarity and enlightenment concerning the meaning and definition of ‘We the People.’ I want to provide an opportunity for a deeper understanding of who we are as Americans and as members of ‘We the People.’ I will discuss and explore the purpose we have and the role we can serve as ‘We the People.’ May we all gain a deeper and more profound appreciation and respect for our great nation and for what it means to be Americans. May we always remember the spirit of 1776 and dare to live free.