Bill of Rights Day Commemoration

Today is the 215th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution, which took effect upon the approval of three-quarters of the states on December 15, 1791.

It should come as no surprise, but did you know that, at least since 1990, the U.S. Congress has not once issued an official commemoration of this historic event? (I looked it up on Thomas. Nada.)

We can be grateful that a local activist group, the Jefferson Area Libertarians, wants us to remember the Bill of Rights and its importance to Americans. Today in both Waynesboro and Charlottesville, the JAL will be conducting a bit of street theatre in the form of an "acclamation" of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Here's their announcement regarding Waynesboro:

The Jefferson Area Libertarians will hold a "Bill of Rights Acclamation" on Bill of Rights Day (Friday, December 15th, 2006). The event will be held in downtown Waynesboro from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building at the corner of Main Street and Wayne Avenue. JAL members will read aloud the Bill of Rights, speak about its profound impact on freedom, and of recent events injurious to its purpose.

Location: Municipal Building
Corner of Main Street and Wayne Avenue
Waynesboro, Virginia

JAL member Jim Lark -- faculty advisor to Students for Individual Liberty at the University of Virginia and former national chairman of the Libertarian Party -- was a guest this morning of Jane Foy and Rob Schilling on WINA-AM. Dr. Lark noted the planned acclamation in Charlottesville later this afternoon and discussed some of the contemporary threats to the Bill of Rights, including the Kelo v. New London decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, and the McCain-Feingold campaign finance "reform" law.

Today's Bill of Rights Day celebration in Charlottesville, will be at Central Place (Main St. & 2nd St. East, next to the fountain) on the Downtown Mall and not -- as one would expect -- at the Free Speech Monument near City Hall, from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. (just before sundown):


I realize this is rather late notice to my Charlottesville readers (and those across the mountain) but I hope many of you will join the Jefferson Area Libertarians to proclaim, loudly and proudly, that the Bill of Rights is still relevant and vibrant after 215 years.