News

MGC CELEBRATES CONSTITUTION DAY AT DUBLIN CAMPUS
By: Tricia Purser Release Date:10/01/2012

(Cochran, GA) – Middle Georgia College recently celebrated Constitution Day by hosting Criminal Attorney Verna Smith at the MGC Dublin Campus Student Center. Smith spoke about the importance of the U.S. Constitution by highlighting her own personal experiences with discrimination. The event was sponsored by Grace Adams-Square’s Dublin Campus American Government class.

MGC American Government student Katherine Rozier introduced Attorney Smith, who spoke about the history of the Constitution. “It is the oldest standing constitution in the world at over two centuries old,” said Smith. “It is the supreme law of the land.”
The Bill of Rights, which was not included in the previous Articles of Confederation, was developed to protect individual rights, said Smith. “The Framers of the Constitution were concerned with giving the government unlimited power,” she said. “Ordinary people had no rights under the previous king.”

The Constitution has to be more than words on paper, said Smith. “It has to be a living, breathing document that affects everyday lives. It has to be lived and applied to each situation.”

Smith illustrated this point by focusing on three Constitutional Amendments in her speech: the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery; the 14th Amendment, which conferred citizenship to freed slaves; and the 15th Amendment, which guaranteed the right to vote regardless of race.

Everyone has power, regardless of what it looks like, said Smith. “You have the power of one vote, and the power of assembly, the right to advocate on your behalf. Individuals matter under the Constitution.”

“We live in a great country, and we need to inform and educate ourselves,” said Smith. “Volunteer, and find out what’s going on in the world.”

Grace Adams-Square, MGC American Government Instructor, said, “Attorney Smith did an outstanding job making our 2nd Annual Constitution Day a special event. She informed the college audience that the actions by others to volunteer and to learn opened the door for them to vote. She challenged the students to vote in the upcoming November 2012 election because all it takes is just one vote to make a difference.”