News
 MIDDLE GEORGIA COLLEGE CELEBRATES CONSTITUTION DAY (Dublin, GA) – Middle Georgia College recently celebrated Constitution Day by hosting two speakers, retired Army Chaplain Jack Brown and former Macon Mayoral Candidate Paul Bronson on the Dublin campus. The theme of the event was "Civic Engagement: How You Can Get Involved." The event was sponsored by MGC's Division of Social Sciences and the Dublin Student Government Association. Grace Adams-Square, an MGC Political Science Instructor on the Dublin campus, began the event by speaking about the history of Constitution Day, which is September 17. Constitution Day, or Citizenship Day, was created in 2004 to honor the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787. MGC student Charles Moore introduced the first speaker, Chaplain Jack Brown. He is a retired U.S Army chaplain, retiring in 1979 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He now serves at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center. Chaplain Brown spoke about the importance of faith in citizens' lives. "Never be ashamed of your beliefs," he said. "To be a good citizen, you must keep conscious of your background and follow the dictates of your conscious." When asked to provide an example of how the First Amendment can affect our daily lives, Chaplain Brown spoke about how he paid to put the phrase "In God We Trust" on his license plate. "It's the freedom of expression," he said. "It's a little way of sharing my faith." Chaplain Brown closed his lecture by reminding students to vote. "Stay informed," he said. "Get involved and be a citizen who knows what's happening." Corretta Hill, an MGC student, introduced the second speaker, former Macon Mayoral Candidate Paul Bronson. Bronson is a firefighter for Macon-Bibb County, and is a member of the Georgia Army National Guard, serving as a Second Lieutenant in the 48th Brigade in Macon. He is a graduate of Ft. Valley State University and Georgia Military College. Bronson said he decided to run for mayor because he had always heard that you can be what you want to be. However, he found that this wasn't the case when he declared his campaign. "Those words disappear when you step forward," he said. "People think you can't do something because of your age or race. We have to change these attitudes. Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do." In order for people to change, we have to change our generation's viewpoint, said Bronson. In order to do that, we have to get involved. "Whatever you do, make it all about the people," he said. "Ask yourself, 'What can I do that positively impacts someone else?" Bronson advised students to get involved in their community and to know what's going on around them. "You have to make a knowledgeable decision on how to vote," he said. "Not just because of party or race." Taylor Brantley, a freshmen student, said the event was very educational. "It showed the true meaning of the day," she said. "I really enjoyed it." |