It is the land’s supreme law and the day I read it each year. I encourage everyone to read the Constitution today!
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Constitution Day -The Birth Of A Nation

The United States Constitution has guided us for more than 200 years now. Despite attacks on it over the years, it remains the standard for liberty, So today, September 17, take some time to read it, live it, and defend it always!
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The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest. Stephen Ambrose.
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The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. Samuel Adams
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The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. Benjamin Franklin
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Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government. James Madison
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Our Constitution protects aliens(?), drunks, and U.S. Senators. Will Rogers
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There is nothing wrong with America that faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens cannot cure. Dwight D. Eisenhower
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The Constitution of the United States was made not merely for the generation that then existed, but for posterity- unlimited, undefined, endless, perpetual posterity. Henry Clay
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Today is an important day in U.S. history. Depending on age, many people haven’t read it since school. Sometimes, we have to wonder if politicians missed school that day.
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It is worth reading it every now and then. It is the foundation of our republic. IT IS THE LAW OF THE LAND! Lee Thompson
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Constitution Day is September 17

What is the problem with the basics? Schools aren’t teaching civics these days. Perhaps people don’t care how their government is supposed to work. The failure to understand the First Amendment is incredible because we read about it so much in the news these days, and not always in a positive way.
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Anything not attributed is likely attributable to me over the years.

One of those dates that remain indelibly etched in the minds of many, for how long, is another story. If you’re old enough to remember the horrors of September 11, you know where you were when it happened. I was watching cable television as it unfolded live before me.                                                               

I read an article once that young people in school were not alive when our nation came under attack. To me, it seems like it wasn’t all that long ago. Being 23 years now, those graduating from college were not yet born, and those in high school now would be so young as to have no accurate recollection.

Another reality, of course, is what is being taught in schools now. There is a tendency to sanitize so all will feel good, and when a member of Congress says, “Some people did something” that day, that’s even scarier than schools failing to teach so the feelings of others suffer no discomfort. I think feelings should not be spared when teaching the truth. The perpetrators were not just “some people.” They were, in fact, particular people.

It was not articulated by a member of Congress, and is nameless here because I refuse to acknowledge her, saying, “Some people did something;” It’s important to remember the sacrifices made by many that day and in the times after.

So, gently remind others why this date is so important, especially if you run into someone too young to remember or not yet born. Indeed, it was the Pearl Harbor of our time, and while I’m way too young to remember December 7, 1941, I know about the day and what happened afterward. We need to remember September 11, 2001, in the same way. Both days should be “a date which will live in infamy.”

Remember, too, the first and last stanza of a poem by Alan W. Jankowski entitled We Shall Never Forget:

“Let the world always remember,

That fateful day in September,

And the ones who answered duty’s call,

Should be remembered by us all.

“And never forget the ones no longer here,

Who fought for the freedoms we all hold dear,

And may their memory never wane,

Lest their sacrifices be in vain.”

September 11 is known as Patriots Day. You’re asked to observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. when the first plane was turned into a flying torpedo and bombed the World Trade Center. This led to 2,977 innocent Americans murdered and more than 6,000 injured. That’s more American casualties than on D-Day in World War II and more than four times the number of casualties at Pearl Harbor. It was a horrific day, but America responded.

It’s not just about the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or a little field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania (a truly remarkable account of the American spirit that everyone should learn about); it’s about the United States of America. As the poem states, don’t let their sacrifices be not in vain by being one to ALWAYS REMEMBER!

May God Bless America

#neverforget

All invited! From Hiram to Mantua Corners, the most exciting four-mile trip you’ll ever make!

We’ll leave around two or so. You’ll pile in the back of the truck for a group photo, which you will receive free, plus shipping and handling, as part of the $400 luxury package put together with you in mind.

After the photo festivities, with a beverage of your choice from our select menu, you’ll actively guide the truck in small groups up the incline leading out of Hiram. Being a skilled professional, I’ll expertly guide the first mile of this exciting adventure.

Once we get to the crest and the stragglers catch up and hop in, we’ll descend to the bottom of Derthick’s Hill. Hold on tight! We may reach speeds of almost 20 miles per hour!

Derthick’s Hill is the longest, steepest hill in northeast Ohio. When our vintage truck starts heading up, all out to participate in a game we call PUSH. And don’t worry, I’ll be gripping the steering wheel expertly until we get safely to the top. On the way, we’ll pass such sites as the corn maze, but keep your focus on the task at hand. Don’t worry; your package includes a photo of the side of the cornfield with the maze expertly hidden from view, plus shipping and handling.

Now for the first reward. When we reach the top, we’ll have a picnic, so please bring a covered dish. From here, in the spirit of democracy, we’ll vote on continuing or returning.

If we return, the real fun begins. You’ll lift the truck, turn it around, and pile in. We’ll race back down Derthick’s Hill at speeds so fast that if the wind picks up, you may have to keep your hat from blowing off your head. When it starts to level out, everyone jumps out and grabs the truck to stop it before it swerves off the road.

Just kidding, there’s no voting on this trip. We’ll proceed on the slight decline to Mantua Corners at the leisurely speed of almost three miles per hour. Some of you may desire to walk the rest of the way, but you are encouraged to stay with the truck to comfort the more physically challenged among us. Remember, the more in the back of the epic pickup, the faster we reach the journey’s end, where scouts with merit badges can assist the helpless.

Do you think the fun’s over? It is unless you paid the extra $299 for the deluxe package. If you did, it’s time to PARTEE!!! We’ll have drinks. BYOB. There will be games and dancing as we ceremoniously start the truck for the first and crank up the radio, searching for the first AM station that plays music. Door prizes will be given for the best Labor Day costume, so make sure to bring those prizes so everyone can win!

A couple of days ago was the anniversary of the I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King.

I usually write about my family taking me to Gettysburg in 1964. It’s a trip I recommend for everyone. As we left, my parents said I could get two items from the gift shop. At eleven going on twelve, I eyed the bullets found on the battlefield, or facsimiles more likely.

But I saw three parchment-type documents in the area where the books were for sale. One was the Gettysburg Address, the second was John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech, and the third was King’s I Have a Dream speech. I decided I wanted all three, but I was limited to two. My parents probably would have sprung for the third, but kids tended to do what their parents said back then.

I knew who JFK was. I remember the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, a time scarier for my parents than me. I understood little about nuclear bombs except I was safe at school if I bent forward with my head under my desk. I understand today, it was my vaporization position.

I knew who King was because we were on vacation, and King was leading a March, and roads were shut down for travel, so we, like everyone else, sat in our vehicle and waited for the parade to move past so the road would reopen. I’ve always told people it was Georgia, but I’m unsure today.

I chose the JFK address and MLK I Have a Dream speech. When home, I framed each to hang in my bedroom. I still have both in the original frames I bought.

I’m awed by the dreams expressed in the final minutes of the speech. There were five, most everyone recalling. The first was, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” It’s noble and right. Judging by the color of their skin is neither. Yet the racial divide appears greater today than in previous years.

Here’s what you may not have known. Close advisers of the King rejected the “Dream” part of the speech. However, a well-known gospel singer encouraged King to remember the dream. As he was concluding, he threw away his notes. The most important part of King’s speech, considered one of the most important speeches in history, was ad-libbed.

Something came up yesterday that reminded me of a court story. When cleaning out the garage, I found a stack of transcripts from trials and depositions. I was reading about a custody trial I did in 1996. It turns out I have a ton of stories—some funny, some not so funny. 

This morning, I recalled a traffic trial around 1985. It was an improper right turn by a truck driver. A young girl, newly licensed, was sitting next to the truck to its right. She either didn’t see or maybe did not understand the sign on the rear that the vehicle makes wide turns.

They both turned right, the truck from the center lane. The young girl’s vehicle somehow became affixed to the truck, and the trucker dragged her a hundred feet up the hill. The trucker didn’t see her because she was in his blind spot. Another driver flagged down the trucker.

An improper right turn is a minor misdemeanor carrying a penalty of a hundred-dollar fine, court costs, and two points in your driving record. Unless there’s a requirement to appear, people sign they’re guilty and mail in the fine and costs.

However, points can be problematic for a truck driver and the driver’s livelihood. Sometimes, deals can be cut to change the charge to a non-moving violation. No one was dealing, so the choice was to plead no contest and throw yourself at the court’s mercy. We decided to go to trial. Usually, the court would look at about 30 minutes, certainly less than an hour.

There are no juries for this, but my first request is for the court to view the area to fully understand the defense. The judge just looked at it and finally said, “Counselor, it happened right outside the building. I walk in every day past the area. I know exactly what it looks like. Denied.”

Not to be deterred, I told the judge that the placement of the phone pole was important. That’s why we need to go out and get a feel for it. Again, the judge looked down from the bench, not amused.

“Counselor, you do understand we can look out the window and see it?”

He was right, but I felt I would only be doing my job if I asked if we would go to the window and look. That brought a quick, “No. Is the state ready to proceed?”

So, the trial commenced. I relentlessly cross-examined the state’s witnesses. I was particularly hard on the car driver. Even though traffic cases don’t allow much room for the defense, my theory was it was her fault. What I didn’t know was her father was sitting in the courtroom. Later in the hall, he was angry at me. He was a farmer, and his daughter had been driving for years.

Because it was clear he wanted to cause me physical harm, dads are too protective of their daughters, although I was the same way with mine. Simple fix: throw him off his game and attack him for failing to teach his daughter how to drive right. It worked.

Back to the case. Three hours after we started, it was time to give my closing argument. Of course, I stressed what the points would mean to my client and his job. The fact is, a truck could not possibly make a proper right turn. But then I launched into how our city’s traffic laws violated the Constitution’s interstate commerce clause. I know, it’s not. But I got carried away in the moment and couldn’t stop myself.

More than three hours later, the judge ruled from the bench. Guilty. No fine, pay court costs, and no points. Looking back, we could have gotten the result by pleading no contest with a few words about the points. It would have taken ten minutes. But it was sure more fun. It wasn’t entirely over. The judge had a few words for me.

“Counselor, some of the issues you raised would be better addressed to the city council. I suggest you go there. We’re finished here.”

By the way, if one finds it interesting to see an attorney, not me, have a meltdown in court, the custody case had an interesting aspect.