Messer outlines rights secured by Constitution

District Judge Stuart Messer addressed a crowd of area high school students, college students, and community members last Thursday, September 17, in the Clarendon College Harned Sisters Fine Arts Center to discuss the importance of the United States Constitution.

The lecture was part of CC’s observance of Constitution Day and focused on the rights preserved by the nation’s founding document.

“What is the Constitution?” the judge asked those in attendance. “Why is it important?”

Various answers were given, but it was a senior from Childress High School, Kasia Kessler, who gave the correct response.

“It gets its power from the People and prevents the government from overpowering the People,” Kessler said, noting that she has recently enlisted in the Marines.

Messer said fundamental differences arise over interpretations of what is written in the Constitution when they come under review by the Supreme Court.
“Does it mean what it says or is it a document that is adaptable to our times and circumstances?” Messer asked.

He illustrated his point by selecting a few amendments from the Bill of Rights and discussing how people can have different views what constitutes Freedom of Speech and whether it should be banned, how far the Press can go in the exercise of its freedom, the original meaning of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and protections from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Messer also said it is not always clear which member of the Supreme Court will vote either liberally or conservatively.

“Take the newest justice – Justice Sonia Sotomayor,” Messer said. “Everyone says how liberal she is, and she is an activist judge. But if you look at her record, she has what some might consider a conservative record.
“Antonin Scalia, on the other hand is someone hailed as the most conservative member of the court,” Messer said and then illustrated cases where Scalia voted in a liberal manner.