Constitution Cafe
Jasmin Weber
Dr. Kelly Schimmel
HIST 1301
October 21, 2012
Constitution Café Analysis What defines an American citizen? Loosely, it is an individual of a state or nation, whom is obligated to its government and then is offered protection. As an American citizen, the assumed outlined duties to uphold would include: voting, paying taxes, and being involved with the community. Due to the fact that American citizens contribute to paying taxes, they expect for the government to manage their money securely. Also, citizens expect for the government to protect them, as well as their constitutional given rights. . In “Constitution Café,” by Christopher Phillips, the author takes the reader through a sequence of important events which displays how the constitution was presented “of the people, by the people, and for the people” (Phillips, 33). Being as the Constitution was created to ensure Americans rights, it has been thought that it contains many flaws and doesn’t assure adequate and proper protection for citizens’ rights. For example, my freshman year in college, I attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. As a student, I enrolled in the work study program in order to continue “paying out of pocket” for necessary materialistic items. I commenced to apply at the student tech center. Due to the fact that I am biracial, I always check the “two or more races” box. The hiring manager conducted an interview with me three weeks later. During the initial interviewing process, I proceeded to answer the necessary questions pertaining to the work position, and I could tell he approved of my personality. Yet, when he realized the box I checked on the application he became inquisitive, and before I knew it he asked my specific race. After I told him I was half African-American he did not proceed with the interview. This negative experience gave me an opportunity to think about how rights are put into place to make American citizens feel protected,
Dr. Kelly Schimmel
HIST 1301
October 21, 2012
Constitution Café Analysis What defines an American citizen? Loosely, it is an individual of a state or nation, whom is obligated to its government and then is offered protection. As an American citizen, the assumed outlined duties to uphold would include: voting, paying taxes, and being involved with the community. Due to the fact that American citizens contribute to paying taxes, they expect for the government to manage their money securely. Also, citizens expect for the government to protect them, as well as their constitutional given rights. . In “Constitution Café,” by Christopher Phillips, the author takes the reader through a sequence of important events which displays how the constitution was presented “of the people, by the people, and for the people” (Phillips, 33). Being as the Constitution was created to ensure Americans rights, it has been thought that it contains many flaws and doesn’t assure adequate and proper protection for citizens’ rights. For example, my freshman year in college, I attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. As a student, I enrolled in the work study program in order to continue “paying out of pocket” for necessary materialistic items. I commenced to apply at the student tech center. Due to the fact that I am biracial, I always check the “two or more races” box. The hiring manager conducted an interview with me three weeks later. During the initial interviewing process, I proceeded to answer the necessary questions pertaining to the work position, and I could tell he approved of my personality. Yet, when he realized the box I checked on the application he became inquisitive, and before I knew it he asked my specific race. After I told him I was half African-American he did not proceed with the interview. This negative experience gave me an opportunity to think about how rights are put into place to make American citizens feel protected,
Cited: Phillips, Christopher, ed. Constitution Café. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011.