Glenn Beck and the Tea Party -- well, what's left of those -- have spent much of the last three years obsessing on the sacredness of the U.S. Constitution.
The rest of the world? Not so much.
Why? This eye-opening piece in the New York Times gives several intriguing reasons, but the biggest one, quite simply, is that it doesn't go far enough in granting people basic human rights:
These days, the overlap between the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and those most popular around the world is spotty. We recognize rights not widely protected, including ones to a speedy and public trial, and we are an outlier in prohibiting government establishment of religion. But the Constitution is out of step with the rest of the world in failing to protect, at least in so many words, a right to travel, the presumption of innocence and entitlement to food, education and health care.
We have our idiosyncrasies. Only 2 percent of the world’s constitutions protect, as our Second Amendment does, a right to bear arms. (Our brothers in arms are Guatemala and Mexico.)
The Constitution’s waning global stature is consistent with the diminished influence of the Supreme Court, which “is losing the central role it once had among courts in modern democracies,” Aharon Barak, then the president of the Supreme Court of Israel, wrote in The Harvard Law Review in 2002.
Many foreign judges say they have become less likely to cite decisions of the United States Supreme Court, in part because of what they consider its parochialism.
Of course, we could always amend our Constitution to make it better. Good luck with that.
- Uh, why do we give a flying krap what the rest of the world thinks or does. And if you think the rest of the world is more exceptional than the US, then shut up and go to one of ratholes which you claim to love. Btw, many of those countries wouldn't provide with the freedom that you have here to write this drivel.— savetherepublic
Comment removed.- "Uh, why do we give a flying krap what the rest of the world thinks or does." Some comments speak for themselves.— will
- Comment removed.
- It does speak for itself. When you're proud of living in the greatest (most exceptional) country in the world, then the ratholes around the world are meaningless. Just once you should write a blot about the greatness of America. Otherwise, maybe you should just get the he!! out. — savetherepublic
- Will- The grass is always greener until you hop the fence. Give it a try...— Wiseman6
- Batty, Batty, Batty, there you go again.— 165Valley
- We have this thing called "private property", which is pretty cool if you work hard and earn some of it. The countries Will is into don't do "private property" so much. Those places are great if you don't intend on working hard to acquire private property, or if you don't have interest in earning wealth and passing it on to your children. I, for one, like our system.— Mr. Smith
- "a right to travel"
Gee Will, I didn't know we needed government issued travel papers to go to New Jersey.— blackhawk90 - Liberal thinking- "I want everyone to like me! I want to do want everyone wants me to do, I am so insecure and weak, I need affirmation from strangers."— Keep The Change
- "Of course, we could always amend our Constitution to make it better. Good luck with that."
Will doesn't like the fact that the bar is set very high to amend the Constitution. Wonder why?— blackhawk90 - Feel free to start the amendment process anytime you want.What is your first proposal? Don't forget to include how it should be implemented. Save the republic is right. I agree with those that don't give a hoot what other countries think of our court. I don't give a hoot about theirs. Why? Because I don't (and in most cases would not want) to live under their laws. SCOUTUS , the prez and every official in this country swear to "preserve,protect and defend the constitution of the United States of America". Not Egypt, Israel or Ireland. Any judge citing foreign law and precedent in a decision should by impeached and removed from office.— georgel
- Comment removed.
- Liberal like Will and President Obama do not like the Constitution because it limits them. Obama wishes he could just be a dictator like Chavez and Castro. He is already bypassing Congress, and nominating people to positions, and signing executive orders. The caption for Will's picture should be "The Obama Plan to ammend the Constitution. MOst of those posting here probably have no knowledge of what the Constitution says. Surely the Supreme Court doesn't, or we would never have had the Kilo decision. Wise up America!— Bush3
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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Boy I wish I lived in another country the US is just a horrible place to live.
Been to the Philippines- Mexico City? Bunch? Why are Liberals unable to think logically?