‘The dignity code’

10.JULY.09

Editor: In a recent New York Times newspaper article, Times columnist David Brooks, an intellectual conservative (one of the few whom I can abide), noted that “human beings are flawed creatures who live in constant peril of falling into disasters caused by their own passions”. {{more}} He was referring particularly to some of the recent scandals in the United States that are re-played (sic) over and over on cable news networks.

George Washington, the father of American Independence, was aware of these flaws, and, according to Brooks, developed a list of 110 rules for “civility and decent behavior in company and conversation”. Brooks calls these rules “the dignity code”. The dignity code advises its followers “to be disinterested – to endeavor to put national interests above personal interests”. It urges its followers “to be reticent – to never degrade intimate emotions by parading them in public”. It also says “to be dispassionate – to distrust rashness, zealotry, fury and political enthusiasm”, and importantly, to show respect to others. Brooks believes these “rules” form a basis for many of the ideas behind the U.S. Constitution. (All 110 rules can be found on the Internet at http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/manners/rules2.cfm.)

To the extent that I agree with Mr. Brooks, I think it would be fruitful to consider some of these rules in deciding whether to vote yes or no to the proposed St. Vincent Constitution; and, in so doing, to consider the following as well:

In the year 1215, England (which to this day has no Constitution) adopted the Magna Carta, which was 4,385 words in length. (http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/magna2.html)

In 1787, the United States adopted its Constitution. The length: 4,400 words. (http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html)

In 1789, in France, The Declaration of the Rights of Man were proclaimed. The total length: 823 words. (http://www.worldofquotes.com/docs/27/index.html)

The current Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines runs 35,740 words. (http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Vincent/stvincent79.html)

The proposed Constitution of 2009 is approximately 50,000 (+/-) words.(http://www.gov.vc/Govt/Government/Executive/Ministries/PMOffice/GeneralAdmin/PrimeMinGA.asp?z=161&a=6285)

Marc Erdrich