Mesa College hosted an event to celebrate Constitution Day this September. The event brought together students, faculty, and the community to commemorate the signing of the United States. The event featured informative talks about the Constitution’s history and significance, as well as activities that encouraged attendees to delve deeper into the principles that our nation was founded upon.
The event was a vibrant hub of knowledge and intellectual exchange — a collaborative effort between Mesa College and the Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL). Constitution Day is a special day at Mesa College as it gives an opportunity for the college to educate and remind its students about the fundamental principles of the United States.
Every year, on Sept.17, Constitution Day is celebrated in America to mark the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. This day serves as a reminder of the nation’s commitment to its individual freedoms, democratic values, and the rule of law.
Steven Semeraro, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, spoke about critical topics such as the Bill of Rights and the rights of states under the Constitution. Semeraro highlighted the pivotal role of James Madison, often recognized as the “Father of the Constitution,” in drafting the initial Amendments to the United States Constitution. His speech went on to discuss the rights of the states, and the interaction between state governments and the federal government as defined by the post-Civil War 14th Amendment.
Later, there were discussions about free speech and social media. One of the major questions asked was whether Facebook pages are public or private. One of the students attending the event answered to the panel that “Facebook pages are like a hybrid of a public park and a private shopping center, offering a space for public interaction while being governed by private platform rules and controls.”
The relevance of free speech in the context of social media is significant, as it raises important questions about the balance between open expression and platform regulations, making it a key contemporary issue. One of the students said that “the freedom to express yourself and post your opinions on social media is not always straightforward, because there’s a risk of receiving negative and hateful comments.” In stark contrast, another student attending the event said that “social media platforms like Twitter are a great medium to share your opinions and knowledge, the possibility of negative comments shouldn’t stop you from using it.”
People shared personal experiences and had different opinions. Some said it’s important to have strong rules to stop hateful speech online, while others believed it’s crucial to let all kinds of voices be heard.
These different views highlighted the free speech on the internet and the problems people face online. The lively exchange of ideas made the Constitution Day event more interesting and showed how talking about these issues can help us deal with problems in today’s society.
