By David Goerg
The Legacy Flight Museum played host to a Constitution Day celebration on the evening of Friday, Sept. 17.
Constitution Day is a national holiday paying tribute to Sept. 17, 1787, when 39 of the 44 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed that document, establishing it as the “Supreme Law of the Land.” (see Article 6, Section 2 of the United States Constitution.)
Over 130 people from Rexburg and the surrounding areas gathered to hear the remarks of Daniel Brigman, Rep. Priscilla Giddings, and Rep. Dorothy Moon.
The event was organized by the Madison County Republican Women’s Club.
Attendees were accommodated with a classic Idahoan dinner of baked potatoes and toppings, along with a selection of meats from Blisters barbeque, located in Rexburg.
Daniel Brigman, the owner of the food-storage company NuManna and the author of “Forever 1776” was the opening speaker for the event. He spoke on the importance of the Bill of Rights in our modern society.
“The Bill of Rights doesn’t tell you to do anything. It’s [about] what the government cannot do to you,” Brigman said.
“Something is inside you that must be accounted for, that you must be allowed to express,” he continued. “[It] is your freedom, your dignity, your future, your hope. The expression of divinity that is within you cannot be controlled by government.”
The event continued with Priscilla Giddings as the second speaker. Giddings is a state legislator for District 7, which covers a significant portion of northern Idaho. She spoke about her upbringing and time spent in the United States Air Force.
Giddings’ remarks were highlighted with a special back-drop – an actual working model of the T6 fighter plane. Giddings’ had received military training on a newer version of the T6.
Workers at the Legacy Flight Museum were able to position the plane directly behind Giddings’ for the duration of her remarks as a backdrop that highlighted both the venue and the speaker.
Giddings is currently running for the office of Lt. Governor for the state of Idaho.
“I believe our Constitution was divinely inspired,” stated Giddings. “It was Lincoln, he told us that it’s ‘We, the People’ [who] are the rightful masters of both the Congress and the courts – not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who would pervert it . . . So now, I think it is time for us to spur one another, to unite and to stand fast behind our Constitution, as it was originally penned. It has worked for nearly 250 years and it can bring us together to climb out of the situation that we’re in.”
Representative Dorothy Moon, the third speaker for the event, is a state legislator for District 8, which covers Lemhi, Custer, and Boise.
Her remarks dealt with increasing controversies in Idaho’s public education system. She mentioned that the need to work with local school boards is growing as new curriculum is being introduced across the nation.
“I just ask you to heed my words and start looking at some of the books and some of the materials coming home [from school.]” Dorothy recommended. “And if you see anything wonky you get up there and say, ‘Wait a minute,’ and alert your neighbors. You could definitely shut some projects down that they’re trying to push on your kids.”
The event was emceed by Rep. Ron Nate, who is a state legislator for District 34.
