This report is supported by NM Political Report, a nonprofit newsroom working to increase New Mexicans’ engagement in politics and public policy.
Submitted by: Starlyn Brown, President, League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico
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September 17 is Constitution and Citizenship Day — a moment to reflect not just on history, but on the responsibilities that come with being an American citizen.
The story of this day goes back to 1940, when Congress first created “I Am an American Day.” Later, in 1952, it was renamed “Constitution Day” and moved to September 17, the date the Constitution was signed in 1787. In 2004, Congress recognized that the holiday should honor both the Constitution and citizenship, giving us today’s civic holiday.
At the heart of this celebration is the Constitution itself — a framework that both empowers and limits government, while protecting the rights of the people. The Founders understood that unchecked power could threaten liberty. That’s why they divided authority among three branches of government, embedding checks and balances into the Constitution from the very beginning.
In 1791, the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution, guaranteeing freedoms we now often take for granted: freedom of speech, religion, and the press; protections against unreasonable searches and seizures; and fairness in legal proceedings. These rights are not abstract. They are the daily guardrails of our democracy.
But today, those rights are under attack. From efforts to restrict speech and assembly, to attacks on the freedom of the press, to attempts to weaken due process, the liberties we’ve relied on, cannot be assumed permanent. They exist only as long as we, the people, demand their protection.
Constitution and Citizenship Day should not be a quiet observance tucked into the calendar. It should be a call to action. The Constitution is not a relic — it is protection. Our rights are not gifts from government; they are ours by design, and they endure only if we defend them.
It is always the time to speak up! If you have concerns about the decisions our lawmakers are making, contact our elected representatives at the national, state and local levels to express that concern. If you think there is a threat to our democracy – call, text, write, email. LWVCNM publishes a Political Directory for Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties with contact information for our elected representatives. The directory can be found on the LWVCNM website lwvcnm.org. Our Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee us the right to say what we are thinking out loud.